Indiana committee passes bill to ban online sweepstakes casinos
HB 1052 has advanced with amendments in a 10-0 vote.
US.- The Indiana House Public Policy Committee has unanimously approved a bill that would ban online sweepstakes casinos. HB 1052 has advanced with amendments that downgrade the proposed penalties from criminal to civil.
The text approved in the 10-0 vote also changed the definition of sweepstakes to say “multi-currency” rather than “dual-currency.”
The proposal is co-sponsored by the committee chair Rep. Ethan Manning, Rep. Peggy Mayfield, and Rep. Justin Moed. If it’s approved, Indiana would join several other US states that have prohibited sweepstakes. Montana was the first state to explicitly ban online sweepstakes with a law that took effect in October. Meanwhile, California’s AB 831 introduced a ban on January 1.
Meanwhile, Indiana’s House Bill 1078 has advanced to the full House for consideration. The proposal would authorise the Hoosier Lottery to sell tickets online and offer digital instant games. Online lottery sales would probably not start until the summer of 2027.
Last year, the committee endorsed a bill for both online lottery and casino games, but it didn’t reach the full House for a vote.
