Indiana House passes bill to ban sweepstakes casinos
HB 1052 has advanced with amendments to the Senate.
US.- The Indiana House of Representatives has approved House Bill 1052 in a 87-11 vote. The bill has now moved to the Senate for consideration.
The legislation,co-sponsored by committee chair Rep. Ethan Manning, Rep. Peggy Mayfield and Rep. Justin Moed, would impose a civil penalty of up to $100,000 on operators of sweepstakes games in Indiana. It was previously amended to downgrade proposed penalties from criminal to civil and to change the definition of sweepstakes from “dual-currency” to “multi-currency”.
HB 1052 defines “sweepstakes games” as games, contests, or promotions that meet these criteria: they are available online and can be accessed on a mobile phone, computer, or similar device. They use a dual-currency or multi-currency system where players can exchange currency for cash prizes, cash awards, or similar cash options, or for chances to win these prizes. These games imitate lottery games or casino-style games, like slot machines, video poker, table games, bingo, or sports betting. However, this definition does not include games, contests, or promotions offered by the state lottery commission.
Montana was the first state to explicitly ban online sweepstakes with a law that took effect in October. 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.
