Indiana Gambling Information
FAQ / Q&A -- History -- Regulation -- Land Based Casinos -- Fun Facts
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Indiana Online Casinos and Real Money Slots
Regulation and legality of online gambling
Online gambling is not officially legal in Indiana. Unlike many other ‘grey area’ states, there are laws that can get you in trouble if you play casino games online.
This peculiar situation is a result of Indiana’s long-standing negative stance on online casinos. For many decades, the state’s legislators have rejected the possibility of legalizing casino sites.
Over time, several state representatives and community members realized the benefits of legal gambling. In recent times, Indiana has somewhat changed its stance on all games of chance. It all started with fantasy sports, as the state was the second to effectively legalize DFS. Only Virginia did it before them, believe it or not.
This sudden influx of progressiveness resulted in a massive breakthrough in 2019 - sportsbooks, both land-based and online ones were effectively legalized. As of July 2020, a total of seven different betting sites are available.
Online casinos, unfortunately, are a completely different story. Legally, the state can penalize you if you’re caught. Anyone convicted of illegal online gambling can face up to 180 days in jail, along with a fine that can reach $1,000 in extreme cases. But is this law enforced?
Not really. From our experience and the experience of experts and players we collaborate with, no player has ever been penalized for betting at an offshore casino, or a site that’s registered in another US state.
So, to summarize: you can gamble online in Indiana. While there are no online casinos based in the state, you can play anywhere you want, as long as they accept Indianans. If you really want to play it safe, a Virtual Privacy Network (VPN) is a helpful tool.
Placing bets on a gambling website is considered unlawful, but gambling laws in the State of Indiana do not give any mention to the practice of gambling on the web. Owning an online business that profits from gambling over the internet is indeed illegal, but wagering on a licensed site is not proven to be against the law. The letter of the law concerning gambling can be found in Indiana Code 35-45-5-2(c) which claims that gambling not specifically regulated by the state is a crime.
Some bills were proposed in 2015 in 2018 to regulate online sports betting but they never made it past the House. State regulated online gambling hasn’t yet been touched by the Indiana legislators. Perhaps it takes for the IN residents to call for it; maybe then the lawmakers would respond accordingly.
Gambling history in Indiana
Indiana is one of the US states that hardly allowed any type of gambling for a long time and then altered its policy in stages, quite swiftly, due to additional revenue and other economic advantages of the gambling industry. The Indiana Constitution of 1851 established a ban on lottery activities and the ban stood until 1988 when an amendment to the constitution was passed. The lift on the ban would see the sales of lottery tickets begin the following year. Bingo was allowed in 1992, and the first efforts to legalize commercial casinos began in the early 90s.
Finally, riverboat casinos were authorized in 1993, and the exact venues were: up to five sites on the shore of Lake Michigan, five on the Ohio River, and one on Patoka Lake in southern Indiana. The law required voters to approve each establishment at a referendum. The Patoka Lake site eventually lost its right to a license, and the legislature authorized a casino in a special historic district in French Lick. The first establishments started operating in 1995. The first horse racing facility, the Hoosier Park horse track, opened in 1994. The two main racetracks in the state were converted into racinos in 2007 when the Indiana Legislature passed legislation allowing slot machines to be added. The one and only Native American casino in Indiana was opened in January 2018.
The industry of floating casinos is what sets apart the gambling industry of Indiana from most other US regions. The riverboat model allowed up to eleven facilities to become operational, and in the beginning they were required to be navigable. The Indiana Riverboat Act of 1993 was loosened in 1999 when it was said that the ships no longer had to include a crew and a motor - they were allowed to be permanently moored. Now anchored, venues like the French Lick Casino are remembered as riverboat casinos. In 2015, existing riverboat casinos were allowed to build new facilities on land. Until this happens, there are currently 12 regular casino locations in Indiana, one of them is a Native American casino, and two racetrack venues.
Indiana Grand in Shelbyville and Hoosier Park in Anderson are the two tracks that offer live and simulcast betting, and since 2007 they also offer slot machines and video pokers (around 2,000 each). Majestic Star and Majestic Star II are moored on Lake Michigan in Gary. They offer over 2,400 video gambling machines each. Ameristar Casino in East Chicago is a 56,000-square-foot casino which provides 2,000 slot machines, table games, a baccarat room, several restaurants and dining opportunities and regular events. The French Lick Resort is home to a Vegas-style casino stretching across 51,000 square feet; there are 37 live-dealer table games at French Lick Casino where visitors can play blackjack, craps, poker-themed games and roulette. Blue Chip Casino features 1,900 slots, over 40 table games, and a selection of poker tables; it is located in Michigan City on Lake Michigan. The only Native American casino is Four Winds South Bend, owned by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians.
At what age can one play at Indianan online casinos?
Since online gambling is illegal in Indiana, there is no specified minimum age for partaking in this activity. A crime is a crime, right? Certainly. However, that doesn’t mean minors can gamble in this state. While Indiana is certainly prone to ignoring cases of people playing at offshore casinos, law enforcement is more than eager to crack down on underage gambling.
The minimum age at which you can play games of chance varies depending on the activity you’ve chosen. Lotto, bingo, raffles, and horse racing are open to 18-year olds. Land-based casinos only allow people that are 21+. Just to be safe, don’t even think about gambling if you’re not of age and don’t encourage any minor to do so. Let’s be responsible.
What games can I expect to see at casino sites in Indiana?
As we’ve mentioned in the answer to the first question, you can play at any site you want. Indiana doesn’t technically regulate its online casino market, since the activity is officially illegal. Therefore, any site willing to take the risk accepts Indianans into their player ranks.
This means that you can play whichever game you want. The whole iGaming world is in the palm of your hand, so you can effectively search for every single title in existence.
As for the most popular games, you will find that video slots, progressive jackpots, and table games are the forte of players from the Hoosier state. Roulette, blackjack, and baccarat are always renowned, too.
Are live dealer games available, too?
Yes, Indianan online casinos offer a wide variety of live dealer titles. Players are often infatuated by the interactive feel of such games, thereby forcing most casino sites to purchase live casino games by the bulk.
You will find all your favorite table games, as well as some interesting variants, and game show-casino-RNG hybrids. All that, and more, is available to Indianans.
Which payment options are available at Indianan casino sites?
Casino sites in Indiana, just like in most other US states, offer only popular and legitimate payment options. Of course, everyone and their dog accepts credit/debit card deposits and withdrawals. VISA and MasterCard dominate the card market, with Maestro and American Express being solid alternatives.
More and more online casinos are experimenting with cryptocurrencies such as Bitcoin and Litecoin. They provide unparalleled security benefits and are impervious to all forms of cybercrime.
However, eWallets are by far the most popular. They’re fast, easy to use, and allow players not to share their credit card information with casino sites. PayPal is the leader in this niche, but Neteller, Skrill, and Klarna are also good options.
As for other payment methods, Indianan players love to use Paysafecard and PayNearMe. All in all, there is no shortage of choices.
How quickly do Indiana online casinos pay their players?
The speed at which you receive your withdrawal depends on two things: the policy of each Indianan online casino and the payment option you’re using.
Different sites implement different safety protocols. While most only require you to input your basic personal info, others can request things such as document scans, utility bills, and just about everything else that can be used to verify your identity.
When it comes to the most popular payment options, here’s how things go:
• Credit/debit cards: 3-5 business days
• PayPal (and most other eWallets): instant
• Cryptocurrencies: 15-30 minutes
Fun Facts about Indiana
- One of Indiana’s older bars, The Slippery Noodle Inn, is known to have served the likes of Al Brady and John Dillinger gangs during Prohibition. These patrons allegedly used the back of the building for target practice, which was then a horse stable, and several bullets are left embedded in the lower east wall. The Slippery Noodle Inn in Indianapolis was established in 1850.
- Lewis and Clarke started their journey at Fort Vincennes and journeyed westward on their legendary quest. Reaching the northwest corner, they pawed way to the creation of the final map of the United States of America around a hundred years later.
- Plenty of famous people were born in Indiana, for example Michael Jackson, James Dean, Colonel Sanders, David Lee Roth, Axl Rose and David Letterman.
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