Indiana gambling law allows casino gaming in 14 licensed venues across the state. Eight of those are riverboat casinos. There are also three land-based commercial casinos, as well as one tribal casino. Indiana also has two horse racing tracks that run casino operations on the grounds.
Online casino gambling in Indiana remains unregulated, but optimists believe the state could legalize US internet casinos in the next couple of years. The reason for the optimism is the fact that Indiana has made online sports betting legal in 2019.
The legislation allows the licensed casinos to apply for a sports betting license. The license grants them the right to run a sportsbook on the premises, as well as a virtual version of it on the internet.
Find Indiana Casinos on The Map
Interesting Facts About Indiana
With a name Indiana, you would expect this state to have dozens of tribal casinos within its borders. However, there’s only one – the Four Winds South Bend Casino.
The reason is that, despite the name, Indiana does not have a large Indian population. They did live here in large numbers by the mid-18th century when they were forced out by the European settlers. Today, less than one percent of the Indiana population is of Native American heritage.
Indiana’s nickname also has some interesting origin stories. For instance, no one knows where Hosier comes from exactly. The term Hosier State has been in use since the early 19th century, but no one can say for certain what a Hosier is.
Unlike its nickname, Indiana’s official motto is a no-brainer. The Crossroads of America refers to the fact that this Midwestern state is where many interstates cross.
Indiana Gambling Venues
The Indiana gambling legislation says that in order to get an operational license, a commercial casino needs to be either on water (riverboat casinos) or near some body of water.
As a result, most of Indiana casinos are on/near Ohio River and Lake Michigan. Actually, the only land-based casino that has nothing to do with those two is French Lick. This casino is situated next to the creek of the same name.
The only casino in Indiana that’s miles away from any lake or river is the Four Winds South Bend Casino. This is a tribal gaming venue, owned and operated by the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. Another tribal casino, Hard Rock Casino Northern Indiana, is under construction at the moment of writing.
There are two more places in Indiana where casino gambling is possible. Those are Hoosier Park and Indiana Grand Casino, both of which are racinos. What this means is that these venues are actually horseracing tracks, which have some free slot machines and tables on the premises. Visitors can play casino games in these places, as well as bet on horse races.
When it comes to sports betting, this activity is allowed in most of the aforementioned gambling venues. Furthermore, some of those venues have even teamed up with betting sites to create online sportsbooks.
Frequently Asked Questions
With the exception of state-licensed online sports betting, all other forms of online gambling are not expressly legal in Indiana. Although offshore sites accept bets from Indiana players and there is no public record of any individual that has been prosecuted or arrested for gambling on offshore sites.
According to the IRS, all gambling winnings are subject to taxation. Once you have earned a specific amount, for instance, $1,200 on slot machines, or a minimum of 300 times your initial wager amount or if the payout is at least $600, then your earnings will be automatically reported to the IRS by the casino operator. In fact, the gambling industry generates about $1 billion in taxes.
Offshore sites do not operate under the jurisdiction of US law, so it might be risky to place your bets there. However, you can reduce the risks involved by wagering on only reputable offshore sites. Additional safety measures include: accessing the offshore site with a personal device, using a strong password, and installing an antivirus that is up to date before visiting the offshore site.
Most online casinos offer numerous deposit options. The most common deposit methods include credit/ debit cards and bank wire transfer. eWallets like PayPal are not acceptable deposit or withdrawal methods, due to American banking laws pertaining to gambling.
