Indiana HB 1052 Stalls as House Rejects Senate Amendments

Indiana’s Senate has decided—HB1052 is going to the House for concurrence, and ultimately a possible state approval. The bill, which aims to ban sweepstakes casinos and impose up to $100,000 in civil penalties, has received strong bipartisan support. The Senate approved the bill’s amended form on third reading on February 17th, via a Roll Call 177: 37 yeas to 8 nays.

However, the House dissented from Senate amendments and is now eligible for a conference committee to reconcile both chambers’ differences.

What’s Inside HB1052 After the Senate’s Amendments

Indiana’s HB1052 is a broad administrative bill which covers the horse racing commission, a reference to horse racing wagering, and sports betting.  The bill also defines and establishes civil penalties for hosting “sweepstakes casino games”, which will be regulated by the Indiana Gaming Commission.

After careful consideration, the Senate’s amended bill defines “sweepstakes games” as those that are:

• Available online

• Accessible via your smartphone, computer terminal, or similar devices

• Relies on the dual-currency model or multi-currency format, allowing users to exchange this currency for a cash reward or any equivalent prize

• Simulates casino-style games, such as online slots, table games, video poker, or even sports wagering

However, the bill expressly excludes contests, games, or promos directly offered by Indiana’s state lottery, as well as P2P skills-based poker games. It also assigns the Indiana Gaming Commission to oversee the games’ regulations and impose civil penalties of up to $100,000.

During the committee hearings, Public Policy Chairman Sen. Ron Alting also introduced an amendment that would have regulated and taxed these gaming platforms, instead of banning them outright. However, this proposal was later withdrawn due to resistance in both chambers.

Not So Fast—House Dissented from Senate Amendments

As of February 19th, HB1052 has stalled, with the House dissenting from amendments, with no further action or scheduled recording.

The bill banning sweepstakes casinos is now eligible for a conference committee to reconcile differences and questions, but no committee has been appointed or ha earing scheduled as of this writing.

REFERENCES:

• HB1052