Sweepstakes Casinos in Indiana (2026)

Are sweepstakes casinos legal in Indiana?

Dual-currency sweepstakes casinos are banned in Indiana. House Bill 1052, authored by Representative Ethan Manning with Representatives Peggy Mayfield and Justin Moed, and carried in the Senate by Senator Ron Alting, passed the House 87-11 on February 2, 2026 and the Senate 37-8 on February 17, 2026. Governor Mike Braun signed it on March 13, 2026 and it took effect on July 1, 2026. Indiana was the first state to enact a sweepstakes ban in 2026, ahead of Maine, Tennessee and Louisiana.

The law defines an online sweepstakes game as an internet-based product that simulates casino, lottery or sports-wagering games and runs on a dual- or multi-currency system in which one currency can be redeemed for cash, gift cards or other cash equivalents. That is a precise description of the Gold Coins and Sweeps Coins model. The Indiana Gaming Commission can impose civil penalties of up to $100,000 per violation on anyone who knowingly operates such a game for Indiana residents. There is no licensing route and there was no transition period. The Hoosier Lottery is exempt, and the bill leaves limited room for skill-based and peer-to-peer formats that do not fit the definition.

Every major dual-currency brand stopped serving Indiana on or before July 1, 2026. What remains is a small number of sites that have removed Sweeps Coins for Indiana and offer Gold Coin play with no cash prizes, plus a few brands experimenting with tournament points or non-cash rewards. We list those for information only. We are not lawyers; read each site’s Indiana terms before you spend anything.

Timeline

• 2025: Representative Manning’s HB 1432, an online casino legalisation bill, clears the House Public Policy Committee but never reaches a floor vote after Speaker Todd Huston says support is lacking.
• December 5, 2025: HB 1052 is filed ahead of the 2026 short session. Tribal and commercial casino interests back it; the Social Gaming Leadership Alliance argues for regulation instead of prohibition.
• February 2, 2026: the House passes HB 1052 87-11.
• February 17, 2026: the Senate passes it 37-8. Lawmakers shelve iGaming for the year to focus on the ban.
• March 13, 2026: Governor Braun signs the bill.
• May-June 2026: operators begin winding down. High 5 Casino announces its exit on June 16; Stake.us, Pulsz, McLuck and others set June 30 as the last day for Indiana redemptions.
• July 1, 2026: the ban takes effect. VGW withdraws Chumba Casino, LuckyLand Slots, LuckyLand Casino, Global Poker and United Slots; Sweepstakes Limited withdraws Stake.us; B-Two Operations withdraws McLuck, Hello Millions, Jackpota, Mega Bonanza, PlayFame and SpinBlitz; MW Services withdraws WOW Vegas, Rolla and MetaWin; Yellow Social withdraws Pulsz and Pulsz Bingo. Blazesoft, ARB Interactive, Woopla (Funzpoints), Fliff and Golden Hearts also leave.
• July 2026: Utech Solutions converts Sweepico, VegasWay, MrGoodwin, FireSevens, JackpotRabbit and related brands to Gold Coin only for Indiana; A1 Development removes sweepstakes from six brands and keeps them open with tournament points.
• July 15 and August 1, 2026: Maine’s and Louisiana’s bans follow, and Tennessee’s SB 2136 (signed May 22, 2026) is already in force.

How Indiana law treats sweepstakes and gambling

Indiana’s criminal gambling provisions are in Indiana Code 35-45-5. Unlawful gambling, which includes risking money on a game of chance, is a Class B misdemeanor, and professional gambling is a Level 6 felony. HB 1052 did not add a criminal offence for playing an online sweepstakes game; its penalties are civil and aimed at operators, which is why the practical consequence for players was losing access rather than facing charges.

The Indiana Gaming Commission regulates the state’s casinos, sports wagering and now sweepstakes enforcement. The Indiana Horse Racing Commission oversees racing and the two racinos, and the Hoosier Lottery is run by the State Lottery Commission. If you still hold a balance with an operator that left, contact its support team; most published redemption deadlines and processed final payouts through July 2026.

What Indiana players should check

• Model: if a site paired purchased coins with a second currency redeemable for cash or gift cards, it is not permitted in Indiana. Sites that remain open offer Gold Coin play only or non-cash rewards.
• Minimum age: 18 at most remaining Gold Coin sites; some require 21, matching the casino and sports-betting age.
• Location: geolocation determines your state. Using a VPN to reach a casino that left Indiana breaches its terms and forfeits your balance.
• Old balances: check the operator’s exit notice for the redemption deadline and contact support if you missed it.
• Marketing: offers that promise Indiana players cash prizes from a sweepstakes casino are either out of date or unlawful. Report them to the Indiana Gaming Commission.

Other legal ways to play in Indiana

Indiana has 13 state-regulated casinos: riverboats and land-based casinos along Lake Michigan and the Ohio River, the Terre Haute Casino Resort that opened in 2024, and two racinos, Harrah’s Hoosier Park in Anderson and Horseshoe Indianapolis in Shelbyville. Retail sports betting launched on September 1, 2019 and online betting followed in October 2019, with more than a dozen sportsbook apps. The Hoosier Lottery has operated since 1989; lawmakers debated online ticket sales in 2026. Licensed charities run bingo, raffles and pull-tabs, and pari-mutuel wagering continues at both tracks. Real-money online casinos remain illegal, and the 2026 session ended without an iGaming bill.

Staying up to date

We monitor Indiana Gaming Commission enforcement under HB 1052, any bill to amend or repeal the ban, the recurring iGaming debate and every operator’s Indiana policy. This page and the Indiana casino list are updated as soon as anything changes, and the review date in the header shows when we last checked.