At Indiana-Gambling.com, we’re here to provide bettors with the resources they need to enjoy smooth, safe, and legal betting. That’s why we tapped our casino and sports betting experts to compile this in-depth guide, which serves as a one-stop shop for all of your questions on gambling in Indiana. Here, you can find out all of the laws around online gambling in Indiana, as well as all of your options for betting in 2023. 

If you want to know more about Indiana online gambling, you have come to the right place. Our site offers expert, impartial reviews and advice from casino and sports betting experts, who can offer you trustworthy tips on how to bet in Indiana.

We have scoured every inch of Indiana to find you the very best casinos and online sportsbooks where you can get maximum bang for your buck, no matter what your gambling preferences are. Whether you’re looking to bet on the NFL or play a few rounds of blackjack, don’t hesitate to consult our expert reviews to find the best option.

First, let’s break down exactly what types of gambling are actually available in the state of Indiana. Across the US, states have the power to set their own gaming laws and issue licenses via a state gaming control board.

In Indiana, that board is known as the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC), which is the ultimate deciding body when it comes to any and all things gambling-related in the state. Gambling has a long, storied, and often complicated history in Indiana. As a result of this history, these are the types of gambling that you can participate in today. 

Just so there is no shadow of a doubt, let’s break down Indiana gambling laws in detail. Legal gambling in Indiana is possible, as long as it consists of:

✅ Land-based gaming at a licensed Indiana casino 

✅ Sports betting at a licensed sportsbook, online or land-based

✅ Licensed lottery games, such as Powerball

✅ Not-for-profit bingo games, with proceeds going towards charitable or educational causes

You must also be at least 21 years of age to participate in all forms of online gambling. However, you may participate in daily fantasy football if you are at least 18 years of age. Note that attempting to access an online casino located outside of Indiana while you are present in Indiana is also a misdemeanor crime. 

Any form of gambling that falls outside of these parameters is illegal and should not be attempted at all within the State of Indiana, as doing so constitutes a prosecutable crime. 

So, how did we get here? Gambling in Indiana was strictly banned throughout most of the state’s history. with all forms of the following being illegal according to the Indiana Code: 

“risking money or other property for gain, contingent in whole or in part upon lot, chance, or the operation of a gambling device”

However, the first forms of gambling were legalized in 1989, with the introduction of the first legal state lottery, the Hoosier Lottery. At the same time, licensed track betting on horse and greyhound races was also legalized, with licenses being granted for two racetracks to open in the state. As of 2022, Indiana is now home to two massive racetracks and four off-track bettings (OTB) venues. 

The real game-changer came in 1993, with the passage of the Indiana Riverboat Act. This allowed for the construction and licensing of land-based casinos in the state for the first time, as long as they were situated inside riverboats and not on, well, land.

Since 2015, the same Act has since been amended to allow for the construction of land-based casinos outside of riverboats, resulting in a couple of additional casinos being constructed on the same sites as Indiana’s major betting track venues. 

Despite sports betting online and in-person being made legal in 2019, lawmakers in Indiana were specifically very resistant to extending this liberalization to online casino gaming. If anything, lawmakers have doubled down in their commitment to upholding the ban on online casino gaming in Indiana. There is currently no indication that Indiana gambling laws will be amended to permit online casino games anytime soon. 

So, how popular is legal gambling in Indiana today? Very, it turns out. Let’s start with sports betting. Since it was legalized in September 2019, sports betting revenues in Indiana have totaled a staggering $486 million. All of the most profitable months for Indiana sports betting were in 2021, with November 2021 taking the record of $47.6 million worth of wagers being made within that 30-day period.

This amounts to more than $46 million in tax revenue for the state from sports betting alone. Casino revenues from land-based venues are even higher. In January 2022, Indiana’s 14 casinos generated close to $200 million in revenues.

This is consistent with revenues throughout 2021, which hovered around the $150-200 million a month mark, at least for the latter half of that year, once pandemic restrictions had been lifted in their entirety. The Hard Rock Casino in Gary is the most popular venue in the state, generating around $30 million a month in the latter half of 2021.

According to recent surveys, gambling is an immensely popular pursuit across the state. A recent survey from Indiana State University found that a full 84% of Indiana adults gambled at least once in the past year.

You might be wondering how gambling taxes work in Indiana. The state collects a flat 9.5% tax on all sports betting revenues directly from the sportsbook operators. However, this does not affect the bettor who wins money from a successful wager.

Rather, these winnings fall under Indiana state income tax, which is currently levied at 3.23%. All gambling winnings, including from casinos and racetracks, are subject to this tax. However, that’s not all. Any and all winnings over $5000 are subject to a 24% tax. Oftentimes, casinos will withhold 25% of large winnings for tax purposes, but not always.

If the casino does not withhold the winnings, you will need to declare and pay them yourself as part of your annual income tax. You must report all gambling winnings (including those under $5000) on your IRS 1040 Form and an additional W-2G Form. There are no exceptions to this rule and all gambling winnings must be reported, no matter how minor.