Indiana gambling laws allow casino play, racinos, pari-mutuel horse racing, the Hoosier Lottery, sports betting, and licensed charity gaming, and treat any unauthorized gambling as a crime. Penalties start at a Class B misdemeanor for people who simply play in an unauthorized game and climb to a Level 5 felony for repeat operators. Age minimums are 21 for casinos and sports betting, and 18 for the lottery and horse racing.
What Counts as Gambling
Indiana defines gambling as risking money or other property for gain that depends in whole or part on chance or a gambling device.1Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-45-5-1 – Definitions Two things fall outside that definition. Genuine contests of skill, speed, strength, or endurance, where prizes go only to participants or entry owners, are not gambling. Neither are legitimate business transactions that hold up under contract law.
The skill exception is where most arguments live. Poker tournaments, fantasy contests, and arcade competitions can sit close to the line. The controlling question is whether skill or chance predominantly drives the outcome. If someone is charged with unlawful gambling, showing that the activity was a genuine contest of skill is the most direct defense the statute offers.
Forms of Legal Gambling in Indiana
Six categories are authorized, each with its own chapter of code and its own regulator.
Casinos and Racinos
Riverboat casinos operate under Title 4, Article 33, and casino-style gaming at horse tracks (racinos) under Article 35.2Justia. Indiana Code Title 4 Article 33 – Riverboat Gambling The original cruising requirement was later dropped, and Indiana’s riverboats now operate while permanently docked. Slots, table games, and electronic gaming are all permitted.
Horse Racing
Pari-mutuel wagering is permitted at licensed tracks and off-track betting facilities. Hoosier Park in Anderson and Indiana Grand in Shelbyville are the primary tracks, both of which also run racino floors. The Indiana Horse Racing Commission regulates the sport.3Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 4-31-3-1 – Indiana Horse Racing Commission
Hoosier Lottery
The Hoosier Lottery sold its first ticket on October 13, 1989, after a voter referendum the year before.4Hoosier Lottery. 35 Years of Championing Hoosier Dreams The State Lottery Commission manages scratch-off tickets, in-state draw games, and multi-state jackpot games including Powerball and Mega Millions.
Sports Betting
Indiana legalized sports wagering in 2019 through House Enrolled Act 1015, codified as Indiana Code Article 4-38.5Indiana Gaming Commission. Sports Wagering and Paid Fantasy Sports Bets can be placed in person at licensed casino properties or through approved mobile apps. The state began accepting legal wagers in September 2019.
Charitable Gaming
Qualified nonprofits — charitable, civic, fraternal, and veterans’ groups — can hold licensed gambling events under Indiana Code 4-32.3.6Indiana Gaming Commission. Charity Gaming Bingo, raffles, festival gaming, and casino nights are all permitted. Small events with annual prizes of $7,500 or less, capped at $2,500 per event, are exempt from licensing, but the group still has to notify the Indiana Gaming Commission at least 14 days before the event. Larger events need a specific license.
Age Minimums by Activity
- Casinos and racinos: 21 to enter any gambling area.
- Sports betting: 21 for in-person and mobile wagering.7Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 4-38-5-3 – Age Restrictions for Areas Where Sports Wagering Is Conducted
- Hoosier Lottery: 18 to buy a ticket, though adults may purchase tickets as gifts for minors.8Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 4-30-12-1 – Person Less Than 18 Years of Age; Gift
- Horse racing: 18 for pari-mutuel wagering.
Sports wagering facilities can employ workers as young as 18, but anyone under 21 is barred from any function that involves actually handling patron wagers.7Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 4-38-5-3 – Age Restrictions for Areas Where Sports Wagering Is Conducted
Penalties for Illegal Gambling
Indiana’s penalties turn on which side of the game you are on. Playing is treated as a misdemeanor. Running the game, or supplying it, is a felony, and a prior conviction pushes the felony up a level.
Playing: Class B Misdemeanor
Knowingly engaging in gambling that the state has not authorized is unlawful gambling under Indiana Code 35-45-5-2, a Class B misdemeanor.9Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-45-5-2 – Unlawful Gambling The maximum penalty is 180 days in jail and a $1,000 fine.10Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-50-3-3 – Class B Misdemeanor This charge covers individual bettors and players in unauthorized games.
Running the Game: Level 6 Felony
Bookmaking, pool-selling, operating unauthorized slot machines or table games, running an unlicensed lottery or numbers game, or accepting money risked in gambling for profit is professional gambling under Indiana Code 35-45-5-3.11Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-45-5-3 – Professional Gambling; Professional Gambling Over the Internet It’s a Level 6 felony, which carries six months to two and a half years in prison, an advisory sentence of one year, and a fine of up to $10,000.12Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-50-2-7 – Level 6 Felony
The same statute covers doing any of those things online. Running bookmaking, virtual slots, online card games, or accepting wagers for profit over the internet, either in Indiana or in a transaction involving someone in Indiana, is professional gambling over the internet, also a Level 6 felony.11Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-45-5-3 – Professional Gambling; Professional Gambling Over the Internet
Supplying the Game: Level 6 Felony
You do not have to run the games to draw felony charges. Under Indiana Code 35-45-5-4, knowingly owning, manufacturing, buying, selling, or transporting a gambling device is a Level 6 felony, as is transmitting gambling information before a race or event, or allowing a place you control to be used for professional gambling.13Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-45-5-4 – Promoting Professional Gambling; Acts Two narrow exceptions exist: boat manufacturers who transport gambling devices solely for installation in boats being sold out of state, and people who possess antique slot machines (at least 40 years old) for decorative use in a private home without operating them for profit.
Repeat Offenses: Level 5 Felony
Both professional gambling and promoting professional gambling escalate to a Level 5 felony for anyone with a prior unrelated conviction under the same section.11Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-45-5-3 – Professional Gambling; Professional Gambling Over the Internet A Level 5 felony carries one to six years in prison, an advisory sentence of three years, and a fine of up to $10,000.14Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 35-50-2-6 – Level 5 Felony The maximum jumps from two and a half years to six.
Who Regulates Gambling in Indiana
The Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC), established under Indiana Code 4-33-3-1, regulates casinos, racinos, sports wagering, and charitable gaming.15Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 4-33-3-1 – Establishment of Commission The commission investigates license applicants, audits financial records, and enforces compliance through sanctions.16Indiana Gaming Commission. Illegal Gambling Background investigations are required before any permanent license is issued.17Legal Information Institute. Indiana Administrative Code 68 IAC 2-2-5 – Licensing Process
Horse racing sits with the Indiana Horse Racing Commission under Indiana Code 4-31-3-1, which handles pari-mutuel wagering, licensing of racing participants, and the integrity of racing operations.3Indiana General Assembly. Indiana Code 4-31-3-1 – Indiana Horse Racing Commission
Voluntary Exclusion Program
Indiana runs a Voluntary Exclusion Program (VEP) for anyone who wants to formally bar themselves from casino gambling. Participants pick a one-year, five-year, or lifetime term.18Indiana Gaming Commission. Voluntary Exclusion Program Enrollment is available at any Indiana casino, at the IGC’s Indianapolis office, through a designated problem gambling treatment provider, or online through the IGC website.
Once you’re enrolled, staying out of casino gaming areas is your responsibility. The list is confidential. Removal requires a formal request after the chosen term expires, and takes effect only when the IGC accepts it in writing. The commitment is binding for the term selected, with no early removal.18Indiana Gaming Commission. Voluntary Exclusion Program
What’s Changing
Online casino gambling remains illegal in Indiana. Outside of sports wagering, the state’s 13 regulated casinos are not permitted to offer internet gambling. In 2026, the legislature began advancing House Bill 1078 to allow online lottery sales, and House Bill 1052 to crack down on unregulated online “sweepstakes” games that simulate virtual slots, video poker, and table games. Some lawmakers, including the chair of the House Public Policy Committee, have publicly supported eventually authorizing online casino play through the state’s licensed operators, but as of early 2026 no full iGaming bill had advanced.