Casinos in Indiana

Find out all you need to know about casinos in Indiana

The law in the state of Indiana may limit gambling somewhat, but there are still plenty of casino establishments (both on and off shore) for players to make the most of. The state law authorizes the operating of casinos on a number of Riverboat Casinos which sail along Lake Michigan as well as the Ohio River. Additionally, there is one land based casino and two horse betting tracks for betters to enjoy. Although Indiana may not serve up as many gambling options as other states, they aren’t completely lacking and the establishments that do exist legally are really worth visiting.

It may be interesting for you to learn that the laws regarding gambling have loosened a lot in the past few decades. For example, in 1851, The Indiana Constitution placed a ban on all types of gambling (including the lottery). In the ’90’s this ban was removed, and when looking at the figures today, it is clear to see that Indiana has come a long way. This gives hope that in a few more years to come, there may be many more land based casino options for people to indulge in. See, the Riverboat casinos are exciting as well as thrilling, but not everyone can spare the time or money to hop on board one of these liners in order to fulfill their gaming wants and needs. This said, there is reason to believe that the laws may continue to loosen further in the coming years in order to open up the doors to a wider selection of land based casino establishments.

How to know which casinos in Indiana to trust

There are a few things to keep in mind when gambling somewhere on Indiana map in order to make sure that you are gaming at the top casino establishments which are fully trusted and secured.

• Find out which is the most highly rates Indiana casino
• Ensure there is a ride range of games at the casino
• Check to ensure that your personal information will be secured
• Make sure payout options are easy and safe
• Make sure that you speak to a member of staff and ask any questions you might have prior to registering.

Indiana Gambling Laws

The gambling laws are quite firm in Indiana, and they do not allow much wiggle room. Anything that is not listed as an exception in the laws means that it is illegal. Some activities might not warrant anything more than a misdemeanor charge, but there is always a risk of a charge turning into a felony that means far more serious repercussions. It all depends on the seriousness of the violation, the record of the violator, and the amount involved.

Horse and Greyhound Racing

Horse racing and off-track betting are allowed in the state. You can place wagers on horse racing and satellite facilities that hold the licenses for pari-mutuel wagering. There are two race tracks in the state where you can bet on live and simulcast races: Hoosier Park and Indiana Grand Racing & Casino. Both venues are also considered as ‘racinos’ because 2000 slot machines are permitted at each of the racecourses. The legal gambling age when it comes to pari-mutuel betting is 18. As for the greyhound racing, Indiana considers it as an illegal activity.

Casinos

Casinos in this state take on both land-based and riverboat forms. Two of the existing casinos are found in the same venue as horse race tracks, which qualify them as ‘racinos’. The third land-based casino is the French Lick Resort Casino. As for the riverboat casinos, there 10 of them and they only allowed in legal counties that are contiguous to the Ohio River, Patoka Lake and Lake Michigan. Some of the popular riverboat casinos are Belterra Casino and Horseshoe Casino Hammond. The legal gambling age for casinos is 21.

Poker

Poker games are legal and available in all casinos through the state. There are both variants: cash games and poker tournaments, available for players above 21. Interestingly, social poker games are illegal, and individuals, who play such games, are indicated as the operators, and fit under misdemeanor charges or even some penalties. Online poker is banned.

Hoosier Lottery

Indiana has its own state lottery and is the only state in the entire country that actually uses its nickname as the name of their lottery. The Hoosier Lottery began selling lottery tickets in 1989 and does not just involve local lottery games, but inter-state ones such as Powerball. The legal age to participate in the lottery is 18.

Charitable Gaming

Charitable games in the form of bingo, charity game nights (where games like dice, roulette, card, and spindle games can be played), raffles, pull-tab games, door prize drawing, tip boards or punchboards are allowed. To be considered for a charitable gaming license, the organizations must be a religious, educational, veteran or civic, operate within the state and gain no profit from any of the activities. They should have been in existence for a minimum of 5 years in the state and should be tax-exempt based on the Internal Revenue Code’s Section 501.

Online Gambling

Indiana is one of the states that prohibits online gambling. This is one of the few states (along with Utah and Washington) that banned gambling on the internet (2005).