Indiana Bans Sweepstakes Casinos but Keeps Sweepstakes Poker Legal

Indiana has outlawed online sweepstakes casinos and sportsbooks, but sweepstakes poker remains legal. The new law, signed by Governor Mike Braun, will take effect on July 1, 2026. The bill, House Bill 1052, explicitly excludes sweepstakes poker from its language, saying: “However, the term does not include a game, contest, or promotion offered by the state lottery commission or peer-to-peer skill-based poker games.”

This means that operators like ClubWPT Gold, Clubs Poker, and Global Poker, which primarily focus on poker, will be able to continue operating in Indiana. However, they will have to disable any casino games and other forms of gambling they have in their platforms for Indiana players.

The Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) will have the power to impose civil penalties of up to $100,000 against any operators or individuals who break the law by offering such games. The bill even called for criminal penalties in its initial wording, but those have been downgraded to civil ones. The Bill passed through both chambers of the Indiana legislature in February, following some reconciliation and amendments, and was ratified by the Governor on March 13.