Indiana Exempts Poker From Sweepstakes Casino Ban Poker News

In September, Pokerfuse detailed how AB 831 advanced with no opposing votes, and how a veto was the last hope for players. The statute clarifies that lawful tribal casino games, the state lottery, and limited promotional sweepstakes tied to bona fide product sales remain allowed. The provision seemed to catch lawmakers and the gambling industry by surprise. There were also rumors swirling at the tournament that Negreanu is planning to talk to President Trump about players’ concerns.

The bill covers a wide range of gambling topics, including online poker and casino games. Every other state, through lotteries, DFS, online sports betting, or full-on casinos (online or live), has established regulatory… Read more » Ideally, numerous states would pass online poker legislation and then enter into an interstate compact allowing them to join their player pools, much like the lottery system in the USA.

Another potential consequence of how the internet actually works also created jitters that have been unhelpful in the growth of regulated online poker. Delaware has since returned to a limbo state, with online poker being regulated but no provider offering such a service. You may be surprised to learn that, despite a confusing legal landscape, it is generally accepted that playing online poker is currently legal in the U.S., at least at the federal level. His gaming bill this year would have legalized just online poker, but it, too, failed to advance. Now, instead of offering gold coin games, players purchase poker training credits to play and redeem winnings for cash or prizes. Each of the state’s four live casinos would be allowed to partner with online operators and offer up to three online skins.

Below, you’ll find summaries of state gambling statutes and active bills, plus how federal decisions (like the Wire Act) interact with state authority. Gov. Janet Mills must decide whether to sign the measure into law by the end of this week. Other members in the agreement include Pennsylvania (13 million), Michigan (10.1 million), New Jersey (9.5 million), Nevada (3.2 million), Delaware (1 million), and West Virginia  (1.8 million). The poker pool across a handful of states increases competition and prize amounts. Player protections like self-exclusion and other safeguards are also outlined in the legislation.

The bill calls for a 33.5% tax on gross gaming revenue, which is lower than the 51% tax on mobile sports betting. Over the last few years, he’s also attempted to bring iGaming and online gaming to New York, but has yet to get the legislation over the hump. As several other states consider online gaming legalization, New York Sen. Joseph Addabbo (D) has once again introduced a bill in New York. Adding New York to the Multi-State Internet Gaming Agreement (MSIGA) would be a major boost to the country’s online poker pools.

Usually, these laws target operators rather than players, but in stricter states, it’s theoretically possible for players to commit offenses. For players, you can rest assured that playing poker is legal as long as you do so on a platform that is licensed within your state. In the nine states mentioned above, online poker is now a legal and regulated marketplace. Yes – but only if you’re located in a state that has legalized and regulated real-money online poker. While millions of Americans enjoy poker recreationally at home or in casinos, the right to play the same game online depends entirely on where a person resides.

Since PokerStars led the way, many other operators entered the multi-state compact and began sharing player pools across states, the latest being the addition of BetRivers Poker in June 2025. Ever since they dealt their first hand of online poker back on January 29, 2021, Michigan has been one of the hottest online poker markets in the United States. Maryland is another state that has expanded land-based gambling offerings with six casinos. The current framework also does not allow the state to join interstate shared-liquidity agreements, so any future market may initially be limited to players located within Maine. It’s possible that online poker could follow in the years to come.

Delaware and Nevada signed the agreement as well, but those states each have only one operator, which is 888poker/WSOP. Iden rebuffed a counterproposal from Whitmer for internet gambling options, and a standstill ensued. The major poker sites were waiting for WV to sign the MSIGA, as the West Virginia poker market is too small to justify the cost of launching poker sites in that state alone. By the end of 2019, the lottery’s director and a delegation had traveled to Pennsylvania to discuss online gaming.

That means no online tournaments or ring games that pay real-money prizes on sweeps platforms. The measure criminalizes operators and any company that facilitates the games, and it takes effect on January 1, 2026. “It will do irreparable harm to our country’s gaming industry if it takes effect,” she argued on the Senate floor.

Hawaii has some very strict gambling laws, mainly addressed via the ‘Offenses Against Public Health and Morals’ Code. For this reason, Atlantic City casinos quickly partnered with jubilant European brands that wanted a chance to enter the American market. It seems they are more content prosecuting more classic crimes like bank fraud and relying on state law violations which triggers the Illegal Gambling Business Act. Understandable, considering the DOJ flip flop essentially makes their operations illegal (Since most operators are sharing liquidity across states now). It also infuriated New Jersey online gaming regulators prompting NJ Attorney General Attorney General Gurbir Grewal to fight the ruling in the First District Federal Court of Appeals.

The Future of regulated online poker sites in the US

Two of those states (Connecticut and Rhode Island) have yet to license any operators for poker. However, there are some states, like Texas and Georgia, with such ambiguous laws that poker enthusiasts have found ways to open membership-based card clubs without explicit licenses to do so. Players can access the poker room on their mobile through an internet browser if they don’t. It depends on where you’re playing, as some sites specialize in a specific variant. She is a respected poker media member, contributing to publications and websites like USA Today, PokerStars, and PokerScout.

Options like PlayWSOP and Zynga Poker offer social games without cash prizes. That forecast now shifts from theory to execution as sites prepare to leave the state. They warned of more than one billion dollars in annual economic impact at risk, plus hundreds of millions in lost potential tax revenue if California regulated instead of banned. They argued that cash redemptions blur the line and compete with exclusive gaming rights. Tribal gaming interests largely supported the ban.

Unlike sports betting, online poker is currently not provided or permitted by law in the state of Massachusetts. The Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency oversees the state’s thriving land-based casinos and mobile sports betting, but poker has not yet made its way into the online market. As of January 2026, Maine has officially become the ninth state to legalize online poker and the eighth state to legalize online casinos.

My priority is to www.pokernewsdaily.com ensure safety; prevent problem gambling; generate much-needed, significant revenue; and keep New York competitive with surrounding states.” Additionally, the state finally awarded three downstate casino licenses. New York state Sen. Joe Addabbo Jr. has been an ardent supporter of expanded gambling. The law leaves an out for third-party providers by noting they must knowingly and willfully support an unlawful sweeps platform. Another 62% of Californians viewed the industry favorably, with 84% of gamblers viewing the industry favorably. The SGLA warned that California was missing out on $1 billion in annual economic impact from sweepstakes games, and $200-$300 million in potential tax revenue.

Residents can only legally play poker in person at licensed casinos, which typically offer poker as a table game, rather than cash games or tournaments. The Arkansas Racing Commission is in charge of land-based casinos and sportsbooks, but all forms of online gambling are explicitly banned. Over the years, Alaska legislators have occasionally discussed gaming revenue opportunities, but bills to legalize poker or online casinos have consistently died in committee.

• Regulated online poker is present, or legalized and awaiting an operator, in these eight states.
• It experienced meteoric growth in a legal vacuum, mainly because the internet was so new that legislators were playing catch up.
• The memo still hung a cloud over the industry, stopping Pennsylvania — which launched online poker in 2019 — from joining the shared player pool, for example.
• With the help of Poker Hall of Famer Mike Sexton, PartyPoker launched in 2001 and quickly rose to be the premier online poker site in the business thanks to state-of-the-art software and attention to detail.
• Operators will need to partner with a land-based casino and apply for licenses to allow people to play poker in the state under the new law.

One unique aspect of the bills is that operators would be allowed a second, separately branded online poker platform in addition to their main casino site. Indiana already has a strong online sports betting market, so adding online poker seems like a logical next step. The bill also includes online casino games and pari-mutuel wagering, meaning it covers a broad range of online gambling options. Unlike New York’s proposal, this bill explicitly includes a provision for player pooling with other states, making it a much more promising prospect for online poker.

When it comes to gaming in the States of America, you certainly have fifty different approaches to it. Bad policy didn’t go far enough Donald Trump’s “One Big Beautiful Bill,” (OBBB) signed into law on July 4, 2025, has been largely panned by anyone who doesn’t pray at the altar of Trump. Citi Field casino plan advances As the month of September came to an end, the competition for the three downstate New York casino licenses came into focus. On Tuesday, the Executive Office of the Mayor issued a press release previewing legislation included in what she calls her “Growth Agenda,” one of which would make… Read more »

Rep. Dina Titus, D-Nev., told NPR her office has gotten more constituent outrage about the bill’s gambling provisions than about many other higher profile changes. The new law, which goes into effect next year, upends that, making losses only 90 percent deductible. Nevada Congresswoman Dina Titus, a critic of the bill, said in an interview with News Nation that she was working on a fix to the gambling portion of the tax bill. He outlined possible legislative paths for reversing the change, including another reconciliation bill expected this fall or a “technical corrections” bill, a standard legislative tool often used to amend or fix tax law.

Meanwhile, state legislators are fighting a battle on multiple fronts against gambling-like products that attempt to skirt their laws. Online poker has been relatively scandal-free, but lawmakers don’t always split hairs as finely as the rest of us. “I used to call Pennsylvania home, and it played an important part in my early poker career. I can’t wait to log in and get in the mix,” Elias said. Also on Wednesday, BetMGM Poker PA announced that it would join the BetMGM Poker shared player pool with New Jersey and Michigan on Monday, April 28 at 9 a.m. “I hope so. And not because I’m trying to encourage people to go out and gamble or play poker or do something else. It’s up to you. But if you want to do that, I think it’s important to make it easy.” In his seven-minute interview with Eskandani, who played a pivotal role in increasing the popularity of poker during the Poker Boom, the Democratic governor described joining MSIGA after a years-long fight as “common sense.”

Note – there’s a need for poker pool-sharing due to State’s small population of only 3.5m residents. Liberalization in B&M, with a new jointly owned Mohegan/Foxwoods Casino opening soon, means there is need for incremental revenue – which online brings. The idea was that preventing interstate play kept the federal bills at bay, even though the DOJ had previously given the all clear re. In addition, restrictions to control underage gambling and the use of geo-location technology to identify if a customer crosses state lines.

On Tuesday, the Sports Betting Alliance (SBA), an advocacy group formed by the country’s major sportsbooks, sued the city over a new licensing and taxation structure that is supposed to take effect on Thursday,… Read more » It took off in 1984, when the General Assembly ordered the Attorney General to regulate the state’s cardrooms, and was further regulated in… Read more » Since 1854, when the California Grand Casino opened in Pacheco, poker has been established in the state. We respect our trusted industry peers and scan this site with the latest security standards. It looks like the shared liquidity program has benefited Delaware more than it has New Jersey.

But Sen. Matt Klein (D) believes his bill can pass this year while also addressing problem gambling. A Senate Finance Committee hearing was held this week looking at the potential downfalls that can come from gambling addiction. A casino would only be allowed in counties with more than 30,000 residents and would require a petition of 25% of voters in the county. Pritzker has called iGaming “worthy of consideration” and if poker is included, that could add a state with a population of 12.6 million to the  MSIGA, just below Pennsylvania. Virginia has a population of 8.7 million and would be a nice boost to the  MSIGA for poker. “This legislation will bring Maryland into the future while providing critical funding for education and other essential services.”

Maryland Legislators Set Date To Start Online Casino, Poker Debate

“Three of our neighbors are already part of this agreement – and with this action today, we’re making sure Pennsylvania remains competitive in a rapidly growing online market. Bally’s also won a license and operates Bally Bet casino in neighboring states New Jersey, Pennsylvania, and Rhode Island. Hard Rock, one of the retail casino licensees, figures to be very interested in iGaming.

Can You Play Online Poker in Indiana

Poker is not mentioned, and the law doesn’t ban anyone from playing or gambling online; it just bars businesses from accepting and receiving payments. As a result, the state is restricted to accommodating only two online poker sites. That has remained the case into 2026, with no operators expressing an interest in launching online poker. Governor Ned Lamont then signed the bill into law at the end of May, making it the seventh state to authorize state-licensed online poker in the new US market. Later in the spring of 2022, Michigan Governor Gretchen Whitmer signed MSIGA to allow poker sites to join their player pools across state lines with New Jersey. All three of the state’s racinos – Delaware Park, Harrington Raceway, and Dover Downs – share an online poker network powered by 888poker.

It’s likely that more states will legalize online poker in the coming years, as legislation is being considered in several states across the country. As of Spring 2023, online poker is legal in the US states of Nevada, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Michigan. Bill A2578, sponsored and proposed by Sen. Ray Lesniak, brought legal online poker games to the Garden State for the first time.

You can now enjoy a range of poker sites in Pennsylvania, offering great games, tournaments, cash games, and Internet poker bonuses. The state’s gambling laws permit limited betting through the Oregon Lottery, but poker is not among the authorized digital offerings. The state’s tribal gaming framework centers on physical casinos overseen by the Oklahoma Gaming Compliance Unit.

He was able to work with another lawmaker representing Whitmer’s views to work out a compromise-laden bill to amend the original one. Governor Tom Wolf signed it into law in the first week of November. The industry was authorized to operate for a 10-year period, at which point it will be examined for a possible extension.

The key point is that regulated poker sites accessible to US players are licensed in-state, utilize geolocation, and adhere to consumer protection rules that offshore rooms don’t. As of 2026, New Jersey, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Nevada, Delaware, and West Virginia have legalized and regulated online poker. Online gambling is growing at an unprecedented rate, with states legalizing sports betting, casino apps, and poker platforms.

Title VIII was one such effort in the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA). As such, it was used to tack on legislation unrelated to “port security” in a last-ditch effort to pass various agendas. 888poker was founded in 2002, and two years later Full Tilt Poker (FTP) entered the market. In December 2001, PokerStars began offering real money gaming. If you’ve been around poker, you’ve probably heard of Black Friday.

For poker players, the key takeaway is that change is happening. Meanwhile, New Jersey is tackling sweepstakes casinos, a growing part of the online gaming world. Indiana was once a frontrunner for US online poker legalization, but a corruption scandal in 2023 put everything on hold. On the one hand, this could be a strategic move to make the bill more appealing to lawmakers hesitant about online gambling expansion. New York has flirted with online poker legislation for years, and 2025 is shaping up to be another big push. In 2020, state lawmakers passed legislation allowing for five brick-and-mortar casinos, all… Read more »