Indiana Senate Approves Sweepstakes Ban with an Exception for Online Poker

The Story of House Bill 1052

HB 1052 has had had a fairly swift legislative journey so far. After passing the House by a 87-11 margin earlier this month, it moved to the Senate, where it underwent its, thus far first, critical amendment.

This change came via an amendment from Senator Kyle Walker. While the bill is designed to kill off dual-currency platforms that simulate slots, video poker, and sports wagering, Walker pushed to explicitly exclude “peer-to-peer skill-based poker games.”

Under this language, platforms like Global Poker or ClubWPT, where players compete against each other rather than the house, would remain a legal option in Indiana. The difference according to House Bill 1052 is then who you’re playing against: the bill identifies sweepstakes as chance-based contests against the “house,” while poker is protected as a competitive, skill-based format.

So, with its first major amendment in the book, the question is what would House Bill 1052 actually do?

What HB 1052 Would Actually Do

If the House concurs with the Senate’s changes and the bill is signed into law, the “gray area” for sweepstakes poker in Indiana will be replaced by a very clear “no-go” zone. Here is how that would look on paper:

• Operators or individuals caught conducting illegal online sweepstakes games could face civil penalties of up to $100,000.
• The bill specifically prohibits platforms offering simulated lottery games, slot machines, bingo, and sports wagering that utilize a dual or multi-currency system.
• The legislation allows prosecutors to send written notice to suspected operators, giving them 30 days to cease activity before criminal charges are filed.
• The liability isn’t limited to local actors; the bill authorizes the Gaming Commission to impose penalties on out-of-state parties involved in transactions with Indiana residents

The Road to July 1st

Somewhat surprisingly, this wasn’t always the sweepstakes path Indiana was on. Senator Ron Alting actually explored the possibility of regulating and taxing the sweepstakes industry, which could have generated an estimated $20 million annually for the state. However, that effort was shut down due to significant resistance from legislative leadership.

That leaves us with Bill 1052, which is now going back to the House for a final vote on the Senate’s poker-friendly amendments. If the House concurs before the end of the session (February 27), the “sweepstakes era” for slots and house-banked games in Indiana will end on July 1, 2026, with poker players possibly being the sole survivors.