Hoosier Lottery
The Hoosier Lottery is operated by the State of Indiana.
On November 8, 1988 Indiana voters approved a lottery referendum by
62 percent. On May 3, 1989, the Indiana General Assembly ratified the
Lottery Act and a week later the governor signed the Lottery Act into
law. In June 1989 a Lottery director was appointed and in July the Lottery
Commission was appointed. On October 13, 1989, instant, or scratch-off,
ticket sales began at 12:10 p.m. More information on the Hoosier Lottery
is available at: www.in.gov/hoosierlottery
Hoosier Park Horse Track
Hoosier Park horse track in Anderson opened on September
1, 1994. Regulation/oversight of horse racing in Indiana is the responsibility
of the Indiana Horse Racing Commission. www.in.gov/ihrc
Off Track Horse Betting Parlors
Off Track Horse Betting Parlors are located in five
Indiana cities. Those in Fort Wayne, Indianapolis and Merrillville opened
in 1995 and are operated by Churchill Downs which also owns Hoosier Park.
Indiana Downs operates two off track betting facilities which are located
in Evansville (2003) and Clarksville (2004). Regulation/oversight of
these sites is the responsibility of the Indiana Horse Racing Commission. www.in.gov/ihrc
Casino Gaming
The Indiana Riverboat Gaming Act was passed on July1,
1993 allowing riverboat gaming in Indiana. This legislation allowed for
ten riverboats. The first of these ten casinos opened in 1995. In 2004
legislation was enacted that allowed a riverboat in French Lick which
will open in late 2006. Regulation/oversight of casino gaming is the
responsibility of the Indiana Gaming Commission. www.in.gov/gaming
Indiana Downs Horse Track
Indiana Downs horse track is in Shelbyville opened
on December 6, 2002. Regulation/oversight of horse racing in Indiana
is the responsibility of the Indiana Horse Racing Commission. www.in.gov/ihrc
Charity Gaming
Charity Gaming is allowed in Indiana but only by
specific types of organizations. Bona fide religious, educational, senior
citizens, veterans, or civic organizations operating in Indiana that:
operate without profit to the organization's members; is exempt from
taxation under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code; and has been
continuously in existence in Indiana for at least five (5) years or a
bona fide political organization operating in Indiana that produces exempt
function income (as defined in Section 527 of the Internal Revenue Code)
can provide Bingo, Raffle, Door Prize, Pull-Tab, Punchboard, Tip Board,
Charity Game Night, Festival, and Special Bingo events. Approval from
the Indiana Gaming Commission is required unless the total value of all
prizes awarded at the event (including the sale of pull-tabs, punchboards,
and tip boards sold at the event) is not more that $1,000 for a single
event and not more than $3,000 total for all non-licensed events during
a calendar year. Regulation/oversight of charitable gaming was the responsibility
of the Indiana Department of Revenue prior to July 1, 2006 at which time
2006 legislation transferred responsibility to the Indiana Gaming Commission: www.in.gov/gaming
Racinos
In 2007, the Indiana Legislature passed legislation
allowing 2,000 slot machines at each of the two horse racing tracks.
This brought casino type gaming to Cental Indiana.
Bars
In 2008, the Indiana Legislature passed legislation
approving gambling in bars and taverns. This gambling is limited to pull-tabs,
tip boards, punch boards and raffles.
Minimum Age
Minimum Age to Participate in Legalized Gambling
in Indiana
Hoosier Lottery 18
Casino Gambling 21
Pari-mutuel Betting 18
Charity Gaming 18
Illegal Gaming in Indiana
Video Poker/Cherry Master machines can be found throughout
the state in private clubs, bars and truck stops. The number of the machines
has dropped with the stepped up enforcement of the laws prohibiting these
devices.Pea shake parlors, a numbers game, can be found in some communities.
Internet gambling, book-making , card games for money and numbers games
can also be found in Indiana.
Other High Risk Gambling
Activity
Often individuals engage in other activities that
have the same pathology as gambling but are not generally recognized as
gambling. For example stock and commodity trading. |