Online Gambling License in Indiana

The Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) is the regulatory body that oversees legal gambling in Indiana. Its main purpose is to ensure fair and legal gambling across the state. The Commission issues licenses and inspects the premises of gambling facilities, as well as investigates and persecutes illegal gambling activities. It is also in charge of overseeing tax revenues and allocating collected funds.

The mission of the IGC is to be an agency that provides a fair and transparent gaming environment while maintaining a high level of integrity in gambling jurisdictions.

Currently, the Commission has a chairman and seven members/commissioners, all individually appointed by the Governor for a 3-year term. One member must be from a county contiguous to Lake Michigan, and one must be from a county contiguous to the Ohio River. Additionally, one of the commissioners’ lineup must be experienced in law enforcement, a certified public accountant, and an attorney. All of the commissioners must have a reasonable knowledge of the practices and principles of gambling.

The IGC features 7 Divisions: the Athletic, the Charity Gaming, the Enforcement Division, the Gaming Control, the Investigation, and the Sports Wagering and Paid Fantasy Sports Division.

Types of Gambling Regulated by the Indiana Gaming Commission

The commission provides oversight and regulation for various forms of gambling in Indiana, ensuring lawful and fair practices. These are the types of gambling:

Tribal Casinos

Indiana regulates tribal casinos primarily with the Tribal-State Compact, which is negotiated between the state and the tribe. Tribal casinos operate under federal law – the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).

While the tribal casinos have a lot of sovereignty in the casinos, the IGC still oversees all commercial casinos in the state. It is involved in ensuring legal compliance of tribal gambling. However, enforcing the legal frameworks is not in the IGC’s domain. Instead, this is done through the National Indian Gaming Commission (NIGC) and the tribes.

Sports Betting

The state legalized sports betting in May 2019 following the repeal of the federal ban on sports betting (PASPA). The law went into effect in September 2019, and it legalized the operation of retail sportsbooks at licensed casinos and online/mobile wagering platforms. It is notable that only IGC-licensed casinos are allowed to operate here, and players must be over 21 years old to participate in sports betting.

The list of allowed bets includes money lines, prop bets, futures, parlays, and live betting. Notably, prop bets on college players are not allowed yet. The taxing for sports betting revenue is set at 9.5%, and a part of this revenue must be allocated to the benefits of society: education, infrastructure, etc.

The Sports Wagering and Paid Fantasy Sports Division of the IGC are responsible for the majority of the operation. Paid fantasy sports were established by Senate Enrolled Act 339-2016, and the regulation surrounding it can be found within Indiana Code § 4-33-24. Based on the current legislation, there are two types of licenses for sports wagering:

• Sports Wagering Service Providers License – A non-transferable temporary license that allows an operator to provide sports betting services and products to a casino or a Sports Wagering Vendor licensee. This license is valid for one year.
• Sports Wagering Vendors License – This is a temporary vendor license that allows the licensee to provide sports wagering operations. The Commission can revoke the license at any time.

All licenses require a background check and a suitability investigation executed by this Division. The application process includes a fingerprinting step, submission of the formal application, and occupational (individual licenses) for all employees. The fees associated with the application start from $7,500.

Daily Fantasy Sports

Due to the changes in the legal gambling framework of 2016, DFS is legal and regulated in Indiana by the IGC. In order to provide these services, an operator must have a license issued by the IGC. Players who participate in online fantasy sports betting must be of legal age which is set at 18. The IGC is responsible for overseeing whether fair practices and customer protection systems are in place, and it also oversees the financial practices of DFS operators licensed in the state.

Charity Gaming

The Indiana Gaming Commission and its Charity Gaming Division regulate charity gaming activities. Only qualified and tax-exempt organizations are allowed to provide charitable activities in Indiana. The permitted activities are Bingo, Raffles, Water Races, Guessing Games, Punchcard games, and Casino Game Nights consisting of wheel, card or dice games. To provide these activities, the licensees must be qualified and authorized by the Indiana Gaming Commission and must apply for a license. The participants must be over 18 years old to be able to participate in the games.

The types of licenses that the Commission gives out are as follows:

• Annual Activity License
• Single Activity License
• Festival Activity License
• Convention License
• Candidate Committee License
• Three-Year Veterans Annual Activity License
• Two-Year Casino Game Night License
• Annual Affiliate License

Each of the licenses has a set of requirements that the operators must fulfill before applying.

Regulatory Framework of the IGC

The legal acts outlining how the IGC operates can be found in the Indiana Code (IC), specifically Title 4, Chapter 33-35. In IC 4-33, the state regulates riverboat casinos, and in 4-35, the racinos with slot machines, outlining the exact responsibilities and license requirements for both operations. In IC 4-32.2, the state regulates charity gaming and the requirements for these operations.

Another relevant legal act is the Indiana Administrative Code. In 68 IAC, the state regulates the licensing requirements for all other gaming establishments, including sports betting, the rules for promotions and bonuses, and the measures in place for responsible gambling. The IGC also has an enforcement division that investigates violations, fraud, and other illegal activities related to gaming.

FAQs about the Indiana Gaming Commission