Indiana lawmakers are pushing to be the latest jurisdiction to prohibit online sweepstakes casinos.
The House Public Policy Committee on Thursday unanimously approved HB 1052, a proposal that would ban online sweepstakes operators in the Hoosier State. Rep. Ethan Manning, the chair of the committee, is the bill’s sponsor. Manning is also a proponent of legalising iCasinos in Indiana.
Prior to sending the bill to the full House, committee members amended the bill to downgrade the proposed penalties from criminal to civil. An amendment also added “multi-currency” to the verbiage, rather than “dual-currency.”
The committee held a more in-depth hearing earlier this month. At the hearing, Indiana Gaming Commission General Counsel Natalie Huffman expressed desire for explicitly outlawing sweepstakes casinos so the regulator can send cease-and-desist notices.
There was brief discussion about whether regulation might be a better option. The sweepstakes industry took to advocating for regulation at the National Council of Legislators from Gaming States (NCLGS) winter conference in Puerto Rico last month.
An amendment to legalise online casino was also briefly discussed by Indiana lawmakers. Legislative leaders in the state have indicated openness to iCasino legalisation.
The gambling industry watched the sweepstakes sector closely in 2025. Six states banned sweepstakes casinos last year, including New Jersey, New York and California.
Multiple states are considering similar legislation this year, including Florida and Maryland.
Sweepstakes casinos industry bans
Along with the six states that passed bans in 2025, many more discussed similar legislation while state regulators across the country sent cease-and-desist orders to sweepstakes operators.
“This issue has brought lawmakers together that it represents illegal gambling and revenue theft in many states,” West Virginia Delegate Shawn Fluharty, who is also president of the NCLGS and head of government affairs at operator Play’n GO, said last month. “Rarely do we agree on anything as lawmakers, but on this issue, we agree that this represents illegal gambling operations.”
While Louisiana Governor Jeff Landry vetoed a sweepstakes ban, he said the state gaming regulator had authority to enforce existing gambling laws. The Louisiana Gaming Control Board then sent 40 cease-and-desist letters to unregulated gambling sites, including sweepstakes operators.
This year, multiple states are considering bans, including some which nearly passed legislation last year. Maryland lawmakers in both the Assembly and Senate already have hearings scheduled on sweepstakes bans. Last year, the Maryland Senate passed a prohibition bill, but it stalled in the House.
The Mississippi Senate was the first legislative chamber to pass a sweepstakes ban last spring, but it died in conference committee after House members added online sports betting legalisation language. Lawmakers are set to discuss the issue again this year.
Legislators in Florida, Maine and Virginia are also proposing bans on sweepstakes casinos.
Pat Evans
Pat covers the legislation and regulation of online gambling in North and South America, having covered the US sports betting industry extensively since 2019.
Indiana legislation joins efforts in multiple states to close regulatory gaps exploited by sweepstakes operators.