There have been a variety of US states in recent years that have taken a new look at online gambling legislation. Already in the first month of 2025, many states are taking action to try to regulate and authorize the market, with Maryland being one of the recent ones.
Another state that has jumped on board with this trend is Indiana. The Hoosier State had House Bill 1432 introduced by Indiana state representative, Ethan Manning, who has long been an advocate for expanding online gambling in the state. The bill would approve casino games online and, most importantly, online poker legalization.
House Bill Approved
On Tuesday, January 28th, after a fairly long discussion, House Bill 1432 was approved by the House Public Policy Committee by a conclusive vote of 9-2.
Manning argued for the bill by farming it as the chance for Indiana to modernize their gaming industry. He’s also focused on responsible gaming and the concerns that come with that.
Of course, a key component of this bill was potential revenue for the state. Representative Manning highlighted that the new legislation could generate as much as $300 million for the state of Indiana, mostly through taxes on sports betting and online gambling.
The bill got support from casino representatives in the state as they made sure to note that Indiana residents already access online gambling through unregulated platforms. These sites are often illegal are far less secure.
There were opponents of the bill who argued that the legislation could increase gambling addiction, especially since gambling in the United States is much more mainstream nowadays. Because of these concerns, the bill included a provision that would establish a new program aimed at responsible gaming and treating potential addiction.
Online Poker in Indiana
Indiana nearly added themselves to the list of US states to legalize online poker in 2023. There was a lot of momentum to have the Hoosier State join neighbors like Michigan and Illinois in having legal online poker.
Unfortunately, there was a corruption scandal unrelated to poker cropped up at the end of that year that stymied a lot of the momentum for legalization. With that scandal in the rearview mirror, there is a little bit of new momentum on the side of online poker that could finally see Indiana join the ranks.