- A decision from Gov. Mike Braun is now the final hurdle for House Bill 1052, which would tighten Indiana’s treatment of sweepstakes casinos.
- Momentum is building beyond Indiana, with Maryland, Florida, and Tennessee all weighing comparable moves on dual-currency platforms.
- Should the proposal take hold, the Indiana Gaming Commission could begin pursuing civil penalties starting July 1.
INDIANAPOLIS - With House Bill 1052 through both chambers, Indiana’s next move on sweepstakes casinos now rests with Gov. Mike Braun, who will decide whether the measure takes effect.
Online platforms that use a dual-currency or multi-currency payment system - in which gamers purchase Gold Coins and earn Sweeps Coins that may be exchanged for cash prizes—are the target of HB 1052. Slot machines, table games, video poker, and even sports betting simulators are examples of casino-style games that would be prohibited.
Enforcement would fall under the purview of the Indiana Gaming Commission, and each infraction could result in civil fines of up to $100,000.
Other States Following Indiana's Lead
Similar concepts to Indiana online gambling are being used by the legislatures of Maryland, Florida, and Tennessee to process current measures.
One of Maryland's four sweepstakes legislation, House Bill 1226, is scheduled to be heard by the House Judiciary Committee on Thursday. Senate Bill 1580 from Florida has already been approved by two committees and will be presented to the Rules Committee on Tuesday, but with the session ending March 13th, the window to get this done is razor thin.
The first hearing for Tennessee's House Bill 1885 is scheduled for Tuesday. The bill's language is sufficiently expansive to encompass any virtual currency system, not just dual-currency variants. SB 2136, the Senate companion, is already ahead of schedule after passing its committee with a unanimous vote.
For people tracking legislation regarding states with online gambling, the next few weeks are critical for all three of these states.
What Indiana's Ban Means Going Forward
In 2025, the crackdown on casinos that offer sweepstakes accelerated. Montana began the process in May, and before the end of the year, Connecticut, New York, New Jersey, California, and Nevada had all implemented their own limitations. Indiana is the next state in line.
When Governor Kathy Hochul approved Senate Bill 5935 in December, New York established a clear precedent. The dual-currency arrangement that Indiana is currently targeting was impacted by that statute, which went into effect as soon as she signed it. To put the scale in perspective, of the industry's projected $10.66 billion in total US sales in 2024, almost $762 million came from New York alone.
Read More: New York Officially Outlaws Online Sweepstakes Casinos
Throughout the remainder of 2026, the expansion of USA online gambling laws shows little signs of slowing down, and that signature would give the more than a dozen states that are still drafting their own versions of this legislation further momentum.