Real Money Online Poker Indiana

Although Indiana is one of the few states which includes laws that directly addresses the legality of online gambling, those laws are targeted at the operators only. This is to say, that there are no laws that. As far as poker bonuses for Indiana residents go, Bovada has the best of all Indiana gambling sites and that is all there is to it. They offer all new Indiana players a 100% match good for up to $1,000 in bonus. Can You Play Online Poker in Indiana? Nope — it’s illegal to operate online poker sites in Indiana, so you’ll be lucky to find an online site that accepts players from your state. And even though online poker from a player’s standpoint isn’t covered in Indiana’s.

Let‘s start with the definition of gambling in Indiana:

“(d) “Gambling” means risking money or other property for gain, contingent in whole or in part upon lot, chance, or the operation of a gambling device, but it does not include participating in:
(1) bona fide contests of skill, speed, strength, or endurance in which awards are made only to entrants or the owners of entries; or
(2) bona fide business transactions that are valid under the law of contracts.” (1)

So we know that poker would fit the definition itself, as it states that this need only be in part contingent upon lot, and the outcome of risking money at poker is certainly contingent upon lot to some degree, as the lay of the cards does end up being a determining factor.

So whether this element of chance is substantial enough for the game to be found to be substantially one of chance isn’t of any consequence here, at least to the game fitting the definition itself.

As far as the stated exclusions go, it certainly doesn’t fit the one referring to business contracts, but is it saved by being a bona fide contest of skill? Well while some may argue that skill is an important element in the game of poker, and that it may indeed be a bona fide contest of skill in spite of the element of chance present, the second part of this, the part about awards being made to the participants would at least disqualify cash game poker from being saved by this exclusion.

On the other hand, poker tournaments may be seen as games of skill and also have the element of awards being given to the participants, so at least an argument could be made that tournament poker would therefore not consist of gambling in Indiana

The definition of bona fide skill could be understood as referring only to those contests which did not include any element of chance, but if so, we may wonder why it would be necessary to make such a provision as this already would not fit the definition of gambling.

How This May Apply To Real Money Online Poker

Operating a gambling device also consists of gambling in Indiana, so let’s look at their definition of that:

“(4) It is a video game machine or device operated for consideration to play poker, blackjack, any other card game, keno, or any simulation or variation of these games, including any game in which numerals, numbers, pictures, representations, or symbols are used as an equivalent or substitute for the cards used in these games.” (2)

So this is worded in such a way as to at least seem to include playing poker on a computer, as it would not normally be considered a gambling device but it may be when it is operated as such, to play poker for money that is. So this may end up making all poker playing online illegal in Indiana.

So the law also addresses operators, but not players, from using the internet to gamble, although players doing so may already qualify as operating a gambling device:

(a) A person who knowingly or intentionally engages in gambling commits unlawful gambling.
(b) Except as provided in subsection (c), unlawful gambling is a Class B misdemeanor.
(c) An operator who knowingly or intentionally uses the Internet to engage in unlawful gambling:
(1) in Indiana; or
(2) with a person located in Indiana;
commits a Class D felony (3)

So while the law against playing poker and playing online poker in Indiana isn’t as clear as it is in some states, there is every reason to believe that playing online poker is illegal, playing live cash game poker would be as well, and possibly live tournament poker. People from Indiana continue to play online poker though as even if it is illegal the law is not being enforced as it isn’t in any state right now actually.

Playing Poker In Indiana

There are a total of 9 poker rooms where you can play live poker in Indiana. They include the Ameristar Casino in East Chicago (12 tables), the Blue Chip Casino in Michigan City (8 tables), the Horseshoe Casino in Hammond (34 tables), the Indiana Grand Casino in Shelbyville (10 tables), the Tropicana in Evansville (10 tables), the Belterra Casino in Florence (9 tables), the Hollywood Casino Indiana in Lawrenceburg (19 tables), the Horseshoe Casino Southern Indiana in Elizabeth (30 tables), and the Majestic Star Casino in Gary (21 tables). (4)

So the live poker scene in Indiana is pretty thriving, with several larger venues and several large casino operations being represented.

Apart from these live poker rooms, residents of Indiana also have access to all of the major online poker rooms that offer play to Americans these days.

Our top recommendations for online poker players from Indiana, or for those who have yet to experience the fun and excitement of online poker but want to give it a try, are Ignition Poker and America’s Cardroom.

Both of these online poker rooms have been offering a very good poker experience to players from Indiana for several years now and they make it easy to get started if you don’t already have an account at one or both.

Both sites offer generous welcome bonuses for first time depositors, with Ignition offering a really nice 100% up to $1,000 bonus for new players, as well as a FREE $5 casino chip just for signing up. It’s out most recommended poker site for users out in Indiana.

References:

Can I Play Online Poker For Real Money In Indiana

(1) Gambling, Definitions

(2) ibid.

Play Poker For Real Money Online

(3) Gambling, Unlawful Gambling

(4) All Online and Live Poker Rooms in Indiana

#1 Editor's Choice All-in-One Gambling Site: BetOnline.ag

BetOnline.ag is one of the most reputable online poker sites that still cater to United States players and ALL grinders worldwide. Claim your 100% poker bonus and/or FREE $25 sports bet!

• New players can earn up to $1,000 in bonus cash on their 1st deposit.
• Ridiculously crisp software and graphics - no lag whatsoever online or on your mobile device.
• Super easy to deposit on - #1 credit card acceptance rate ANYWHERE; Cryptocurrency also accepted!
• 24/7 live support, VERY FAST payout speeds and built-in sportsbook and casino.
• $25 FREE BET available and other perks you can use at their online or LIVE DEALER casino.

EDITOR'S NOTE: BetOnline welcomes players from ALL 50 states and from ALL OVER THE WORLD w/ limited restrictions.

What Is The Best Poker Site For Real Money

Indiana is primarily known as a sports-mad state, but thepoker industry also has a good foothold in the region. The game is popularamongst players young and old, and both the casual player and the aspiring professionalcan find games to their liking in Indiana. With all the changes in the onlinegambling industry lately, we put this page together to keep Indiana residentsup to date on what is happening with poker – the status of online poker, the placesto find a great live game, and why you should be learning more games thanNo-Limit Hold’em.

Online Poker in Indiana

Online poker was a huge thing in the 2000s. When ChrisMOneymake won the WSOP Main Event in 2003 wearing a Poker Stars hat, everyonesensed the industry was going to change forever. Well, it did, at least, forthe next few years. Indiana online poker players could enter events withplayers from around the world trying to take down huge pots until the U.S.government decided it needed to step in. With all the sites being operated andowned outside the country and therefore, outside any legal jurisdiction, thegovernment decided it would put some banking laws in place in 2006 to cripplethe industry. The final blow for real money online poker in Indiana came inApril 2011 when the top sites were all shut down.

Since then, online poker players have been left out inthe cold, although there are some opportunities to hit the digital felt that wewill cover on this page.

Land Based Poker in Indiana

Thankfully, there was a live poker scene in Indianabefore the introduction of online real money poker, and the growth of the gamebefore 2011 allowed the land-based industry to bloom. Today, Indiana is one ofthe top states in the country when it comes to the number of poker roomsavailable. These rooms not only spread No-Limit Hold’em cash games, but thedealers are all trained to be able to deal games like Omaha and Razz (don’tknow how to play those? Check out our Poker Guides).

The Midwest state is home to many top poker tournamentsas well. Major circuit events are held around the state during the year, givinglocal players to match their skills with some of the best from around thecountry. You can find poker rooms at the following locations in Indiana:

Ameristar Casino East Chicago (East Chicago, IN)
Belterra Casino & Hotel (Florence, IN)
Blue Chip Casino (Michigan City, IN)
Four Winds South Bend (South Bend, IN)
Hollywood Casino Indiana (Lawrenceburg, IN)
Horseshoe Casino Hammond (Hammond, IN)
Horseshoe Casino Southern Indiana (Elizabeth, IN)
Indiana Grand Casino (Shelbyville, IN)
Majestic Star Casino (Gary, IN)
Tropicana Evansville (Evansville, IN)

Social Poker in Indiana

Earlier on this page, we discussed the gaping hole in theonline poker world when Indiana residents could no longer access their favoritesites in 2011. Since then, a couple of poker concepts have come to theforefront, led by the emergence of social poker. Relying on a player’s desireto have recognition amongst their peers versus winning real money, companieslike Zynga built a model where players could play for free and make their wayup a leaderboard, achieving access to more exclusive games as they went. However,they also built a way for players who just wanted to access the top gamesdirectly could do so by purchasing packages on free play chips. While this mayseem counterintuitive, billions of dollars are spent each year on these chips,giving players a chance to play the best games with the toughest competition.

If you haven’t tried a social poker site, we think youwould be well served to read some of our reviews and give one a try – at the veryleast, you will get in some good practice sessions.

Subscription/Sweepstakes Poker in Indiana

Another poker concept that came to light in the early2010s was the sweepstakes model. Some sites, like Club WPT, allow players toenter a series of free tournaments every month by paying a membership fee –unfortunately, residents of Indiana are not included in that group. The good news is that sites like Global Pokerare open for business, giving players a chance to win prizes without having toput up money.

Learning Poker in Indiana

With its ease of understanding and the fact that almostevery poker tournament broadcast on television is based on this game, it is nosurprise that the majority of the poker world plays No-Limit Hold’em andbasically nothing else. However, some super fun poker games often have smallerfields in tournaments, and that are simply better from a strategic standpoint. Wewrote some Poker Guides to help you learn the basics of games like Omaha, Razz,Stud, and others. Knowing more about the other games not only opens the door toyou being able to sit down at these games, but it will also make your Hold’emgame better by teaching you about how different strategies work better fordifferent games.

Online Poker in Indiana FAQ

Online sports betting is now legal in Indiana – whyisn’t online poker?

That’s a very good question. Ultimately, the legal issuesthat caused the closure of online poker sites on a federal level still existtoday. However, states have been able to introduce their own online pokerregulations, and a handful are already offering legal games. With the newsabout sports betting becoming legal across the states, it was going to be mucheasier to have the Indiana government pass a law only dealing with sportsbetting than adding in other online games. Now that the law is on the books, itwould only take an amendment to add poker, casino, or any other real moneyonline games that the state could consider.

I have a friend who says they can still play onlinefor real money. How is that?

When the main poker sites in the U.S. were shut down inthe spring of 2011, some very small sites managed to avoid prosecution. Theyare based outside the country in places like Panama and Costa Rica, theycontinue to thumb their noses at the U.S. government and take players fromIndiana and other states. However, the sites do not have much traffic, and itis very difficult to get your money to and from the sites. We don’t like theadded risk of playing with these sites…you should stick to places where youknow your money will be safe (aside from your play, of course).