Indiana Relents on iLotteries, Toughens on Sweepstakes

Lawmakers in Indiana are considering two draft laws aimed at boosting state lottery sales. One would end the ban on selling tickets online, while the other targets sweepstakes social casinos, a form of unregulated gambling.

Sweepstakes and iLottery – Going Opposite Directions 

Proponents are pointing out that Indiana has fallen behind other states in digitalizing its state lottery and has been missing out on revenue as a result. 

Internet and technological literacy have grown to the point where state residents can freely bank and shop online, so why not buy lottery tickets on top, asks Jared Bond, the state’s lottery external affairs director, who also supports the move. 

Yet, no one is in a hurry. House Bill 1078 – backed by Rep. Ethan Manning – was pushed through the House Public Committee on Tuesday, with a 9-3 vote, but it has a long road to go still, including the Senate and, not least, the governor’s desk.

However, there is no serious pushback in sight, with more politicians resigned to the idea that this is the future. 

Pairing the issue with sweepstakes casinos could pose a threat to its success, but enmity against the sector has been so pronounced that the bill’s sponsors are using the opportunity to galvanize broader support by covering both issues in the same draft.

No Love for Sweepstakes, But the Issue Is Unresolved 

Not everyone feels so giddy, however. Lisa Hutcheson, the vice president for prevention and policy at Mental Health America of Indiana, has cautioned that the legalization of sports gambling should serve as a lesson, with rising levels of addiction, especially among young men.

Hutcheson fears that expanding online, the lottery could add further harm, even though the segment as a whole is among the ones carrying the lowest risk of developing problematic behavior. 

House Bill 1052, pitched by Rep. Peggy Mayfield and Rep. Justin Moed, specifically seeks to pull the kill switch on the sweepstakes sector and limit its reach in the state. This would not be the first time this happened in the United States, with New York and California both rolling out a blanket ban on the segment.