Vet Group in Indiana Wants Electronic Pull-Tabs to Become Legal

Despite Indiana lawmakers being hesitant to give the green light to an expansion of gambling in the state, a veteran group known as the “Big Four” has vocalized a proposal to see electronic pull-tab gambling become legal. 

More Money for the Group’s Charities

The proposal, which has been described as a modernization of what is currently found in the industry, has been expressed by Indiana leaders for the American Legion, Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW), Disabled American Veterans, and the National Guard Association of Indiana. 

The decision, says the group, would help generate more charity gambling revenue for their causes.

According to the Department of Indiana Commander for the American Legion’s Mark Gullion, the more money operators that offer electronic pull-tabs “make as a profit,” the more they can “donate to charitable organizations.”

VFW Past State Commander Richard Leirer presented a list of charitable endeavors that have received funding from posts. 

The list featured donations to veteran support groups, scholarships, and Christmas gifts for 48 needy families.

The group that wants to legalize electronic pull-tabs features the PlayIN for Charity alliance which includes Disabled American Veterans and the National Guard Association of Indiana. 

The alliance will serve an educational purpose for citizens while being an advocate for allowing the legislation in the Indiana General Assembly’s 2025 session.

“A Responsible Form of Entertainment”

Known as a form of gambling that mixes bingo and scratch-off tickets, pull-tabs allow players to win by pulling a winning combination of symbols. 

Paper pull-tabs are folded or banded tickets or cards with break-open tabs with symbols or numbers that can form multiple winning combinations.

Electronic pull-tabs feature the same gameplay as their paper counterpart with the difference that the games are offered via video displays on tablets and cabinet machines that resemble the machines in casinos. 

They also display flashy and vividly-colored branding elements. 

Currently, paper pull-tabs are sold at various posts across the Hoosier State. By introducing these electronic machines, says the veteran group, operators would increase attendance while bringing in fresh members of a younger age.

According to the alliance’s website, pull-tabs represent a “responsible form of entertainment.” PlayIN for Charity wants electronic pull-tabs to be allowed for charity gambling without specifying its view on enabling the machines at for-profit bars and taverns. 

At the moment, these venues can offer paper pull-tabs.

Decisions to Be Made

The alliance wants to see the definition of pull-tabs be changed to allow the games while also expressing openness to legislators defining the exact number of machines allowed in a post or the amount of money that players would be allowed to wager.

Kentucky, Minnesota, and Ohio have already legalized electronic pull-tab games at a broader level. 

In order to see the legislation pass, Gullion explained they would need to work on educating lawmakers on their possible perks.

The veteran group’s initiative received support from Arrow International, a gaming distributor in Ohio that specialized in selling electronic and paper pull tabs. 

During Monday’s news conference, Arrow International also showcased what electronic pull-tab machines look like.

In-house gambling at veterans’ posts requires a charity gaming license supervised by the Indiana Gaming Commission’s Charity Gaming Division. 

Posts collect a percentage of each wager, roughly 50 cents of every dollar, according to estimates.