Indiana lawmakers are once again attempting to legalise online lottery sales, with House Bill 1078 (HB 1078) advancing out of committee this week. However, the latest proposal notably excludes online casino gaming (iGaming), a strategic move designed to bypass previous legislative gridlock.
Authored by House Public Policy Committee Chair Ethan Manning, the bill would allow the Indiana Lottery Commission to offer online draw games and eInstant products to adults over 18. It passed the committee by a 9–3 vote and now heads to the House floor.
A “Smaller Bite at the Apple”
The decision to decouple iLottery from iCasino marks a shift in strategy. Previous attempts to legalise both simultaneously failed, prompting Manning to take a more cautious approach for the short legislative session ending in March.
“While most of us in this room support that [dual] concept, we’ve tried that before and it didn’t work, so we’re trying something different to take a smaller bite at the apple,” Manning explained to his colleagues. He suggested that if the iLottery rollout proceeds smoothly and “we find the sky isn’t falling,” it could pave the way for iCasino legislation in future sessions.
Defining the Boundaries
The bill includes specific restrictions to prevent online lottery games from blurring the lines with casino gambling. It bans digital games that simulate the visualization of slot machines. Jared Bond, Director of External Affairs for the Hoosier Lottery, clarified that the bill intends to “modernise how the lottery products are sold, not necessarily what products are sold.”
Despite this, the Casino Association of Indiana has urged reconsideration, arguing that excluding commercial casinos from the digital expansion results in a missed opportunity. Critics like Rep. Steve Bartels voted against House Bill 1078, contending that separating the two verticals weakens the state’s long-term gaming policy.
