Lawmakers Step In To Stop Hoosier Lottery From Adding Online Games

In 2022, the Hoosier Lottery will not introduce online games. Recently, Indiana’s legislators intervened to halt the lottery’s expansion on the internet.

Online sports betting is already legally available in Indiana, hence introducing lottery options would have provided gamblers with a new choice.

No Hoosier Lottery games are available online.

While Indiana lawmakers haven’t entirely dismissed the concept of an online lottery, there will be no progress towards this change within this year.

Using HB 1260, legislators halted the Hoosier Lottery from including online games without legislative consent. The addition of internet lottery options in Indiana will be subject to the General Assembly’s discretion, if and when they decide to implement them.

After a record-breaking year, the Hoosier Lottery anticipates a revenue decline for the current budget cycle.

This is largely because the state is returning to pre-pandemic normalcy. Now that other entertainment options have fully resumed, Hoosiers are not buying lotto tickets as frequently as they did two years ago.

The Hoosier Lottery’s revenue forecast is leading them to seek innovative methods to boost business. They are now turning to online lottery games.

If the change had been implemented, Indiana would have been the ninth state to introduce online lotto games.

Officials from the Hoosier Lottery had collaborated with an external vendor to explore the potential of introducing online games. It was at this point that news started to circulate regarding the initiative.

Concerns about the lottery’s online transition were initially raised by some local vendors in the state. This ultimately resulted in intervention from lawmakers.

Local concern around Indiana

Retail vendors of lottery tickets expressed discontent over the possibility of introducing online options for the Hoosier Lottery.

Originally, the 1989 Lottery Act granted the Indiana Lottery Commission the authority to introduce online games without oversight.

Local organizations expressed concerns that their profit share would diminish due to online lottery sales. They held the belief that an increase in online gambling would result in a decrease in physical ticket sales.

House Speaker Todd Huston considered the support of local ticket sellers crucial, as he wanted them to agree with the change.

“I aim to ensure that any actions taken benefit local retailers and keep the money within local communities. I have unequivocally expressed that local retailers should be supportive of this initiative and actively participate in related discussions.”

The vendors contended that the Lottery Act was antiquated as it did not take into account cell phones and the internet, which were not factors more than 30 years ago. The state representatives concurred, prompting them to intervene and halt the spread of online operations.

The possibility remains for the Hoosier Lottery to introduce online games next year, pending approval from the General Assembly. This approval could likely occur in the future, though the transition may prove more challenging than expected for the legislative session in 2023.

Full gambling legislation for Indiana set for 2023

When it comes to expanding online gambling in 2023, Indiana already has its hands full.

This year, legislators attempted to legalize online casinos in Indiana, but their efforts were unsuccessful. The proposed amendment would have allowed Hoosiers to play traditional casino games such as blackjack and poker on their mobile devices and computers.

Things didn’t pan out this year, however, lawmakers will attempt again in 2023.

Due to the high profitability of online casinos, they are likely to be prioritized over other forms of gambling expansion such as the lottery. This could potentially push the online games of the Hoosier Lottery to the bottom of the priority list.

The possibility still exists that the lottery may advance next year, but it’s currently evident that Indiana will not be introducing online lottery games in the near future.