Indiana: Senate approves electronic pull tabs for charity gambling

Wednesday, February 5, 2025 3:53 PM
  • Leslie Bonilla Muñiz, Casey Smith and Niki Kelly, Indian Capital Chronicle

Indiana’s Senate on Tuesday approved legislation allowing electronic pull tabs for charity gambling, in a 37-13 vote that split party caucuses.

Charitable, civic, veteran and other groups can earn money off bingo, raffles, and more — like paper pull tabs. Senate Bill 209 would let them use electronic versions of pull tabs, which could come on freestanding cabinet-style devices, tabletop versions and tablets.

“Allowing these groups … to grow and flourish will pay dividends to our state that simply cannot be measured by dollars alone,” said author Sen. Kyle Walker, R-Lawrence. “This bill is a responsible modernization of an already-established method of gaming that is very narrow in its application.”

Republicans and Democrats spoke against the legislation.