The story of legal poker in Indiana started in the 1990s, as state legislators tried to legalize real-money gambling venues.
Fast-forward to the present day, and there are now more than a dozen casinos in Indiana, with several offering cash games and tournaments in dedicated poker rooms.
So, read on if you’re looking for up-to-date information about Indiana poker rooms and discover the brick-and-mortar casinos that offer cash games and tournaments in the Hoosier State.
Are poker rooms legal in Indiana?
First, let’s confirm that licensed poker rooms are fully legal in Indiana. It’s permitted in any of Indiana’s state casinos, including those run by Native American tribes.
In the early 1990s, efforts to legalize poker in the state began, which led to the state permitting riverboat casinos to offer poker in multiple locations. In 2015, the law was updated to allow riverboat casinos to move to land-based sites. Today, more than a dozen land-based casinos are operating legally in Indiana.
Subsequently, poker rooms in Indiana exist at several of the state’s most popular casinos, and we introduce each of your options in the following section.
How many poker rooms are in Indiana?
There are currently six quality poker rooms in the state of Indiana that host regular cash games and tournaments:
- Horseshoe Casino, Indianapolis
- Hollywood Casino, Lawrenceburg
- Elks #155 Charity Casino, Fort Wayne
- Caesars Southern Indiana, Elizabeth
- Four Winds South Bend, South Bend
- Horseshoe Casino Hammond, Hammond
There is also a poker room at the Ameristar Casino in East Chicago, but it is closed at the time of writing this article.
The main game on offer at Indianapolis poker rooms is, as you’d expect, Texas Hold’em, but there are Omaha games available to players at some casinos. Discover the best brick-and-mortar locations to play poker in Indiana below.
Horseshoe Casino, Indianapolis, IN
The Horseshoe Casino in Indianapolis is the place to be for cash games and regular poker tournaments in Indiana.
As for cash games, you can buy a seat at the table for 1-3, 2-5, and 5-10 no-limit hold ’em. The Horseshoe also hosts pot-limit Omaha for those looking for something different.
Something that we love about the poker room at the Horseshoe is that they host daily tournaments as well as cash games. Buy-ins start at $100 for no-limit hold ’em, and you can sign up for tournaments online or in person.
Ultimately, the Horseshoe covers all bases regarding cash games and poker tournaments in Indianapolis and is one of the best Indiana poker rooms.
Hollywood Casino, Lawrenceburg, IN
The Hollywood Casino in Lawrenceburg is home to continuous poker action, largely due to the generous Marquee Rewards Club VIP program in play here.
Players can enjoy fixed-limit, no-limit, and pot-limit variants of Hold’em, while there are PLO and Omaha eight-or-better tables at the Hollywood Casino for players to enjoy. At the end of every month, the Hollywood Casino also hosts a $235 no-limit hold ’em game, attracting players from around Indiana.
Elks #155 Charity Casino, Ft. Wayne, IN
Located in Fort Wayne, Indiana, Elks #155 hosts a poker room where cash games rule. There are fun $50 buy-in tournaments on Saturdays, however.
The cash games are spread over 13 tables and are predominantly 1-2 no-limit and 1-2 mixed-limit hold’em/Omaha games.
Caesars Southern Indiana, Elizabeth, IN
You won’t be surprised to learn that the live poker games at Caesars, Southern Indiana, are super popular with players.
The most common game at the poker rooms here is 1-2 no-limit hold’em, while a 2-5 no-limit hold’em game also runs continuously.
You can get involved in 30/60 stud on weekends, while a 3-6 limit hold’em game is live during the casino’s peak hours. 1-2 pot limit Omaha hi and 2-5 pot limit Omaha hi games also run semi-regularly, but it’s worth calling ahead to enquire about when the games start to avoid disappointment.
Caesars is on the 2022-23 WSOP circuit and hosts two to three poker tournaments per week, with a $70 buy-in for no-limit Texas hold’em. Like the Horseshoe in Indianapolis, Caesars is a great place to get involved in regular poker action in Indiana.
Four Winds South Bend, South Bend, IN
The leading poker game at the Four Winds Casino in South Bend is 1-2 no-limit hold ’em, which runs continuously throughout the week. A 2-5 no-limit hold’em game is also available during busier hours, while the Four Winds Casino occasionally runs 1-2 pot-limit Omaha hi.
Twice a week, there’s a $150 buy-in for no-limit Texas Hold’em, which you can sign up for online. Four Winds is a popular casino and one of the most fun Indiana poker rooms.
Horseshoe Casino Hammond, Hammond IN
Last but certainly not least is the Horseshoe Casino, Hammond. There are no tournaments at the Horseshoe in Hammond, so you must travel to the Horseshoe in Indianapolis if you want to participate in scheduled events.
As for cash games, there are several games in play at the Horseshoe in Hammond, including 1-2 no-limit hold’em, 2-5 no-limit hold’em, and 5-5 no-limit hold’em, among others. A 1-2 pot-limit Omaha hi runs throughout the week, while a 5-10 pot-limit Omaha hi runs three times per week.
Ultimately, there are several poker games to enjoy at the Horseshoe Casino, Hammond.
The verdict: The best Indiana poker rooms
As introduced above, there are six Indiana poker rooms for you to try, all of which offer cash games on comfortable tables and with decent playing cards, while most put on some sort of tournament schedule.
Arguably the best poker room in Indiana is at the Horseshoe Casino in Indianapolis, given the variety of table games and daily tournaments. However, you can enjoy live poker at any of the above-introduced venues, whether you want to enjoy no-limit cash games or scheduled tournaments in Indiana.
Feature image: formulanone on Flickr under Creative Commons
