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Committee amends charity gaming law to let veteran posts use some gaming revenue for repairs, adds limits and audits
Summary
The Public Policy Committee amended and passed Senate Bill 108 to clarify allowable uses of charity gaming revenue for organizations such as VFW and American Legion posts, add limits on event frequency, require audits for large organizations, and require identification for workers at gaming events.
The Indiana Senate Public Policy Committee voted 9-0 to pass Senate Bill 108 as amended, changing rules on charity gaming and allowing qualified organizations to use gaming revenue for certain repairs and operational expenses while adding new regulatory safeguards.
Chairman discussed the amendment (Amendment 1), which: renames “casino game night” events to “card, dice and roulette game events”; limits a facility or location to no more than three days per calendar week for bingo or card/dice/roulette events starting Jan. 1, 2026; requires qualified organizations with annual gross receipts of $1,000,000 or more to submit records for independent audit every two years; and requires workers and operators at such events to wear identification cards.
Sponsor commentary and witnesses emphasized veterans’ organizations as a chief beneficiary. Judy King of the VFW Department of Indiana said the change clarifies that gaming revenue may be used to replace worn infrastructure — such as kitchen floors or walk-in refrigerator repairs — that post budgets otherwise could not cover. “Our post stands for veterans of foreign wars,” King said, adding that posts provide local community support and rely on safe, usable facilities.
Rob Napier, quartermaster of VFW Post 1108 in Richmond, said his post has more than $300,000 in a gaming account but could not previously use those funds for routine repairs. “We have a policy at my VFW: no veteran goes hungry nor do they sleep in the cold,” Napier said, urging passage to allow posts to use revenues for those needs.
Senator Kyle Walker and other committee members noted this measure dovetails with recent legislation to modernize electronic pull-tab systems, saying expanded revenue opportunities and clarified allowable uses together help small nonprofit operators. Supporters said the amendment tightens transparency and prevents charity events from operating like full-time casinos by limiting frequency and requiring audits.
The committee recorded a unanimous roll-call vote, and Senator Jackson asked to be added as a cosponsor during testimony.
Senate Bill 108 passed as amended; the committee did not identify further state-level implementation details during the meeting.
