
Stake.us is one of the most popular sweepstakes casinos that players can play with in the US. There are several reasons why we rate them so highly; just read any of our reviews about the platform to see why that is the case. However, the issue with Stake.us is that it is not available nationwide. Its legality depends from state to state. So Indiana players may be asking: is Stake.us legal in the state?
Stake.us is no longer legal in Indiana, as it is now one of 23 prohibited US states the site doesn't operate in. If you're in Indiana, you can no longer legally use a sweepstakes casino under House Bill 1052, signed by Governor Mike Braun in March 2026 and effective since July 1, 2026.
If you live in Indiana, you can no longer sign up at Stake.us unfortunately, and enjoy the great promos and range of games that the platform provides to players.
If you're in a state where Stake.us is still available however, you can sign up with the promo code and receive 25 Stake Cash, 25,000 Gold Coins, and 5% rakeback over your first 30 days.
Many players may be asking though: why did Indiana change their legislation this year though? Let's take a look at the changes to Stake.us's legality in Indiana and what it means for players.
While real-money online casinos have been prohibited in Indiana for some time, Stake.us was an alternative for players that stayed within state laws by operating as a sweepstakes casino. or several years, Indiana had allowed sweeps platforms like Stake.us to operate within the state, and several thousand Stake.us players were actually based in Indiana. Because of the dual-currency model it operated on, it's now prohibited under HB 1052, which banned all platforms that offered a second currency that could be redeemed for real prizes or gift cards, hence why Stake.us isn’t legal in Pennsylvania at the moment.
All sweepstakes casinos have two virtual currencies in play. You'll often receive Stake.us Gold Coins for social gaming and Sweeps Coins for the sweepstakes mode of play. The Sweeps Coins or in Stake.us's case their branded currency, Stake Cash are the reason they had to exit the state before facing fines of $100,000 per violation. Stake.us wasn't the only sweepstakes casino to exit Indiana, with many of the larger brands leaving before the July 1, 2026 cutoff date.
That is the key difference between social casinos and sweepstakes casinos. Sweepstakes casinos offer the dual currency model mentioned above, but social casinos only offer one virtual currency: Gold Coins. Gold Coins, as we've spoken about, hold no real world value, so gaming on social casinos is virtual only and only for fun, with no opportunity for any real cash prizes. This is why social casinos are still legal in Indiana, but sweepstakes casinos are not.
The only remaining options for Indiana players are these social casinos that offer Gold Coins-only gameplay, as well as the six riverboat casinos, five land-based casinos, and two racinos that currently operate under regulation by the Indiana Gaming Commission.
No. there are twenty three states you cannot play in. For instance, Stake.us isn’t legal in NJ, but my research indicates that Stake.us is legal in South Carolina. You can see why checking the full list of Stake.us legal states before signing up is vital. And since changes can always happen, just as they do with other state laws, you should always stay ahead of the latest rules in the so-called Hoosier State.
The 23 states where you cannot play Stake.us are as follows:
With Stake.us unavailable and real-money online casinos still prohibited in Indiana, social casinos running on Gold Coins only are the remaining option. These platforms let you play casino-style games with no need to ever make a purchase.
Most platforms hand you a welcome bonus of free Gold Coins on sign-up and carry a game library comparable to the largest real-money online casinos, just without ever putting real money on the line.
Most libraries include classic slots, Megaways titles, jackpot games, table game variants, and live dealer options at some platforms. Everything is played with Gold Coins only, so there's no chance of redeeming them for real prizes. If that's not your thing, it's unfortunately your only online option at the time of writing.
We speak about this in our Stake.us review, but if Stake.us were to open up a social casino variant of their platform, that removed Stake Cash and only provided Gold Coin gameplay, then they would likely be legally available to run in the state. However, as of writing this, there is no sign that this will occur.
Just because social casinos run on Gold Coins only, it doesn’t make responsible gaming any less important. It’s straightforward to play there without parting with any cash, since you’re not obligated to purchase any more Gold Coins to play with. You can get some for free as part of a daily login bonus instead.
However, I noticed that most platforms still has a responsible gaming area, showcasing its dedication to making sure all players have access to tools that might help in this area.
You can purchase Gold Coins every day if you want to, as these are used to prolong the amount of time you can spend playing the social casino games. Remember that these are for the social casino, so there is never a chance of securing any actual prizes using Gold Coins. Purchases are also never required when playing on most popular social casinos. They are always optional, but you can always earn Gold Coins through promos, or through playing through the gaming library that they provide.
No. Using a VPN to bypass geo-restrictions is against Stake.us's terms and conditions. You're also required to provide proof of residential address when you register, so your location is verified independently of your IP address. Attempting to access Stake.us from Indiana using a VPN risks permanent account closure.
There's no indication of that happening in the near term. Indiana lawmakers rejected proposed amendments during the bill's passage that would have created a regulatory framework instead of an outright ban. Check back here for updates as Indiana's gaming laws develop.
Unfortunately the minimum age to play casino-style games at land based locations or online social casinos in the state of Indiana requires you to be a minimum age of 21 under state gambling laws.
Honestly, given how recent the ban was implemented and the Indiana state governments reasoning behind it, we do not see the legislation lifting anytime soon. Indiana has completely clamped down on the concept of sweepstakes currencies and redemption prizes, with heavy penalties being put in place for any operators or players who violate the new law. The bill has only been in place a month and most sweeps casinos, including Stake.us, has completely withdrawn from the state, and it seems like it will stay that way for the foreseeable future.
As we mentioned earlier, if Stake.us were to develop a social casino variant of their platform, that only provided Gold Coins and removed Stake Cash completely, then they would be able to operate in the state. But, as far as we know, there are no plans for this to occur or happen.
Stake.us is no longer available to Indiana players following HB 1052. The sweepstakes model it operates on is banned in the state as of July 1, 2026, which caused Stake.us and many other operators to exit Indiana ahead of the deadline. That left social casinos offering Gold Coins-only gameplay as the only remaining option for Indiana players who want to play casino-style games online.
If you're reading this from a state where Stake.us is still legal, you can claim your exclusive welcome offer by verifying your identity, which gets you 25 Stake Cash, 25,000 Gold Coins, and 5% rakeback over your first 30 days. Always check your state's current status in Stake.us's terms and conditions before signing up.
No, there are 23 US states where Stake.us does not currently not allowed to operate including Indiana. There have been one or two changes of late, so it is best to read their terms and conditions if you’re thinking of playing there.
No. Indiana players can no longer access Stake.us at all following HB 1052. The Stake Cash redemption feature is the reason Stake.us in now unavailable to Indiana residents under current state law.
Yes. While sweepstakes casinos are now banned in the state of Indiana. Social casinos running on Gold Coins only are still available in Indiana. You can play casino-style games for fun with no purchase required, though Gold Coins have no monetary value and can't be redeemed for prizes.
No. Gold Coins have no monetary value and can't be exchanged for cash prizes or gift cards. They're used for entertainment only, which is what keeps these platforms legal in Indiana.