Pull tabs, the small break-open paper tickets you buy for a chance at an instant prize, are legal in Indiana through two separate programs. Charity gaming, regulated by the Indiana Gaming Commission, lets qualified nonprofit organizations sell pull tabs to raise money for their charitable, civic, or veterans-related purposes. Type II gaming, administered by the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission, lets taverns licensed to sell alcohol offer pull tabs, punchboards, and tip boards in their bar areas once they hold a Type II gaming endorsement. Both are separate from the Hoosier Lottery and from casino gaming.
Who can run pull tabs in Indiana
Under Indiana's Charity Gaming law, pull tabs can be sold by qualified organizations, meaning bona fide religious, educational, senior citizen, veterans, or civic, fraternal, and charitable groups that are tax-exempt under Section 501 of the Internal Revenue Code. These organizations generally must have been in continuous operation in Indiana for a period of years before they can qualify.
Before offering pull tabs, an organization must obtain the appropriate charity gaming license from the Indiana Gaming Commission and follow its rules on record keeping, reporting, and use of proceeds. The people selling the tickets are typically required to be members of the organization, and workers and players alike must meet the age requirement set by the state.
Indiana also allows Type II gaming under IC 4-36. A tavern licensed to sell alcohol for consumption on the premises can sell pull tabs, punchboards, and tip boards, using games approved by the Indiana Gaming Commission, in its bar area once it holds a Type II gaming endorsement from the Indiana Alcohol and Tobacco Commission. Distributors and manufacturers need their own endorsements, and no one under 21 may play a Type II game.
How pull tabs work and where you find them
A pull tab is a folded or banded ticket, or a two-ply perforated card, with a face that is hidden until the player pulls it open to reveal symbols or numbers. A fixed number of tickets in each deal are predetermined as winners, so the odds and prizes for a game are set in advance. Players buy tickets from the sponsoring organization and redeem winners on the spot.
In Indiana you will find pull tabs in two kinds of places. Veterans posts and fraternal club halls sell them during licensed charity gaming, often alongside bingo and raffles. Neighborhood bars and taverns that hold a Type II gaming endorsement sell them at the bar, along with punchboards and tip boards.
Electronic pull tabs and recent changes
Indiana modernized its charity gaming framework through Senate Enrolled Act 209, which took effect on July 1, 2025. The law authorizes electronic pull tab games, played on tablet-style devices approved by the Indiana Gaming Commission, for qualified fraternal and veterans organizations that hold a valid charity gaming license and meet the state's continuous-operation requirement.
Every electronic pull tab device and system must be approved by the Commission before it can be used, and organizations are responsible for making sure only players who meet the minimum age take part. The first approved devices began appearing at Indiana posts and lodges in late 2025.
Where can I play pull tabs in Indiana?
Pull tabs are sold at Indiana taverns holding a Type II gaming endorsement, and at licensed nonprofit venues such as VFW and American Legion posts and fraternal lodges like the Elks, Moose, and Eagles.
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