Indiana is one of the most popular destinations for gambling in the United States. With 13 commercial casinos, gambling revenue contributes $3.8 billion in economic activity to the state.1
Those thinking of visiting the Midwest state of Indiana and dropping some money in a slot machine or table game need to remember that their winnings could be subject to a 30% withholding tax by the IRS. Fortunately, Refund Management Services (RMS) can help Canadians and other eligible non-U.S. residents reclaim a portion or all of that withholding tax.
Top 5 Casinos in Indiana
While the first casino in the United States opened in 1931 in Nevada, residents of Indiana had to wait until 1993 for it to become legal in their state. It didn’t take long though for the “Hoosier State” to become one of the top gaming stops in the country. Indiana is the fifth biggest state for gaming, behind Nevada, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Louisiana.2
Today, Indiana is home to 13 commercial casinos that come in all shapes and sizes, from riverboats to land-based to racetrack casinos. Most of the casinos are situated either along Lake Michigan or in the lower part of the state, along the Ohio River.
Below is a list of some of the top casinos in Indiana.
Ameristar East Chicago
Ameristar East Chicago is actually located in the upper Northwest corner of Indiana, just 45 minutes east of downtown Chicago. The casino floor covers 56,000 square feet of gaming space, spread out over four levels. There, you’ll find 1,700 slots and video poker machines, with denominations ranging from one cent to $100.3
On the second, third, and fourth floors, you can choose from 65 table games, including a high-limit table. On the fourth floor you’ll discover the newly expanded “Baccarat Room” with 21 tables: 19 baccarat tables and two pai gow tile tables with minimum bets of $10.00 and maximum bets of up to $10,000.
Ameristar East Chicago also has a 288-room luxury hotel with restaurants, a variety of amenities, and a gift shop.
French Lick Resort
French Lick Resort is in southern Indiana, just outside the town of West Baden Springs and a stone’s throw from the Hoosier National Forest. On the 51,000-square-foot, Vegas-style casino at French Lick, you’ll find 1,000 new and classic slots, video poker, progressive jackpots, and video keno. There are also 37 live-dealer table games featuring blackjack, craps, roulette, poker, and mini-baccarat.4
French Lick Resort casino has a 9,500-square-foot non-smoking gaming room with live table games and 250 slots. While the high-limit gaming area has tables and slots with denominations ranging from 25 cents up to $100.
The French Lick Resort includes two hotels, the French Lick Spring (built in 1901), with 443 rooms, and the West Baden Springs Hotel (1902), with 243 rooms.
Belterra Casino Resort
The Belterra Casino Resort is just off Highway 156, overlooking the Ohio River; one hour south west of Cincinnati, Ohio; and 90 minutes north of Lexington, Kentucky. The Belterra Casino is open 24/7 and covers 47,200 square feet. Wandering the casino floor, you’ll find over 1,200 slot machines, video poker, and two high-limit slot rooms.5
Table games include blackjack, Caribbean stud, craps, crazy four poker, pai gow poker, roulette, and Mississippi stud. There is also a dedicated poker room with daily tournaments.
The resort has a 12-storey hotel with 600 guest rooms overlooking the Ohio River. There is also a spa and salon, golf course, pool, and shopping.
Blue Chip Casino Hotel Spa
The Blue Chip Casino Hotel Spa is in Michigan City, Indiana, along the southern shore of Lake Michigan. The casino is actually located in a riverboat moored in a small body of water along the Trail Creek. Because the casino is moored, it’s more like a land-based casino. The casino offers 65,000 square feet of gaming with more than 1,700 slots, 44 table games, and eight live poker room tables.6
The Blue Chip hotel is 22 stories high with 486 rooms and suites, while the spa covers 10,000 square feet. Like any good casino/resort, there is also live entertainment, shopping, and restaurants.
Hollywood Casino, Lawrenceburg
Hollywood Casino, Lawrenceburg is a riverboat gambling complex found in the eastern part of the state along the Ohio River, just 20 minutes west of Cincinnati. The casino floor covers a massive 175,000 square feet and features over 3,200 slot machines that take denominations ranging from pennies to $100.7
There are more than 70 table games (blackjack, craps, roulette, baccarat) and a 19-table poker room with daily tournaments and a VIP Club. As the largest card room in the state, the Hollywood Casino is one of eight hosts for World Poker Tour tournaments.
The hotel features nearly 300 remodelled rooms over five floors. The casino also has live entertainment, a disco, six dining options, and an events centre.
Indiana Casino Winnings Subject to 30% Withholding Tax
If you’ve visited a casino in Indiana or anywhere else in the United States and won a significant amount of money, your winnings could be subject to a 30% withholding tax.
Casino winnings over $1,200 in the United States are considered income, and the IRS wants its share. For instance, if you win $2,000 plays the slots, betting on the horses, at bingo, keno, or even on a game show, you’ll only receive $1,400. However, if you live in a country like Canada, which has signed a U.S. tax treaty, you may be eligible for a refund.
There are a number of countries that currently do not have a U.S. tax treaty, but if you reside in any of the following countries, you could still be eligible for a refund: Canada, Australia, Bahrain, Barbados, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kuwait, Mexico, Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates.
To see if you meet the criteria and are eligible to get some or all of your withholding tax back, contact Refund Management Services.
RMS is the Easiest Way to Get Your Casino Tax Back
If you had 30% of your gaming winnings withheld by the IRS, the gaming tax refund experts at RMS can help you reclaim a portion or all of your taxable winnings.
Founded in 1998 by a Canadian Chartered Accountant, RMS has successfully completed the most U.S. gaming tax refunds for Canadians and other non-U.S. residents. As the most reliable and experienced wagering, gaming, and casino tax refund provider, RMS is a certified agent of the IRS for filing W-7 applications. And best of all, we’ve never been refused an eligible refund.
RMS is also the only gaming tax recovery firm with the One Simple StepTM process; our customer service agents take care of the rest. Note that it can take a minimum of one year for the IRS to review the claim and for RMS to receive the refund.
Contact RMS today by calling our toll-free number at 1-888-272-5559 or by emailing us at [email protected].
Sources:
1. “By The Book,” Get to Know Gaming web site; http://www.gettoknowgaming.org/by-the-book?state-data#&state=US-IN, last accessed July 8, 2016.
2. Ingram, L., “The 10 Heaviest Gambling States in America,” TheStreet.com, November 30m 2014; https://www.thestreet.com/story/12965129/7/these-are-the-top-10-gambling-states-in-america.html.
3. “Guest Information,” Ameristar East Chicago web site; http://www.ameristar.com/east-chicago/info-at-a-glance, last accessed July 8, 2016.
4. “Gaming,” French Lick Resort web site; https://www.frenchlick.com/gaming, last accessed July 8, 2016.
5. “Casino,” Belterra Casino Resort web site; https://www.belterracasino.com/casino/, last accessed July 8, 2016.
6. “Play,” Blue Chip Casino Hotel Spa web site; http://www.bluechipcasino.com/play, last accessed July 8, 2016.
7. “Casino,” Hollywood Casino Lawrenceburg web site; http://www.hollywoodindiana.com/Casino, last accessed July 8, 2016.