Indiana House Approves Deadbeat Parent Gambling Bill

The Indiana House on Thursday followed the Senate in approving legislation that would make it mandatory for deadbeat parents to pay their child support before they receive jackpot winnings at Indiana casinos.

The move was done to help a state that is forty-first in the country in child support collections. Now, before any person can receive their jackpots, the casino is required to run the name of the winner through a database. If the person comes up owing child support, the winnings would be confiscated to pay the back money owed.

"It's just another way to ensure that if you plant a seed, you tend the garden," said Representative Trent Van Haaften, who voted in favor of the legislation. There are several stipulations, however, to the new law.

A gambler must win a jackpot of at least $1,200, which is the level where they would have to be given a tax form on the winnings. The person must also be at least $2,000 behind on their child support payments.

The Bill is not yet a completed piece of work. It now must go back to the Senate where it was first approved. The Senate must approve a couple of changes that the House made to the original legislation.

With casino gambling becoming more prevalent around the US, more states might take the stance of Indiana. Child support agencies have various methods to ensure that people are paying, but the casino jackpot winnings would just be another avenue to pursue.

February 28, 2010
Posted By Terry Goodwin
Staff Editor, CasinoGamblingWeb.com
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