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Indiana has approved a casino relocation plan that reshapes long running debates over market balance, competition, and regional impact.
Good to Know
Momentum shifted at the Statehouse after the Indiana House of Representatives approved House Bill 1038 by a 67 to 30 vote on February 2. The proposal now sits with the Indiana Senate Committee on Public Policy, where lawmakers face a tight deadline to keep the bill alive.
Authored by Craig Snow, the bill creates a competitive process to relocate the casino licence tied to Rising Star Casino Resort. Despite earlier speculation, Indianapolis does not appear among eligible locations.
Instead, bidding would open to Allen, Steuben, DeKalb, and Wayne counties. Three of those sit within the Fort Wayne region, which emerged as a lower impact alternative in a market study ordered by lawmakers last year.
That study followed years of lobbying by Full House Resorts, which operates Rising Star in Rising Sun. Expansion in neighboring Ohio and Kentucky pushed the property to the bottom of state performance rankings, prompting repeated relocation requests.
Researchers concluded downtown Indianapolis offered the highest revenue potential but warned a casino there would siphon play from existing venues. The most exposed properties, Horseshoe Indianapolis and Harrah Hoosier Park, support horse racing operations tied closely to state funding priorities.
Fort Wayne ranked lower on revenue upside but posed less risk to existing casinos, a tradeoff lawmakers appeared willing to accept.
Senate President Rodric Bray signaled confidence the bill could advance despite the compressed timeline. He said:
“There continues to be support, I think, building for the idea of some option to move a casino up into northeast Indiana. The study obviously shows that it would be profitable up there. So, I look optimistically at the movement of that bill.”
If enacted, the Indiana Gaming Commission would oversee the process. All existing Indiana casino operators could submit bids, not just Full House. Local government endorsements would be required, though the bill removes any voter referendum requirement.
The commission would select a winner by April 15, 2027. A successful bidder would owe fair market value for Rising Star, a $50 million relocation fee paid over five years, and commit at least $500 million in capital investment.
One unresolved element remains compensation for Rising Sun and Ohio County. The bill currently proposes $30 million for lost tax revenue, a figure local officials argue falls short of the roughly $5 million generated annually. Lawmakers may still revise that structure.