Three northeast Indiana counties vote on casino referendum for one new licence

Voters in three northeast Indiana counties vote on November 3 on whether to allow a casino, with a yes vote opening the door for operators to bid for one new Indiana Gaming Commission license under House Enrolled Act 1038.

Allen, DeKalb and Steuben counties each vote separately on the same question. A yes vote makes a county eligible to host a casino, and the law allows the Commission to issue only one license across the three counties, however many of them vote in favor. If a county’s voters reject the question, the law provides that a second public question may not be held in that county.

How the license would be awarded

Any operator of a brick and mortar casino located in the US may apply, but it must do so by December 1, 2026. Applicants must commit to invest at least $500 million, with at least 60% of the initial phase invested within two years of the license award.

The Commission must publish the filed applications and a summary of them by January 15, 2027, and issue a final decision by April 15, 2027.

The approved applicant would pay a $150 million fee in five equal annual payments, with $100 million going to the state general fund and $50 million to the shuttered riverboat fund. The casino would be capped at 1,500 gambling games and would pay a supplemental wagering tax of 3.5% of adjusted gross receipts.

A 2025 Indiana Gaming Commission study projected that an Allen County casino could generate $204 million in revenue and $61 million in annual state taxes.

Campaigns

In Allen County, the political action committee Advance Fort Wayne Allen County is campaigning for a yes vote. The opposition is led by the Coalition for a Better Indiana, which has chapters campaigning for no votes in all three counties.

“The casino industry is predatory in nature,” said Kristen Bissontz, vice president of the group’s volunteer board.

Full House Resorts chief executive Dan Lee told analysts: “You’re going to have three referendums where the opposition is probably well funded and the pro side probably isn’t.”