Indiana lawmakers are advancing a proposal that might shift one of many state’s present on line casino licenses away from Ohio County and into a brand new inland market. An modification to House Bill 1038, accepted by the House Public Policy Committee, would enable the license now used for the riverboat on line casino in Rising Sun to be relocated to Allen, DeKalb, Steuben or Wayne counties as an alternative of making a brand new license.
Under the revised method, the Ohio County riverboat license could be “put up for bid” amongst present on line casino house owners. “The existing casino license, currently located in Rising Sun, will essentially be put up for bid … we can say we are not expanding gaming. We’re relocating an existing license through that competitive process,” Public Policy Chair Rep. Ethan Manning mentioned when he outlined the modification. The purpose, supporters argue, is to open a brand new market with out rising the variety of licenses within the state.
Applicants would want native backing to proceed. Any operator searching for to maneuver the license into a specific county must safe formal help from the county commissioners and the mayor of the host metropolis. For instance, a undertaking in Allen County would require sign-off from the Allen County Board of Commissioners and Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker earlier than it may transfer ahead.
Investment Rules, Payments and Licensing Timeline
The laws units strict monetary and improvement circumstances for any firm that wins the bidding course of. Prospective operators should decide to not less than $500 million in funding for the on line casino and related nongaming services, described within the textual content as “nongaming amenities onsite,” and should current an in depth improvement plan. At least 60% of that funding would want to happen within the preliminary part of building. The remaining spending and completion of the on line casino and facilities must happen no later than 5 years after gaming operations start on the new web site.
The Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) would settle for relocation functions starting October 1, 2026. The fee would then launch the functions and an informational abstract to the general public by January 15, 2027, and it must problem closing approvals or denials on every bid by April 15, 2027.
Financial obligations are layered. The profitable applicant would pay $50 million to the IGC, unfold throughout 5 annual installments. In addition, the successful license holder could be required to make a $30 million fee to the City of Rising Sun and Ohio County to assist offset the lack of native on line casino tax income.
State legislation would additionally require the IGC to rent an unbiased third-party marketing consultant to find out the truthful market worth of the Ohio County license. If an organization apart from the present licensee secures the relocation, that operator must pay the truthful market worth to the current proprietor, Full House Resorts, which operates Rising Star Casino. If Full House itself wins the aggressive course of and relocates its personal license, that fee wouldn’t apply. Separate charge provisions would govern any sale or switch of the curiosity within the license inside 10 years.
The bill permits the prevailing riverboat operation in Ohio County to proceed till someday earlier than the IGC authorizes the beginning of playing on the new inland location.
Counties Pitch for a New Casino Destination
Rising Star Casino, situated on the Ohio River, has seen attendance, workforce numbers and income fall lately, significantly after casinos opened in Ohio and playing expanded in Kentucky. The proposed relocation framework offers counties in different components of Indiana an opportunity to draw a serious gaming improvement.
Steuben County officers have been among the many most vocal on the Public Policy Committee listening to. Steuben County Commissioners President Wil Howard instructed lawmakers that the county’s place within the far northeastern nook of the state, close to each Michigan and Ohio, and its entry to I-69 and the Indiana Toll Road make it a powerful candidate. “We are uniquely, geographically located for a casino based on the history of where licenses have been located in the state,” he mentioned. Howard additionally famous that, within the earlier month, native leaders had rallied behind the prospect. “In the past month, we’ve gained a lot of ground in terms of community support and cohesion for Steuben County being included,” he instructed the committee, citing letters of help from the Angola mayor, native chambers of commerce and the county council.
Wayne County, anchored by town of Richmond, has additionally signaled curiosity. State Rep. Brad Barrett spoke for supporters who see a on line casino as an financial alternative between Indianapolis and Columbus, Ohio. He pointed to geography and group backing as core arguments in favor of bringing the relocated license to that a part of jap Indiana.
Allen County stays a central focus of the dialogue. A separate research commissioned by native financial improvement officers examined the potential influence of a on line casino within the Fort Wayne space, and Greater Fort Wayne launched that evaluation in December. As reported by WANE 15, on the identical day, Allen County Council held a public discussion board to assemble suggestions from residents. Mayor Sharon Tucker mentioned on the time that the possibility to host a on line casino was “too big to pass up,” whereas later emphasizing that her primary precedence is growing a shelter for individuals experiencing homelessness, for the reason that on line casino determination lies with state lawmakers and regulators.
Impact on Rising Sun and Next Steps on the Statehouse
The proposed transfer raises issues locally that at present hosts the license. Representatives for Rising Sun and for Full House Resorts addressed the committee about what a departure would imply domestically. They questioned the way to stop the present riverboat web site from deteriorating and careworn the significance of managing the transition. Rising Sun’s metropolis legal professional argued that the $30 million compensation determine falls wanting changing the roughly $5 million a yr in on line casino tax income that town and county have acquired lately. He prompt tying future funds to a share of income from the brand new on line casino and referred to as for particular provisions to information the redevelopment of the riverfront property “to ensure an abandoned lot and riverboat aren’t the first thing you see when entering our city.”
Full House Resorts and the invoice’s supporters mentioned they’ve already began discussions with the Indiana Economic Development Corporation to deal with the way forward for the Rising Sun web site if the license strikes. The firm additionally maintains that shifting the license away from southeast Indiana may ease aggressive strain in that area.
The broader debate consists of questions on the place a relocated on line casino would deliver probably the most profit statewide. An Indiana Gaming Commission research launched in October concluded that the Indianapolis space would generate the best tax income from a brand new on line casino, with northeast Indiana ranked subsequent. However, the identical report discovered {that a} on line casino within the Indianapolis area would doubtless erode enterprise at present casinos in Shelbyville and Anderson that help the state’s horse racing trade. Committee member Rep. Blake Johnson remarked, “That remains very difficult for me to square, based on the evidence as studies have consistently shown Indianapolis would be the most productive location for a casino,” whereas acknowledging the competing coverage issues.
The present invoice doesn’t authorize a on line casino in Indianapolis and as an alternative facilities on Allen, DeKalb, Steuben and Wayne counties. Local elected officers must endorse any undertaking, however the proposal doesn’t embody a requirement for an area referendum, which had been a part of earlier on line casino debates in Indiana.
The House Public Policy Committee superior the amended invoice on a 9-1 vote. The measure now strikes to the House Ways and Means Committee, which is able to look at its fiscal implications beneath a decent deadline earlier than it might proceed to a full House vote. In parallel, a separate Senate proposal that will immediately enable Full House to relocate its on line casino to Allen County has stalled within the appropriations course of.
House leaders have indicated they favor the relocation mannequin over broader playing expansions. “You’re talking about a major, hundreds of millions of dollars economic impact in northeast Indiana,” House Speaker Todd Huston instructed reporters, including, “I think that’s different than somebody playing on their phone.”
