Northeast Indiana Voters Reject Casino Referendums in Allen, DeKalb and Steuben Counties

Voters in Allen, DeKalb and Steuben counties rejected Public Question No. 3 on Tuesday, blocking any new inland casino in northeast Indiana. The measure asked whether inland casino gambling should be permitted in each county. State law now prohibits those counties from holding the vote again.

In DeKalb County, nearly 65% of voters, or 7,374, opposed the casino. Opposition in Steuben County topped 58%, or 6,234 votes. In Allen County, nearly 60%, or 61,310, cast ballots against the proposal.

Requirements Under House Enrolled Act 1038

House Enrolled Act 1038, approved by Indiana lawmakers earlier this year, authorized a new license for an inland casino in one of the three counties and eliminated one unused racino license. Developers were to submit applications to the Indiana Gaming Commission by December 1. A selected operator would have been required to invest at least $500 million in the casino and non-gaming amenities such as a hotel and restaurant, with at least 60% of that spending within two years of license authorization and full completion within five years of the start of operations.

The operator would also have paid $150 million to the state in five equal annual installments of $30 million, consisting of a $100 million license fee and $50 million to support former host communities affected by casino closures. An Indiana Gaming Commission study projected that an Allen County casino could generate $204 million in revenue and $61 million in annual state taxes. Approval at the ballot box would not have guaranteed a project, as no casino operator had committed to step forward.

Local Support, Opposition and Immediate Aftermath

Business groups in Allen County backed the project as an economic development tool. Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker supported it, citing reduced local tax revenue under Senate Enrolled Act 1. Opponents described gambling as a predatory enterprise that would bring addiction, bankruptcies and crime.

As reported by Yogonet International, Tucker said after the results that she and her team will continue to look for other revenue opportunities. "With the ongoing financial impacts of Senate Enrolled Act 1, particularly the uncertainty of future revenues coming in over time, it’s vital to look for ways to grow and succeed," she said. "My job as mayor is to continue to explore all avenues for financial growth and replacement revenue to set us on a course for a brighter tomorrow."

Where the Path Narrows

The decisive margins close off the northeast corridor for this license and reinforce the limits on where new casinos can be sited without overlapping existing operations in Shelbyville and Anderson. Local governments facing revenue pressure from Senate Enrolled Act 1 must now identify non-gaming alternatives while the Indiana Gaming Commission determines next steps for the unused authorization.