Three Indiana counties vote on 3 November on one new casino licence, $500m minimum

Voters in Allen, DeKalb and Steuben counties in northeast Indiana go to the polls on 3 November 2026 to say whether their county may allow inland casino gambling.

For operators, the timetable is tight: applications are due on 1 December 2026, less than a month after the vote.

What happened

The question appears on ballots in all three counties, and each county votes separately, according to Gambling Insider. Under the enrolled act, the Commission cannot license a casino in a county unless that county's voters have approved. If a county rejects the question, the act bars a second public question there.

Should one or more counties vote yes, the Commission is required to begin accepting applications. The act sets out the following terms:

• US operators running a land-based casino can apply, listing Allen, DeKalb or Steuben as the intended host county.
• Each application needs a resolution of support from a majority of the county's board of commissioners, plus a letter from the mayor if the site is inside a municipality.
• Applicants must pledge a minimum of $500m for a casino and non-gaming amenities, and at least 60% of the first phase must be spent within two years of the award.
• The Commission must make the applications and a summary public by 15 January 2027 and issue its final decision by 15 April 2027.
• It may approve one application only, and may deny all of them if it finds that none serves the interests of the state.
• Where several operators bid for the same county, the Commission may request additional sealed bids that may offer money to the state or the host community.

The approved operator would pay a $150m fee in five equal annual payments. Of that, $100m goes to the state general fund, and the remaining $50m is earmarked for the fund tied to shuttered riverboats. The casino could host no more than 1,500 gambling games, and its operator would owe an extra wagering tax equal to 3.5% of adjusted gross receipts. Tax revenue would go 10% to the northeast Indiana regional development authority, with the host city and the host county each receiving 45%. The licensee must also enter a development agreement with the county.

Full House Resorts, which owns Rising Star, was not pleased by the changes, according to Gambling Insider. Its chief executive, Dan Lee, told analysts that the opposition would probably be well funded and the pro side probably would not be.

Campaigns are running on both sides. The Yes for Allen effort, which has the backing of the Advance Fort Wayne Allen County PAC, is campaigning for approval. The Coalition for a Better Indiana is campaigning against in all three counties. Rep. Marlin Stutzman, whose district covers all three, has urged voters to reject the measure.

Why it matters

Brick and mortar operators weighing a bid will need to line up local government support before 1 December 2026, because the act requires a commissioners' resolution to be filed with each application. They will also need to settle site control, financing and the $500m investment plan within that window. Operators with existing Indiana properties may want to examine how the Commission's stated criterion of effects on the state's other casinos and on horse racing could apply to them.

The act's single-licence design means competing bids for the same county are likely to be decided partly on price. Sealed supplemental bids could add payments on top of the $150m fee. The one-vote rule also matters: a no vote in a county bars a second public question there under the act, which could narrow the field of possible sites.

Suppliers and other businesses tied to a possible development will be watching which counties, if any, approve before committing resources.

What's next

The circuit court clerk in each county will certify the results and pass them to the Commission, which will then learn which counties are open to applicants.