Indiana Casino Legislation Would Allow Gaming in Fort Wayne for $50 Million
Posted on: December 2, 2025, 08:18h.
Last updated on: December 2, 2025, 09:18h.
- Legislation in Indiana seeks to allow a casino in Allen County
- Allen County is home to Fort Wayne
Newly introduced legislation in Indiana could clear the way for Full House Resorts to close its Rising Sun Casino in favor of Fort Wayne, New Haven, or somewhere else within Allen County.
On Monday, state Rep. Chad Snow (R-Warsaw) filed a bill in the House of Representatives that would require the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC) to field applications for a casino opportunity in Allen County. The third-most populated county in the Hoosier State, Allen is home to Fort Wayne, the state’s second-largest city.
In October, a study commissioned by the IGC mandated through statute concluded that northern Indiana, specifically, Fort Wayne, is an attractive market for a casino development. Prominent gaming consultancy Spectrum Gaming projected that a casino in or near Fort Wayne could generate annual gross gaming revenue of more than $204 million.
Indiana’s 2026 legislative session began on Dec. 1, 2025. The lawmaking period runs through the end of February.
Casino Bill Details
Snow’s House Bill 1038 would allow companies to bid on a casino in Allen County. The winner would need to pay the state a one-time fee of $50 million for the gaming license.
Snow’s legislation assumes the state, along with the $50 million upfront receipt, would collect around $38.3 million in annual gaming taxes from the Allen County casino. The net tax gain is after an expected $4.3 million reduction in wagering taxes from the state’s two racinos, located in Anderson and Shelbyville.
HB1038 has been directed to the House Public Policy Committee for initial review. The committee is chaired by Rep. Ethan Manning, the lawmaker behind an effort to legalize iGaming.
Snow’s bill has the support of Greater Fort Wayne Inc., an economic and business development alliance. The organization recently deployed a campaign called Fort Wayne First to support the development of a “world-class destination” in Northeast Indiana.
The economic impact of a casino in Fort Wayne will extend far beyond the initial $500+ million investment. It would bring lasting prosperity for our city and the entire region. Our goal is to build an entertainment model Allen County can be proud of; one where opportunity, enjoyment, and responsibility come together to create lasting benefits for the entire community,” the campaign website reads.
The Regional Chamber of Northeast Indiana is supportive, too.
“The Regional Chamber of Northeast Indiana supports and will advocate for a gaming license to be moved to or issued to a community in Northeast Indiana,” Chamber President and CEO Bill Konyha said last month. “We think it is a solid economic development project that will create a lot of jobs … but most importantly, from our perspective, is that it will generate a lot of state and local taxes.”
Full House Interest
Full House has been lobbying lawmakers to allow it to relocate its Indiana gaming license from Rising Sun to a more attractive market in Allen County. A bill failed earlier this year to allow the company to do so in exchange for a $150 million fee.
Full House pitched a $500 million investment in New Haven, with 1,400 slots, 50 tables, a sportsbook, a 200-room hotel, an event venue, and a concert hall.
Some lawmakers objected to allowing a company to relocate simply because it’s underperforming. They instead favored a market study.
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