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Indiana House Committee Expands Possibilities for Casino Expansion or Relocation in Bill
Legislation that could allow the Rising Star Casino in Rising Sun to relocate now includes four counties in the state as potential future sites.
The Rising Star Casino in Indiana could be on the move, but there are more questions about the final destination of that gaming license than there have ever been. A legislative committee currently working on the proposal to facilitate the transfer of the license to another part of Indiana has opened up the conversation.
Rising Star relocation bill gets committee amendment
The Indiana House of Representatives Public Policy Committee has worked up HB 1038 and part of that process has been to add an amendment to the legislation. The new language expands upon the potential locations that could become the new home of the Rising Star Casino.
The original bill had created a license for Allen County, Indiana, with proponents targeting the Fort Wayne area. However, the amendment adds DeKalb County, Steuben County, and Wayne County to the list, which could mean the ability to offer casino games with best odds.
According to Tom Davies of the Indiana Capital Chronicle, committee chair Rep. Ethan Manning said the other three "counties are included because they have, in one way or another, raised their hands as being interested." Manning added that "they've got a significant amount of alignment within their local governments" for wanting to see expanded gaming.
Allen County and Fort Wayne might still prove to be the frontrunners even if HB 1038 becomes law as currently composed. Rising Star Casino's ambitions have been focusing on the city for years.
Licensing process could still favor Allen County
Davies reports that Full House Resorts, which operates the Rising Star, has sought the ability to relocate its casino for years due to competition across the Michigan and Ohio borders. Fort Wayne has borne intrigue due to it being the second-most populated city in the state and comparatively far from other casino licensees' facilities.
The bill requires a half-billion dollar investment from Full House regardless of the location. That makes becoming the new site appealing for county governments on top of residual shares of taxes on gaming revenues.
The Rising Star relocation issue could dominate gaming debates in Indianapolis in 2026, as momentum toward creating a legal framework for the best online casinos has chilled. Residents of the state should not expect to be able to redeem promotions like the Borgata Casino bonus code anytime in the near future.
For now, legislators have expanded the conversation beyond Allen County to give leaders in other parts of Indiana a chance to make their cases. The final result may be identical to the bill sponsor's original intent regardless.
Written by Derek Helling
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