Indiana Forwards Bill to Relocation Casino in Ohio County to Several Possible Homes

A bill to allow an underperforming casino to relocate inside Indiana was approved by a Senate committee on Wednesday.

The Senate Public Policy Committee voted 7-3 to approve the legislation during its first hearing, according to WANE 15. The bill would allow the Rising Star Casino Resort in Rising Sun, Indiana, to move its campus to a selection of new host cities with the goal of increasing its disappointing revenue total.

The bill will now go before the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Indiana looks to relocate struggling casino

Although the bill was forwarded, WANE reported that there was still hesitance among supporting voters. They reported that several Senators who said “Yes” to the bill still had concerns, and that they could change their vote if it were to go to a vote in front of the entire Senate.

The proposal seeks to allow Rising Star to relocate north to Allen, DeKalb, Steuben or Wayne County. The exact location and other specifics still need to be ironed out.

The bill is unchanged from what was approved in the House in early February. State officials could still tack on new additions, such as creating an entirely new state-approved gaming license for the casino, or changing the list of possible locations.

One of the early leaders for a potential new location is Richmond in Wayne County. According to Melissa Vance, president and CEO of the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce, a state-commissioned study from Oct. 2025 showed that Richmond was the third most-promising home for a new casino. The only areas listed ahead of it were Indianapolis and the Fort Wayne area.

“We have pulled together … such a great coalition of people that are aligned,” she told the committee. “I am sure all of you know that that is not common, that everyone aligns and activates so quickly, and that just shows the passion and the interest.”

Potential homes

While Vance expressed support for relocation to Wayne County, Steuben County officials are also hoping their jurisdiction will receive heavy consideration.

“Steuben County is uniquely prepared in ways that are often underestimated,” Steuben County Council President Dan Caruso said. “Our infrastructure has been intentionally built to support a seasonal population that swells to 140,000 during our peak five-month tourism season. Our transportation network, our courts, our sheriff’s department, our retail sector, our public services are already designed to accommodate significant population fluctuations. We are by design and experience far more than a rural community. From a transportation and accessibility standpoint, no location in northeast, eastern Indiana, rival Steuben County.”

The Steuben County government, Steuben County Economic Development Corp. and Steuben County Tourism Bureau also launched a website on Sunday to help support the vision of a casino relocation. The website can be found at steubenfunwins.com.

Any amendments that were added to the bill before its approval would trigger a public question at the ballot for this year’s general election. Voters in approved counties would be asked if they would support a casino, whether that comes via relocation or through a new gaming license.

Casino applications would be given a deadline of Jan. 2027 with a final decision by April 2027. If relocation is approved, the Ohio County location would be allowed to offer gambling services until one day before the license is transferred.

Republican Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray said he expected the Senate to support the casino’s relocation.

“There continues to be support, I think, building for the idea of some option to move a casino up into northeast Indiana,” Bray said last week. “The study obviously shows that it would be profitable up there, so, I look optimistically at the movement of that bill.”