The Rising Star Casino in Rising Sun, Indiana, is close to possibly moving to a new place.
The Indiana House of Representatives passed House Bill 1038 with a vote of 67-30. Now, the bill is being reviewed by the Senate's Committee on Public Policy.
If this bill passes, it would allow the Rising Star Casino, which is operated by Full House Resorts, to relocate from its current spot in Rising Sun. This town is in Ohio County, along the Ohio River in southeastern Indiana, near the Kentucky/Indiana border.
All of this is happening despite strong opposition.
What Would House Bill 1038 Change?
If the Senate approves the bill by the end of the month and it becomes law, it will allow a competition to relocate the current riverboat casino license to one of four counties:
- Allen County (which includes Fort Wayne in northeast Indiana)
- DeKalb County (also in northeast Indiana near Fort Wayne)
- Steuben County (northeast, near Angola)
- Wayne County (in east central Indiana, including Richmond)
House Bill 1038 doesn't absolutely have to be passed by the end of February 2026, but not meeting this deadline could likely stop it from moving forward this session.
The 2026 Indiana General Assembly session is shorter and focuses on the budget. Leaders hope to finish by February 27, 2026, although they can legally continue until March 14. The last day for the Senate to discuss House bills is February 24, 2026.
Study Results Are Driving Force Behind Relocation Talks
In October, the Indiana Gaming Commission released the results of a study about where a new casino could go. It showed that Indianapolis was the best spot, with northeast Indiana being the second choice.
Moving the casino to Indianapolis would bring in more money for the state. However, it could also hurt other casinos in Shelbyville and Anderson, which are nearby and support horse racing.
On the other hand, the Fort Wayne area, in northeast Indiana, has fewer casinos. This means it might attract people from Ohio and Michigan without affecting Indiana's own casinos as much.
Republican Senate President Pro Tem Rodric Bray told reporters last week that he expects the Senate will support allowing the casino 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. “The study obviously shows that it would be profitable up there. So, I look optimistically at the movement of that bill.”
Why is The Rising Star Casino Going To Be Relocated?
The Rising Star Casino has been having a tough time lately because of more gambling options opening up in nearby Ohio and Kentucky. This has caused its profits to drop.
Full House Resorts, the company running the casino, has been trying for years to find a new location. They had looked at places like Fort Wayne and Terre Haute before, but those plans didn't work out.
Previous bills, like Senate Bill 70, aimed to move the casino directly to Allen County/Fort Wayne.
What Are the Key Provisions of the Bill?
House Bill 1038 opens up the chance for more companies to bid on moving the Rising Star Casino. This means that any qualified casino operator, not just Full House Resorts, can try to relocate the casino to one of four different counties.
These counties have a couple of important steps to complete if they are interested in the casino. First, their legislative bodies can decide to put a question on the November 2026 ballot, letting voters decide if they want a casino in their county.
Casino operators from Indiana's 13 licensed casinos can submit applications to the Indiana Gaming Commission. They can propose to move the gaming license from Ohio County to an approved new location in one of these counties.
Applicants must have support from the local government and promise to invest at least $500 million into building the casino and adding other non-gaming features.
The successful applicant will need to pay:
- $50 million to the Indiana Gaming Commission.
- $30 million total to the city of Rising Sun and Ohio County to make up for the loss in tax revenue and economic activity.
If the winning bid comes from a company other than Full House Resorts, they might also have to pay fair market value for the current Rising Star Casino property.
The Indiana Gaming Commission will review bids in public by January 15, 2027, and decide who wins by April 15, 2027.
This approach avoids creating a new casino license, sticking to an existing one, which was a past concern. It also makes sure that Rising Sun and Ohio County receive compensation since they will lose their casino.
What Does The Future Hold for The Rising Sun Casino?
The potential economic benefits, such as job creation and increased tourism, make these counties eager to welcome a casino development.
House Bill 1038 represents a significant possible shift in Indiana's gaming industry landscape.
