Casino Resort Development Timeline
2025
The Indiana Gaming Commission seeks to examine gaming revenue after the legislature discusses relocating a license for an underperforming casino earlier in the year. The IGC commissions a study by industry professionals, Spectrum Gaming, to explore options. The Spectrum Study is released and names an area in Northeast Indiana, north of Fort Wayne, as an untapped market for gaming. While the date of finalization on the Spectrum Study is published as Sept. 30. 2025, the Indiana Gaming Commission did not release the report until Oct. 29, 2025 in compliance with a Nov. 1 deadline established by Senate Enrolled Act 43. Local legislators and Steuben County Commissioners had no advance information on the study or the potential for a Steuben County site until the release by the IGC.
December 2025
January 2026
House Bill 1038 is penned to amend the Indiana Code concerning gaming. It addresses moving an underperfoming license to one of 4 counties- Allen, Dekalb, Steuben, or Wayne- passing out of committees and going to the full House.
February 2, 2026
HB 1038 passes in a House vote 67-30.
Week of February 9, 2026
Weeks of February 16 and 23, 2026
Further committee changes reinstate and require a ballot question for voters. Wayne County is removed as a contender. Relocation of an Ohio County license is dropped from the bill, instead a horse racing license is converted creating a 14th inland casino license.
February 27, 2026
Final version of HB 1038 passes in both the House and Senate and becomes House Enrolled Act 1038 which was signed into law the following week.
Spring and Summer 2026
Casino operators and communities research potential projects, local impacts, and potential revenues.
Fall 2026
A public question and answer forum will be held October 8th, 6-8 pm at the Steuben County Event Center, Crooked Lake. Voters and property owners should submit questions and sign up to speak by Sept. 27th by emailing info@steubenfunwins.com
November 3, 2026
Election Day. The county election board shall place the following public question on the 2026 general election ballot: “Shall inland casino gambling be permitted in Steuben County?” The referendum is binding, over-riding any other resolutions by a city or county. If the voters of a county do not vote in favor of permitting inland casino gambling, a second public question may not be held in that county. The gaming commission may not issue a license to allow an inland casino to operate unless the voters of the county have approved inland casino gambling in the county.
December 1, 2026
Deadline for the state to accept applications, bids, and project proposals located in counties that have passed a referendum. Applications may be made by any licensed operator in the country and are to include: conceptual plans for casino and non-gaming facilities, proposed site and site controls, market feasibility information, phased investment and construction timelines, and a passed resolution by the County Commissioners (and Mayor if located within a municipality).
January 15, 2027
April 15, 2027
Deadline for the Indiana Gaming Commission to select the new casino operator and project. Any supplemental bids must also be made public.
2027 & 2028
Primary Casino construction. At least 60% of the required $500 million minimum investment of development must be completed within two years from the date the license is awarded. Any remaining amount of the casino and non-gaming amenities should be completed no later than five years after gaming operations begin.