Northeast Indiana will not be getting a new casino. Voters in Allen, DeKalb and Steuben counties each rejected a referendum Tuesday that would have allowed inland casino gambling in their county.
The ballot item, listed as Public Question No. 3 in each county, asked voters whether inland casino gambling should be permitted locally. In Steuben County, more than 58 percent voted no — 6,234 votes — according to unofficial final results reported by the Fort Wayne Journal Gazette. In DeKalb County, nearly 65 percent, or 7,374 voters, said no. In Allen County, 59 percent of votes were opposed with 98 percent of results reporting.
The votes came under House Enrolled Act 1038, approved by state lawmakers earlier this year. The law authorized a new license for an inland casino in one of the three northeast counties and removed one unused racino license for horse-racing wagering with slot machines. Because each county voted no, the law also bars a second public question on the idea in those counties.
Supporters, including business groups in Allen County, had pitched a casino as an economic development tool. An Indiana Gaming Commission study projected an Allen County casino could generate $204 million in revenue and $61 million a year in state taxes. A selected developer would have been required to invest at least $500 million in the casino and related amenities, pay a $100 million license fee and contribute $50 million to support communities hurt by past casino closures.
Opponents argued gambling is a predatory enterprise that would harm Hoosier families. Casino developers had faced a Dec. 1 deadline to apply to the Indiana Gaming Commission, a process now moot in all three counties.
