The Indiana General Assembly's chamber-switch deadline has eliminated more than 900 legislative bills in the state House of Representatives from consideration. Among those that failed to get through were House Bill 1432 (HB 1432) to legalize internet-based casino and lottery play and bills proposing the relocation of Rising Star Casino Resort.
Full House Resorts, the owner and operator of Rising Star Casino Resort, has witnessed falling revenues at the casino since the adjacent states of Ohio and Kentucky eased their gambling regulations. The decline has given rise to speculation on relocating the casino to a more competitive area in Indiana.
However, Public Policy Committee Chairman Sen. Ron Alting shelved the planned move following the hearing of some 20 witnesses who indicated that they were opposed to gambling expansion's encroachment into smaller communities.
Quoted opponents cited concern for expanding gambling addiction as well as other social issues among the reasons why the intended move should be dropped.
Although the collapse of the Rising Star Casino relocation initiative keeps other legislative measures involving casino license relocation on the table, Senate Bill 43 is moving through the pipeline. This bill suggests identifying the best three spots in Indiana to relocate a potential license.
This bill would require state regulators to conduct a study and report the findings to the State Budget Committee by October 2025. The findings could influence subsequent consideration of relocating the casino business in the state.
Initial Support Falters
HB 1432, which would have legalized online gaming for lotteries and casinos, received a head start when it left a subject-matter committee in January 2025. However, the bill ultimately failed because it did not get a hearing before a finance-focused committee before the legislative deadline.
The bill's proponents argued that Hoosiers already play illegal internet gaming, and legalizing the industry would enable consumer protection and additional tax revenue. Regardless of this, House Speaker Todd Huston said it has been challenging to come to an agreement on the bill due to its complexity.
There was also resistance to the expansion of gambling, with critics warning that additional access to online gambling would likely lead to more addiction. Some critics argued that, even with provisions for enhancing responsible gambling programs and addiction counseling services, the net risk of the expansion of gambling outweighed its benefits. These concerns have led the legislature to refuse to pursue the bill.
While HB 1432 and the Rising Star Casino relocation proposal did not advance, sports betting in Indiana continues to be active.
On February 13, the Indiana Gaming Commission released its January 2025 sports betting report, which reported a handle of $538.7 million for the month. This data follows the ongoing expansion of legal gaming in the state, even as new proposals for further expansion have stalled in the legislature.
