Published on: December 31, 2025, 12:50h.
Updated on: December 30, 2025, 03:53h.
- A coalition against a casino in Fort Wayne has formed
- Indiana lawmakers are evaluating the possibility of a casino in the state’s second-largest city
A grassroots movement comprising community members, business leaders, and religious organizations is intensifying its efforts against the proposal to establish a casino in Fort Wayne, as considered by the Indiana legislature.
The initiative, titled “Save Fort Wayne,” has launched a website contending that the introduction of a casino would have detrimental effects on the city.
The campaign argues that contrary to the assurances by casino proponents of thousands of lucrative jobs, the reality would be “temporary and low-wage” employment opportunities. Instead of establishing Fort Wayne as a tourism hotspot, Save Fort Wayne warns of a “local wealth extraction” scenario.
Moreover, instead of generating millions in local tax revenue that casino advocates claim would enhance infrastructure, Save Fort Wayne cautions that a casino would impose an “infrastructure burden.”
“The proposed casino expansion poses a net loss for our city, introducing risks of addiction and rising crime rates. Save Fort Wayne has united diverse community members across political and demographic lines,” states the campaign’s website.
The website features an interactive slot machine with outcomes that always highlight potential negative impacts. Potential results include “addiction,” “bankruptcy,” “divorce,” “mental health challenges,” “tragic accidents,” “neglect of children,” “human trafficking,” and “poverty.”
Anonymous Advocacy
Save Fort Wayne is identified as a “volunteer endeavor by engaged citizens of Allen County.” Casino.org was unable to find any political action committee registered under this name on the Indiana Secretary of State’s website.
21Alive News attempted to interview Save Fort Wayne, but the group declined, expressing a desire to maintain anonymity.
“Due to the political implications of this initiative and our responsibilities to our current employers, we’ve opted for anonymity to safeguard our careers,” the group replied.
Full House Resorts is advocating for the approval to relocate its Rising Sun Casino to a more lucrative market. The competitiveness of Southeast Indiana has declined since the establishment of a casino in Cincinnati and the implementation of slot-like historical horse racing (HHR) machines in Kentucky.
Senate Bill 70, introduced on December 8, 2025, by Sen. Justin Busch (R-Whitley, Allen), would permit Full House Resorts to move to Fort Wayne or any location within Allen County. This bill requires Full House to pay the state $50 million should it sell or transfer ownership of its license within a decade.
House Bill 1038, introduced on December 1, marks the first day of the Indiana General Assembly’s 2026 session which will run through February. This legislation would permit a casino in Allen County with an upfront licensing fee of $50 million. Full House would need to compete against other interested companies for this gaming opportunity.
Support for the potential casino in Fort Wayne comes from Mayor Sharon Tucker (D) of Fort Wayne.
Consultative Insights
Earlier this year, Indiana legislators paused the progression of Fort Wayne casino proposals to commission a study evaluating the state’s most lucrative untapped gaming markets. The Indiana Gaming Commission engaged Spectrum Gaming from Pennsylvania for this analysis.
The study established that, after Indianapolis, Fort Wayne presents the highest potential revenue for a casino. The consultancy indicated that a casino in Allen County could yield over $200 million in annual gaming revenue.
Estimates suggest that a Fort Wayne casino would enhance the state’s annual tax revenue by around $38.3 million after accounting for an expected $4.3 million decrease from two racinos in Anderson and Shelbyville.