Allen, DeKalb And Steuben Counties All Vote No To Indiana Inland Casino
Voters in all three northeast Indiana counties eligible for a new casino said no on November 3, 2026. According to WANE 15, Public Question 3 failed in Allen, DeKalb and Steuben counties.
In Steuben County, 58% voted no. In DeKalb, nearly two-thirds of voters rejected the question, the largest margin of the three. Allen County, the biggest of the trio, saw more than 59% of voters against the casino. The results are unofficial until counties certify them.
Each ballot asked whether inland casino gambling should be permitted in that county. A yes vote in any one of them would have opened the door to a single new license.
How The Referendum Worked
The question came from House Enrolled Act 1038, passed in 2026. As summarized by The Gist, the law lets the Indiana Gaming Commission award one new casino license in Allen, DeKalb or Steuben County, but only in a county whose voters approve the question.
An applicant would have had to commit to invest at least $500 million, win the support of the county commissioners and pay a $150 million license fee.
The commission also kept the right to deny every application. A no vote bars the commission from licensing an inland casino in that county, and state law does not allow the question to go back to county voters.
The vote followed a wider push on the state's gambling map. Indiana has been tightening some corners of its market, including a sweepstakes casino ban that took effect on July 1.
The Application Timetable Now Moot
The Indiana Gaming Commission published guidance for applicants outlining the process. Applications and proposals were due by December 1, 2026, with a $50,000 application fee.
The commission was to make the applications public by January 15, 2027 and issue a final decision on each by April 15, 2027.
All of that depended on at least one county approving the referendum. Gaming Commission officials told WANE that if no county passes the question, nothing happens, and that any next steps would be up to the legislature.
For operators that had been weighing a bid, the practical effect is that the timetable falls away. Applicants would have needed to submit a proposal with a $500 million minimum investment and a $150 million license fee, and none will now be able to do so under the 2026 law.
What Supporters And Critics Argued
Local coverage before the vote framed the choice as money against morality. The Journal Gazette reported that many elected officials backed a casino because of the tax revenue, which they said could offset budget cuts forced by property tax caps under Senate Enrolled Act 1.
Allen County supporters pointed to projections from independent consultants of 2,000 new permanent jobs and $100 million in new revenue for the area.
Voters were not persuaded. With every county declining, northeast Indiana stays without a casino, and any renewed effort would have to start in Indianapolis.
Lawmakers have previously looked at other proposals, including a bill for a first downtown Indianapolis casino.
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