Casino proposals were rejected by voters in Allen, DeKalb and Steuben counties, defeating ballot measures that would have permitted inland casino gambling in those northeast Indiana communities. In Allen County, final unofficial results showed 61,310 votes against the referendum and 41,625 in favor, with opposition accounting for 59.6% of the vote.
The measure also failed in DeKalb County, where 64.6% voted against it, and in Steuben County, where 58.7% opposed it. Voters in each county considered Public Question No. 3, which asked whether inland casino gambling should be allowed within their respective county.
The referendums followed the passage of House Bill 1038 in February. That legislation allowed a casino to be established in one of the three counties but required a public vote. Allen County’s rejection prevents the Indiana Gaming Commission from granting a license to prospective casino developers there. The law also bars another public question on the issue in counties where voters reject it.
The results came after months of campaigning by supporters and opponents across the three counties. Advocates promoted the prospect of employment and additional revenue, while opponents raised concerns about gambling addiction and crime. Fort Wayne Mayor Sharon Tucker and all three Allen County commissioners had expressed support for an Allen County casino in a letter to state lawmakers last December.
Vote Yes for Allen, a political action committee supporting the proposal, argued that a casino could produce thousands of jobs and millions in revenue without a tax increase. Its website pointed to research by commercial real estate company CBRE Group, Inc., estimating more than 2,000 permanent jobs and approximately 5,500 construction jobs associated with an Allen County casino.
The study’s geographic and employment breakdowns became a point of contention. It projected about 950 workers directly employed by the casino in Allen County and just over 1,000 direct positions outside the county. It also placed fewer than half of the projected construction jobs in Allen County, with the local figure just below 2,500.
Save Northeast Indiana, a coalition of residents, business owners and faith leaders, challenged how supporters presented the employment estimates. The group argued that the figures included jobs supported elsewhere and did not account for potential losses when spending and workers move away from existing local businesses. Its website also disputed campaign claims in Allen and Steuben counties and raised public safety concerns.
Another opposition group, Coalition for a Better Indiana, organized informational meetings about the referendum. Opposition messaging also emphasized the responsibility to consider people vulnerable to gambling addiction, alongside questions about relying on casino development to support the region’s economy.
