Northeast Indiana Voters Reject Casino Referendums: A Community Victory

Northeast Indiana Voters Soundly Reject Inland Casino Gambling

Voters across northeast Indiana delivered a resounding rejection of inland casino gambling on Tuesday, shutting down high-profile development plans in all three proposed counties by double-digit margins.

Public Question No. 3 appeared on ballots across Allen, DeKalb, and Steuben counties, asking voters whether inland casino gambling should be permitted in their respective communities. When the final tallies rolled in, voters in every targeted county soundly defeated the measure.

DeKalb County saw the sharpest pushback, with 65% voting “no.” In Allen and Steuben counties, more than 58% of voters denied the referendum.

For grassroots groups and faith-based organizers who spent months mobilizing against the proposals through yard signs and community forums, Tuesday’s outcome marked a definitive victory.

“Northeast Indiana is family-friendly. We love our small businesses. We love the family-owned businesses we have here, and we love the community that we have,” Kristen Bissontz said, vice president of the Coalition for a Better Indiana. “And I think the vast majority of people really just wanted to protect that. And that’s why they voted no.”

Proponents Reflect on Defeat as State Law Permanently Bars Future Referendums

Throughout the campaign, proponents argued that a destination resort would inject thousands of jobs into the regional economy, attract outside tourism, and bolster local tax revenue without increasing property taxes.

While pro-casino campaign leaders declined an on-camera interview Wednesday, they provided a statement to 21Alive News reacting to the results:

“While the outcome is not what we had hoped for, we are incredibly proud of the effort, commitment, and community support behind this campaign. We believe in Fort Wayne and Allen County, and our community’s future remains worth fighting for. Thank you to everyone who proudly stood with us.” Tom Borne, Advance Fort Wayne Allen County PAC.

Under Indiana House Bill 1038—the 2026 legislation that authorized the regional referendum—the voter rejection carries permanent legal weight.

State law explicitly prohibits the Indiana Gaming Commission from issuing a casino license in any county that voted against the measure. Crucially, the statute also bars the referendum question from ever appearing on the ballot again in those counties.

Because of those legal guardrails, opposition leaders say they view the casino battle in northeast Indiana as officially settled.

“The voters have spoken. They’ve been very, very clear,” Bissontz said. “And the Indiana General Assembly needs to understand that northeast Indiana is not for sale. And we do not want a casino here.”