A bill authored by State Sen. Mark Messmer (R-Jasper) that would permit the relocation of two Lake County casino permits in Gary recently passed the Senate by a vote of 38 to 11.
SB 552 would allow one Gary casino permit to be moved to a different location in Gary on land and the other permit to be moved to Terre Haute once several approvals are made. This license would be granted through an open bidding process, giving all Indiana casino operators the opportunity to compete for the Terre Haute location.
“I’ve had many discussions with local government leaders, casino executives and others from casino communities around the state,” Messmersaid. “When crafting this bill, my colleagues and I carefully weighed the pros and cons of moving the Gary casino license as well as the impact SB 552 could have on Hoosier communities that rely on gaming money.”
Areas home to a casino or racino rely on revenue sharing and taxes collected from gaming. SB 552 takes these communities into consideration and would help ensure local governments receive adequate gaming revenue for three years after the Gary and Terre Haute relocations occur.
In applying for the casino in Vigo County, the developer would have to commit to investing at least $150 million in the facility, including at least 50 percent on non-gaming services.
In addition, SB 552 would also allow Indiana casinos, racinos and off-track betting facilities to offer sports wagering on any professional or college sporting event approved by the Indiana Gaming Commission (IGC). These outlets would be required to apply for a license through the IGC.
“Sports wagering is an activity already happening in our state through mobile devices,” Messmer said. “Allowing sports betting will crack down on the sports wagering black market and channel the activity to legal, regulated sportsbooks that support Indiana’s business environment.”
SB 552 will now move to the House of Representatives for further consideration.