Rising Star Casino has been seeking relocation for months, but a new Senate Bill may see that become a reality.
The bill, SB 43, calls for the Indiana Gaming Commission to contract an independent gaming industry research firm. The firm would conduct a study to identify the top two regions in the state for a potential relocation of the casino’s gaming operations. The commission would be required to present the results to the state budget committee by November 1, 2025.
An amendment of the bill narrowed the scope of the study to the current two locations from the original three. At the same time, it adjusted the language such that the study could end up recommending the creation of a new license, rather than relocating an existing one.
Located in Ohio County in the southeast corner of the state, Rising Star Casino is one of the smallest casinos in Indiana and has seen declining revenue in recent years.
Previous relocation plans didn’t get Senate action
Of the 13 casinos in the state, Rising Star is the bottom of the barrel in revenue. Indiana lawmakers have been considering for years whether to legalize online casinos. However, that prospect was recently taken off the table for 2025 by Rep. Todd Huston, the Speaker of the Indiana House of Representatives. In the meantime, state residents have options to play casino games for free through sweepstakes and social casinos.
Last fall, Rising Star confirmed it was seeking a move, originally targeting New Haven in the Fort Wayne area. A move requires legislative action and Indiana lawmakers didn’t take such action on the proposed move to Fort Wayne. Now, SB 43 will seek to find an ideal location for the casino while taking into consideration the following factors:
- Projected annual gaming revenue and corresponding tax revenue
- Impact on other casinos in the state and corresponding tax revenue
- Patronage and gaming revenue from out-of-state visitors
- Impact of a casino on the region’s tourism industry
- Impact on the horse racing industry
- Impact assessment of a potential tribal casino in the region
Slumping revenue in a small town
Previously named the Grand Victoria Casino and Resort, the casino received a gaming license in 1995 and opened a little more than a year later, in October 1996. With a population of 2,248, the town of Rising Star has a much smaller population than larger cities like Fort Wayne’s 263,886, which is 148 miles north and nearly 200 miles by car. However, the casino attracts customers from Cincinnati, about a 40-mile drive away.
In 2024, the Full House Resorts-owned facility has averaged $3.4 million in taxable adjusted gross revenue per month, less than 2023’s average of $3.5 million. Through just two months of 2025, the casino is averaging only $2.8 million. As seen in the table below, AGR has dropped in four consecutive months for Rising Star.
Rising Star Casino Monthly Revenue in 2024-25
| Month | Taxable AGR |
|---|---|
| January 2024 | $2,839,432 |
| February 2024 | $2,953,102 |
| March 2024 | $3,255,924 |
| April 2024 | $3,167,952 |
| May 2024 | $3,658,855 |
| June 2024 | $3,486,423 |
| July 2024 | $3,315,074 |
| August 2024 | $3,789,594 |
| September 2024 | $2,903,414 |
| October 2024 | $3,442,118 |
| November 2024 | $3,897,234 |
| December 2024 | $3,611,862 |
| January 2025 | $3,239,842 |
| February 2025 | $2,262,602 |
Sportsbook woes for Rising Star
The Rising Star retail sportsbook is “temporarily closed,” according to the casino’s website. However, the supposedly temporary closure has now dragged on for many months.
Furthermore, Rising Star has had a rocky time with online sportsbook partnerships that have included WynnBet, TwinSpires (formerly BetAmerica), and SBK. WynnBet left the Indiana market in the fall of 2023. TwinSpires’ parent company, Churchill Downs, shut down the operator in 2022.
Other casinos in the region include Hollywood Casino and Hotel in Lawrenceburg and Belterra Casino Resort and Spa in Florence. Based in Nevada, Full House has seven casino properties across seven states, including American Place in Waukegan, Illinois.
