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HB 1038

establishing a committee to study raising awareness of the law providing immunity from liability in certain cases involving drug overdoses.

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jodi Newell

Authorizes an owner’s license for a casino in Allen County, with a $50M+ upfront fee and development agreement, expanding the inland casino framework.

Inexpedient to Legislate: MA VV 02/19/2026 HJ 5 P. 28
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Bill Summary · HB 1038

HB 1038 — Riverboat gaming license (summary)

Note: Many states use the bill number “HB 1038” for unrelated measures. This summary covers the version titled “Riverboat gaming license” (Indiana), as provided in the packet.

Main purpose

To authorize and establish an owner’s casino license for Allen County (Northeast Indiana), create a statutory framework for that license and related conversions/relocations, and require a substantial up‑front license fee to be deposited in the state general fund.

Key provisions and changes

  • Adds Allen County as a statutorily authorized location for an inland casino (adds “casino operated in Allen County under IC 4‑33‑6.8” to the definition of “riverboat”/casino).
  • Directs the Indiana Gaming Commission to accept applications and proposals for an owner’s license to operate a casino in Allen County if statutory conditions are met.
  • Sets a minimum owner’s license fee for the Allen County license of at least $50,000,000. The fee must be deposited into the state general fund.
  • Increases the cap on total owner’s licenses (statutory numeric/geographic limits) to accommodate the Allen County license (the commission’s cap is adjusted so that at most 11 owner’s licenses may be in effect; Allen County becomes an explicit allocation).
  • Requires the licensed owner in Allen County to enter into a development agreement with Allen County (statutorily defined).
  • Amends relocation/relocation‑to‑inland‑casino provisions to incorporate Allen County and to address conditions under which a docked riverboat owner may convert or relocate operations to an inland facility (building codes, adjacency, commission approval, limits on number of gaming games, etc.).
  • Effective date (as drafted): July 1, 2026.

Who is affected

  • Prospective casino developers/operators seeking an owner’s license for Allen County.
  • Current licensed riverboat owners, to the extent statutory caps and relocation rules change competitive/relocation dynamics.
  • Indiana Gaming Commission (rulemaking, application evaluation, licensing).
  • Allen County (required development agreement; local land use/economic impacts).
  • State finances: receipt of at least $50 million to the state general fund from the license fee.
  • Local communities and businesses near the proposed casino (economic development, employment, infrastructure impacts).

Procedural / timeline aspects

  • Draft effective date: July 1, 2026.
  • Introduced and assigned to committee for review (bill packet indicates first reading / referral to Public Policy Committee).
  • Implementation would require the Commission to publish application procedures and evaluate proposals under any statutorily required timelines; local development agreements and permit approvals would follow normal local/state processes.

Potential impacts to note

  • One‑time revenue: immediate large deposit to the general fund from the license fee (minimum $50M).
  • Local economic effects: job creation, increased local tax receipts, and potential infrastructure or social service demands near the casino site.
  • Market structure: adding an Allen County license changes competitive geography of Indiana casino market and may influence decisions by existing licensees about relocation or expansion.

If you want, I can:
- Extract the precise proposed statutory text changes for IC 4‑33 (section‑by‑section),
- Draft a one‑page memo on likely fiscal/economic effects,
- Or prepare a short stakeholder impact checklist (local government, community, regulators).

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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