# Indiana HB 1038: Gaming matters. Indiana HB 1038, Gaming matters., is a Second Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2026) House bill sponsored by Craig Snow (Republican); status signed, last action 2026-03-04 (Signed by the Governor) (as of 2026-11-01). - Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1038-2026 - As of: 2026-11-01 - Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts. ## Facts - Bill: Indiana HB 1038 - State: Indiana - Session: Second Regular Session 124th General Assembly (2026) - Title: Gaming matters. - Status: signed - Chamber: House - Introduced: 2025-12-01 - Last action: 2026-03-04, Signed by the Governor - Sponsor: Craig Snow (Republican) - Cosponsors: 7 - Subjects: public policy, the senate, appropriations - Touches household money: no - Roll calls: 6 (236 yes, 231 no in all) - Economic provisions PRIA read: 9 ## Summary Provides that the horse racing commission may issue three satellite facility licenses (instead of four per permit holder under current law). Requires Allen County, DeKalb County, and Steuben County to place a public question on the 2026 general election ballot that seeks approval from the voters to permit inland casino gambling. Authorizes the Indiana gaming commission (commission) to award a new riverboat license for an inland casino in Allen County, DeKalb County, or Steuben County. Prohibits the commission from awarding an owner's license to operate a casino in Allen County, DeKalb County, or Steuben County if the voters of the county do not approve casino gaming in the county. Specifies application requirements, including local government support and the applicant's commitment and plan to invest at least $500,000,000 for the development of a casino and nongaming amenities. Requires an approved applicant to pay $150,000,000 to the commission to be deposited by the commission as follows: (1) $100,000,000 to the state general fund; and (2) $50,000,000 to the shuttered riverboat fund to be used for local units that are affected by a shuttered riverboat or inland casino closure. Provides that if a licensed owner ceases operations or goes out of business, the license issued under this section is terminated effective on that date. ## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read - Casino ballot gift ban expands: benefit, low. The law extends an existing gift ban to the added casino ballot question. Casino licensees and people with an interest in them cannot give property to sway a precinct committee member's actions. A knowing or intentional violation is a Level 6 felony. - Large fees for new casino owners: cost, medium. The approved Northeast Indiana inland casino applicant must pay a $150 million fee in five yearly $30 million installments. The first payment is due within 30 days after approval; later payments fall on that payment date's anniversaries. The state general fund gets $100 million, and the shuttered r… - New casino requires $500 million investment: cost, medium. An inland casino applicant in Allen, DeKalb, or Steuben County must commit at least $500 million to development. This includes the casino and on-site non-gaming amenities. At least 60% must be invested within two years after the license award. The rest of the investment and development must be fini… - New inland casinos pay wagering tax: cost, low. The new inland casino in Allen, DeKalb, or Steuben County owes a 3.5% supplemental wagering tax. The tax applies to each day's adjusted gross receipts. The casino owner pays it; households do not owe this tax directly. - Casino closures end licenses, trigger aid: mixed, low. A riverboat owner's license ends when the owner stops gaming operations or goes out of business. The law also creates a Gaming Commission fund for local governments affected by riverboat or inland casino closures. The fund receives $50 million from the new inland casino license fee. The General Ass… - Horse racing satellite licenses face limits: mixed, low. The Indiana Horse Racing Commission can issue up to three satellite facility licenses, down from four. Only permit holders can receive them. The law removes a special limit tied to certain gambling-game permit holders and licenses issued before January 1, 2007. - Local governments gain casino negotiation powers: mixed, low. Local governments can privately negotiate with inland casino applicants before applications are filed. They can support or decline to support a specific applicant. They cannot negotiate directly with an applicant submitting a supplemental bid. - One new casino needs local approval: mixed, low. Indiana raises its casino owner license limit from 10 to 11, allowing one inland casino in Allen, DeKalb, or Steuben County. Each county must hold a casino vote at the 2026 general election. A county voting no cannot host the new casino without later voter approval. Operators of U.S. brick-and-mort… - Local casino revenue shares and limits: mixed, low. Each quarter, covered inland casino taxes in Allen, DeKalb, or Steuben County go 10% to the Northeast Indiana regional development authority. The host city and county each get 45%, usable for legal purposes, including debt payments or lowering one year's property tax levy. These receipts cannot low… ## Sponsors and cosponsors - Sponsor: Craig Snow (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Brad Barrett (Republican), House - Cosponsor: Chris Garten (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Justin Busch (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Lonnie Randolph (Democratic), Senate - Cosponsor: Philip GiaQuinta (Democratic), House - Cosponsor: Ryan Mishler (Republican), Senate - Cosponsor: Tony Isa (Republican), House ## Roll call votes | Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other | | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | | 2026-02-27 | Senate | Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the Senate | pass | 34 | 16 | | | 2026-02-27 | House | Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the House | pass | 56 | 37 | | | 2026-02-24 | Senate | Third reading: passed | pass | 26 | 22 | | | 2026-02-02 | House | Third reading: passed | pass | 67 | 30 | | | 2026-01-29 | House | Amendment #4 (Porter) failed | fail | 25 | 63 | | | 2026-01-29 | House | Amendment #3 (Porter) failed | fail | 28 | 63 | | ## Actions (38) - 2026-03-04: Signed by the Governor (House) - 2026-03-04: Public Law 77 (House) - 2026-02-27: Signed by the President Pro Tempore (Senate) - 2026-02-27: Signed by the President of the Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-27: Signed by the Speaker (House) - 2026-02-27: CCR # 1 filed in the Senate (Senate) - 2026-02-27: Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the House; Roll Call 405: yeas 56, nays 37 (House) - 2026-02-27: Rules Suspended. Conference Committee Report 1: adopted by the Senate; Roll Call 312: yeas 34, nays 16 (Senate) - 2026-02-26: House conferees appointed: Snow, GiaQuinta (House) - 2026-02-26: CCR # 1 filed in the House (House) - 2026-02-26: House advisors appointed: Manning, Lehman, Isa, Miller K, Moed (House) - 2026-02-25: House dissented from Senate amendments (House) - 2026-02-25: Senate conferees appointed: Busch, Niezgodski (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Senate advisors appointed: Mishler, Jackson L (Senate) - 2026-02-25: Motion to dissent filed (House) - 2026-02-24: Returned to the House with amendments (Senate) - 2026-02-24: Third reading: passed; Roll Call 229: yeas 26, nays 22 (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed (Senate) - 2026-02-23: Amendment #4 (Mishler) prevailed; voice vote (Senate) - 2026-02-19: Senator Randolph added as cosponsor (Senate) - 2026-02-19: Committee report: amend do pass, adopted (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Committee report: do pass adopted; reassigned to Committee on Appropriations (Senate) - 2026-02-12: Senator Maxwell removed as cosponsor (Senate) - 2026-02-05: First reading: referred to Committee on Public Policy (Senate) - 2026-02-03: Referred to the Senate (House) - 2026-02-02: Third reading: passed; Roll Call 199: yeas 67, nays 30 (House) - 2026-02-02: Senate sponsors: Senators Busch, Mishler, Garten (House) - 2026-02-02: Cosponsor: Senator Maxwell (House) - 2026-01-29: Second reading: amended, ordered engrossed (House) - 2026-01-29: Amendment #3 (Porter) failed; Roll Call 154: yeas 28, nays 63 (House) - 2026-01-29: Amendment #4 (Porter) failed; Roll Call 153: yeas 25, nays 63 (House) - 2026-01-29: Amendment #2 (Smaltz) prevailed; voice vote (House) - 2026-01-28: Representatives Barrett, Isa, GiaQuinta added as coauthors (House) - 2026-01-27: Committee report: amend do pass, adopted (House) - 2026-01-22: Recommitted to Committee on Ways and Means pursuant to House Rule 126.3 (House) - 2026-01-22: Committee report: amend do pass, adopted (House) - 2025-12-01: Authored by Representative Snow (House) - 2025-12-01: First reading: referred to Committee on Public Policy (House) ## Bill text - Engrossed House Bill (H): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.07.ENGS?format=pdf) - Engrossed House Bill (S): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.04.ENGH?format=pdf) - Enrolled House Bill (H): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.08.ENRS?format=pdf), [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.09.ENRS?format=pdf) - House Bill (H): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.02.COMH?format=pdf), [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.03.COMH?format=pdf) - House Bill (S): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.05.COMS?format=pdf), [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.06.COMS?format=pdf) - Introduced House Bill (H): [PDF](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.01.INTR?format=pdf) ## Related bills - HB 1277: Health and human services matters. (signed) - HB 1266: Department of education and education matters. (signed) - HB 1210: Department of local government finance. (signed) - HB 1249: Various criminal law matters. (signed) - HB 1200: Bureau of motor vehicles. (signed) - HB 1115: Homeowners association governance. (signed) ## Sources - [Engrossed House Bill (H) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.07.ENGS?format=pdf) - [Engrossed House Bill (S) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.04.ENGH?format=pdf) - [Enrolled House Bill (H) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.08.ENRS?format=pdf) - [Enrolled House Bill (H) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.09.ENRS?format=pdf) - [House Bill (H) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.02.COMH?format=pdf) - [House Bill (H) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.03.COMH?format=pdf) - [House Bill (S) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.05.COMS?format=pdf) - [House Bill (S) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.06.COMS?format=pdf) - [Introduced House Bill (H) (PDF)](https://api.iga.in.gov/2026/bills/HB1038/versions/HB1038.01.INTR?format=pdf) ## Related - [HB 1277: Health and human services matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1277-2026) - [HB 1266: Department of education and education matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1266-2026) - [HB 1210: Department of local government finance.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1210-2026) - [HB 1249: Various criminal law matters.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1249-2026) - [HB 1200: Bureau of motor vehicles.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1200-2026) - [HB 1115: Homeowners association governance.](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1115-2026) - [Indiana bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/indiana/bills) - [Indiana state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/indiana) - [All state legislation](https://policyrisk.com/state-bills) Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/IN-HB1038-2026 (as of 2026-11-01).