Should Wayne County encourage a casino to locate here in order to generate millions of dollars for local schools and government services?
That was the question on the agenda during a Tuesday, Dec. 16, meeting facilitated by the Wayne County Area Chamber of Commerce.
The meeting, which took place at Reid Health in Richmond, was not advertised or open to the public but was attended by a wide range of elected officials and community leaders, according to people who went to the meeting and spoke with WWN afterward.
Those joining included Wayne County’s commissioners, several members of Wayne County Council, several members of Richmond Common Council, the superintendents of county school districts, and representatives from other organizations such as the Economic Development Corporation, the tourism bureau and Richmond city government.
The meeting was led by Chamber President Melissa Vance and State Rep. Brad Barrett, who laid out the implications of a recent study commissioned by the state’s gaming commission and performed by Spectrum Gaming Group of Pennsylvania, which specializes in research on economics and public policy around legalized gambling.
The 45-page document aims to help the state maximize gambling revenue by figuring out where to locate, or relocate, casino licenses in Indiana. Wayne County is named in the document as an area where “unmet potential is high” for gambling operations and revenue generation, and as a gaming location that could help capture some of the gambling dollars currently going to Kentucky and Ohio.
Barrett told WWN that he wanted to make sure meeting attendees understood the economic development opportunity, but emphasized that “this is a community decision, not a mandate.”
“Gaming revenue can be a viable option for local governments and schools,” Barrett said. “Gaming is not new to Indiana. It has been part of our state for about 30 years and there are many communities that have benefited economically from it. Any opportunity for economic development deserves thoughtful consideration.”
The state heavily regulates gaming licenses. While a new license could be issued for a casino here, the study focuses on a license that could be relocated from an existing casino, likely the Rising Star Casino Resort in Rising Sun, which is characterized as low-performing by the report. The study also reviews scenarios for locating a casino in the Fort Wayne area as well as downtown Indianapolis. Any of those scenarios would require legislative action at the state level.
Indiana taxes gambling revenues anywhere from 10-40% based on the gross receipts of the operation. Part of those proceeds are then distributed to the host county, the host city, local schools and other economic development funds.
Wayne County officials are initially estimating that the community could see up to $15 million per year in proceeds from taxes on the casino. It’s not clear how the funds would be distributed or which entities would oversee that process.
Chamber representatives declined to comment for this article.
Wayne County Commissioner Jeff Plasterer told WWN that the commissioners attended the meeting to become better informed and thanked the Chamber for bringing the prospect to their attention.
“Admittedly, the possibility of having a user-fee-based revenue stream for the county would be a huge windfall for the local economy and would be a driver of tourism while creating a meeting and entertainment venue at no cost to local taxpayers,” Plasterer said. “Common sense dictates the need to thoroughly explore this opportunity.”
Plasterer said the commissioners are beginning their due diligence, including communicating with counterparts elsewhere in Indiana who already have casinos in their communities.
Misty Hollis, a member of Wayne County Council, told WWN she found the meeting useful to learn about the issues involved, but still needs to learn more. “I have grave concerns about the impact on individuals, and I also understand that there’s an opportunity,” Hollis said. “I need time to digest the information and research it for myself.”
No specific location possibilities for a casino have been publicized. The Spectrum report identifies the intersection of U.S. 27 and Interstate 70 as desirable for being accessible to visitors from outside the area.
The Spectrum study does not address any potential for harm done by a casino locating in Wayne County. Other national studies have examined the ways a gambling operation can impact a local community, including adding to financial insecurity, employment disruption, substance abuse, homelessness, psychological disorders, suicide rates and others.
Some found that challenges increase when gambling is offered in a place already wrestling with poverty and disadvantaged neighborhoods.
Patrick Ripberger, a public health advocate with Mezzo Solutions in Richmond, told WWN that the National Council on Problem Gambling classifies gambling addiction as a public health crisis, “one that quietly devastates individuals, families and communities.”
Ripberger said the economic growth a casino offers could come with hidden burdens, and expressed concern that the increased access to gambling could stretch local resources and counseling services to the limit. “We can’t just welcome the revenue; we have to provide a safety net for the people living right next door,” Ripberger said.
Local governments and school systems have been scrambling to find new sources of revenue after the Republican-controlled Indiana General Assembly passed legislation capping revenue from property taxes and tightening up access to other dollars that have traditionally funded local services and infrastructure.
In 2025 alone, the county passed a wheel tax for vehicles registered here, and the City of Richmond passed a food and beverage tax for dollars spent at restaurants, in attempts to replace some of that lost income.
Whether a casino is a viable or appropriate way to make ends meet in Wayne County remains to be seen.
“Being identified in a study does not mean a decision has been made,” Barrett said. “This is about making sure the community has the information it needs to decide whether this opportunity aligns with its long-term goals.”
Do you have a perspective on whether a casino would be a good way to generate revenue for government services and schools? Send your comments, 300 words or less, to contact@westernwaynenews.com for publication consideration.
A version of this article appeared in the December 24 2025 print edition of the Western Wayne News.