Indiana state Sen. Jon Ford, who is completing his tenure as president of the National Council of Legislators for Gaming States, is simultaneously leaving the statehouse to take a position with the Wabash River Regional Developmental Authority.

Ford, who announced his decision last month and will conclude his tenure Friday, is essentially swapping positions with Greg Goode, who will replace Ford as state senator of Indiana’s 38th district. In succeeding Ford as state senator, Goode could no longer hold a position with the Wabash River RDA. The organization voted Wednesday for Ford to assume Goode’s role as board chairman, effective Monday.

“Senator Ford’s leadership is second to none in Indianapolis,” Vigo County Commissioner Chris Switzer told WTHI-TV on Tuesday. “We value the relationships he has built regionally and throughout the state and we look forward to him serving us as our RDA appointment, getting things accomplished, and hopefully getting $50 to $75 million in the next round of READI grants.”

Ford’s 38th District included Vigo County, where Terre Haute is located. Churchill Downs Inc. is currently building a $290 million casino, the Terre Haute Casino Resort, in the city that is scheduled to open next spring.

It was a protracted process to bring a casino to Vigo County, which originally had originally planned to open a “rocksino” run by Lady Luck in tandem with Hard Rock. The Indiana Gaming Commission opted not to renew Lady Luck’s license in the summer of 2021, reopening the process that eventually saw Churchill Downs beat out Full House Resorts in November of that year.

Distinguished tenure as NCLGS President

NCLGS president Jon Ford is retiring from the Indiana legislature to take a job in the private sector, initiating a leadership transition at @NCLGS, the organization announced Wed. Ford will be replaced by WV State Delegate Shawn Fluharty, effective Oct. 15. #gamblingtwitter pic.twitter.com/IviMaYyOQf

— Matt Rybaltowski (@MattRybaltowski) October 4, 2023

Ford, who also served as chairman of the NCLGS Responsible Gaming Committee, helped pass a resolution this summer to establish responsible gambling standards at a national level. Among the key tenets were to create accredited national gambling helplines; establish advertising guidelines designed to target gamblers of legal age; and to streamline exclusion programs to be either temporary or permanent, as well as expand exclusion lists to multiple states.

“This resolution provides direction and encourages states to work together to create common-sense legislation that will help Americans dealing with gambling problems get the help they need,” Ford said at the time of the resolution’s passage in July. “I believe this resolution is a first step in making sure residents of gaming states are playing responsibly and these states are working together to ensure sensible gambling.”

West Virginia state Rep. Shawn Fluharty was named president-elect of NCLGS last week and offered plenty of praise for his departing colleague.

“Legislators, gaming regulators, and gaming operators from around the country owe Senator Ford a debt of gratitude for his leadership to the industry,” Fluharty said in a post on LinkedIn. “Jon never discussed party affiliation or played politics. His modus operandi was about how regulated gaming can bring economic opportunities and jobs to not only his district, but the entire country. Jon will be a friend for life. He helped bring the organization to another level and I look forward to continuing that progress as President of NCLGS.”

Efforts to bring iGaming to Indiana thwarted

Ford had authored online casino bills in both 2021 and 2022 that failed to make it out of committee in the Indiana statehouse, and he supported another such effort earlier this year. He explained that the fiscal note accompanying state Rep. Ethan Manning’s bill, which failed to allay retail cannibalization concerns, was likely a determining factor in iGaming legislation languishing for a third consecutive year.

Many thought the Hoosier State was best positioned to add internet casino gaming to an already robust suite of brick-and-mortar venues and sports wagering. It was also seen as a way to continue competing for gaming dollars with Michigan, which launched iGaming in 2021 and has generated close to $4 billion in gross operator revenue.

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