The Indiana Gaming Commission has approved deals that allow ownership changes at four casinos. Caesars Entertainment's $1.7 billion purchase of Indianapolis-based Centaur Gaming -together with Anderson-based Hoosier Park and Shelbyville-based Indiana Grand horse racing casinos- was approved Thursday.
The commission also approved Penn National Gaming's $2.8 billion purchase of Pinnacle Entertainment which owns Belterra Casino Resort in Switzerland County and Ameristar Casino in East Chicago. As part of this deal, Boyd Gaming is buying Belterra.
The commission also fined Caesars $1 million Thursday for improperly threatening to call off an unrelated project if a $50 million license transfer fee to the state attached to the Centaur deal wasn't waived.