Fort Wayne's Homegrown Casino

By Brien McElhatten

June 18, 2010 Updated Feb 19, 2009 at 6:14 PM EST

FORT WAYNE, Ind. (Indiana's NewsCenter) - Surprising as it may be, the Summit City is already home to a gambling house.

The Parnell Poker Palace has been open since December 2008. The casino offers Poker, Blackjack, Roulette and Craps, while an outside vendor sells food and drinks.

The card parlour is operated by White's School of the Arts, a community center that offers programs to children. School officials say traditional revenue streams were running dry, which forced them to "get creative."

The operation is legal under a provision of Indiana state law. Community groups and charitable organizations can apply for annual charity gaming licenses. The license allows operators to run their casinos three nights per week. In addition, no employee can be paid, no electronic games or slots are permitted, and any alcohol or food must be supplied by an outside source.

While lawmakers say the operation is legal, they will soon consider legislation that could force the Poker Palace to shut its doors.

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