Three gambling ballot measures were passed by Nebraska voters in Nov. 2020 allowing casino gambling at horse racing tracks. The Winnebago Tribe is building casino facilities at Horsemen's Park in Omaha, Lincoln Racecourse in Lincoln, and Atokad in South Sioux City. Also, a new casino named Grand Island Casino Resort is under construction at Fonner Park in Grand Island, and a new Harrah's racetrack and casino is coming to Columbus. See New Casinos.
The new gaming laws also add new types of casino games to all Nebraska casinos.
Indian Gaming Casinos
Nebraska tribes operate five casinos. Four of these casinos are in Nebraska and one is on the state border inside Iowa near Omaha. The Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska owns two casinos, the Iron Horse Bar & Casino in Emerson and the Native Star Casino in Winnebago. The Omaha Tribe owns the Lucky 77 Casino in Walthill, the Santee Sioux Tribe owns the Ohiya Casino & Resort in Niobrara, and the Nebraska tribe owns the Prairie Flower Casino in Carter Lake, Iowa. For more information, see Nebraska Indian Casinos
Nebraska Gaming Commission Approves Sports Betting Regulations without Mobile
October 27, 2022
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission (NRGC) has been slow to develop plans and regulations for sports betting after it was approved by voters two years ago in the November 2020 election. The process moved forward last week when the NRGC announced approval of regulations for retail sportsbooks and bettors. Mobile sports betting is not included.
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Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission approves rules for sports gambling Courtesy of KETV NewsWatch 7, Oct 21, 2022. Available from YouTube
No official launch date for retail sports betting has been announced. The NRGC has now forwarded the regulations the Attorney General's Office for review and comments.
The NRGC regulations were written after a long period of public comments, advice from the attorney general, and industry inputs from BMM Test Labs, Caesars, FanDuel, Global Gaming Nebraska.
Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission releases final casino regulatory draft
November 17, 2021
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission released a final draft Friday of rules and regulations for casino gambling at horse racing tracks. The 67-page document covers every topic from casino licensing to the gambling operations.
Casino licenses will be issued for 20 years and cost $1 million.
An annual assessment will be paid by each casino depending on its size. The funds will pay the activities of the commission,
Key casino personnel must be licensed. Licensing fees range from $10,000-$15,000 each.
Casino vendors must be licensed. Each vendor will pay $5,000 for a 3-year license plus a $2,000 annual fee.
All casinos must be smoke-free.
No firearms will be allowed on casino property except those carried by law enforcement and licensed security guards.
The commission has scheduled a public hearing on Dec. 17 to discuss the draft document and to vote on whether to forward it to the governor and attorney general for final review.
All six licensed horse tracks plan to add casinos. These are Lincoln, Omaha, South Sioux City, Columbus, Grand Island and Hastings.
Six new horse tracks have been proposed and will want casino licenses. These are Bellevue, Gering, Kimball, Norfolk, North Platte and York.
Nebraska's casino and sports betting bill signed into law
June 2, 2021
Gov. Pete Ricketts signed the casino gabling and sports betting bill into law last Wednesday. The bill provides the framework for regulations and enforcement of the new gambling activities as authorized by Nebraska voters in last November's election.
The Nebraska Gaming Commission will now proceed with writing new procedures and regulations for the new racino and sportsbook operations. Indian gaming casinos, racinos, and horse racetracks can apply for a sportsbook license. There will be no betting on state college teams and no online betting.
New casinos will open at horse tracks in in Omaha, Lincoln and South Sioux City. The casino operations will be managed by WarHorse Gaming, a subsidiary of the Winnebago Tribe.
Winnebago Tribe forms subsidiary to develop racetrack casinos
December 23, 2020
Winnebago Tribe forms new casino subsidiary
Ho-Chunk Inc, the economic development subsidiary of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, has incorporated a new enterprise named WarHorse Gaming LLC. The new company will partner with the Nebraska Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association (HBPA) in developing three new casinos at the racetracks in Omaha, Lincoln and South Sioux City. The casino operations will be managed by WarHorse Gaming
Nebraska voters approved a constitutional amendment to repeal the state ban on casino gambling in last month's election. WarHorse Gaming and the HBPA are hoping to open some limited amount of casino gaming later in 2021 with full-casino operations opening in 2022.
The new casinos will be added to Horsemen's Park in Omaha, Lincoln Racecourse in Lincoln, and Atokad in South Sioux City.
Nebraska voters approved three ballot measures this week to allow casino gambling at the horse racing tracks in Nebraska. The votes averaged two to one in favor of the "Keep the Money in Nebraska" campaign.
A major supporter and donor to "Keep the Money in Nebraska" was Ho-Chunk Inc., an economic development company owned by the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. Ho-Chunk plans to build new casinos at existing racetracks in South Sioux, Omaha and Lincoln. Ho-Chunk has formed a new company, WarHorse Gaming LCC, to manage these three casinos.
Construction could begin as early as Spring 2021. It is expected to take six months to open casino gambling at Lincoln and Omaha where existing buildings already exist. There is no building at Atokad racetrack near South Sioux. That location will take nine months to open the casino.
Nebraska Supreme Court allows casino measures on Nov 3 ballot
September 15, 2020
The State Supreme Court overruled Secretary of State Bob Evnen's decision to block three pro-gambling initiatives from the Nov ballot. In a 4-3 decision the Court ruling will place the issues on the Nov. ballot for voters to decide whether or not to authorize casino gambling at Nebraska horse tracks.
If voter approve the casino measure, the state constitution will be amended. This will indirectly allow Native American tribes to also become eligible for Class III casino gambling under the U.S. Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.
The "Keep the Money in Nebraska" campaign is sponsored by the Nebraska Horsemen's Benevolent & Protective Association, Omaha Exposition and Racing and the Winnebago Tribe's Ho-Chunk Inc.
Secretary of State Bob Evnen has blocked the "Keep the Money in Nebraska (KMN)" casino measure from the November ballot after reviewing the wordage in the voter petition submitted in July with 475,000 signatures.
The measure would have authorized Nebraska racetracks to add Class III casino gambling. Class III gambling is defined by the U.S. Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) as "house-banked" games, such as slot machines and table games.
If passed this November, the Nebraska Indian casinos would indirectly qualify for Class III gaming too under the federal IGRA law. Secretary Evnen cited this issue
as the reason for stopping the ballot measure since it is not explicitly mentioned in the measure.
There are currently five tribal casinos. Each operates under Class I and II gaming rules.
Ho-Chunk Inc., the development company of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, plans to sue the State of Nebraska for pulling the measure. Ho-Chunk is supported by the Nebraska Horsemen's Benevolent and Protective Association which represents the state's six racetracks. The tracks are located in Grand Island, Lincoln, Omaha, Columbus, Hastings, and South Sioux City.
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