Nebraska Launches Casino Gambling at Licensed Racetracks Following 2020 Ballot Measure
Nebraska began opening casino gambling at licensed horse racing tracks in 2022, following the state's voters approving Amendment 1 (Referendum 429) in November 2020. The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission issued the first gaming licences and facilities opened across the state.
Key Takeaways
- Nebraska voters approved Amendment 1 in November 2020, legalising casino gambling at licensed horse racing tracks
- The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission was established to oversee casino licensing and regulation
- WarHorse Gaming, operated by Ho-Chunk Inc. (the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska's business arm), opened casino facilities at multiple Nebraska racetracks
- Lincoln Race Course became the site of WarHorse Lincoln — one of the first casino facilities to open in Nebraska
- Nebraska's casino model requires gambling to be conducted at licensed horse racing venues, preserving the link between racing and gaming
- The state's first casinos provide a new source of regulated gambling tax revenue for Nebraska
Why It Matters — Players
Why It Matters — Operators
Nebraska began its transition into regulated commercial casino gambling in 2022, following the passage of Amendment 1 (officially Referendum 429) by Nebraska voters in November 2020. The amendment authorised casino gambling specifically at licensed horse racing tracks — a model that tied the expansion of gambling to existing racing infrastructure, preserving a link between the racing industry and the new gaming facilities.
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission, established to administer the licensing and regulation of casino gambling under the new framework, began processing applications and issuing licences ahead of the first casino openings in 2022. The Commission's regulatory structure required applicants to hold or be affiliated with a licensed horse racing track in Nebraska in order to qualify for a casino gaming licence.
WarHorse Gaming
The most prominent entity to emerge from Nebraska's casino expansion was WarHorse Gaming, operated by Ho-Chunk Inc. — the business development arm of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska. WarHorse Gaming developed casino facilities at multiple Nebraska racetracks, including Lincoln Race Course (which became WarHorse Lincoln) and facilities at other licensed racing venues in Omaha and Columbus.
WarHorse Lincoln opened in September 2022, becoming one of the state's first operational casino facilities under the new regulatory framework. The facility offered electronic gaming machines (slot-style devices) and other permitted gaming products in connection with the licensed racing operations at the Lincoln Race Course.
Nebraska's Casino Regulatory Context
Nebraska's approach was consistent with several other states that used existing horse racing track licences as a gateway to broader casino legalisation — a model sometimes called "racino" development. This model had precedents in states including Iowa, Pennsylvania, Ohio, and West Virginia, where racetracks added casino products under state regulatory frameworks.
The opening of Nebraska's first casino facilities marked a significant change for a state that had historically been one of the more conservative jurisdictions in the US Midwest regarding commercial gambling.
- Source:
- CDC Gaming Reports
- Published:
- September 24, 2022
- Original Article:
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