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Nebraska sports betting is getting one step closer to becoming a reality.
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission (NRGC) unanimously voted on Oct. 21 to approve the state’s sports betting rules on racetrack casinos.
Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission Chair Dennis Lee told reporters after Friday’s meeting:
“What this means for Nebraska is that we are connecting the dots based on voter intent.”
It is still unknown when Nebraskan players will be able to start placing legal sports bets as there is no definite schedule for the launch.
What are the next steps for Nebraska sports betting?
The rules already listed in the state law will now be forwarded to Attorney General Doug Petersen for review. Then, the policies will need to be approved by Gov. Pete Ricketts and the secretary of state, Bob Evnen. After five days at the office, the rules will take effect.
Once approved, no betting shall be allowed on any sporting event where the greatest number of athletes are under 18.
The new regulations also require all sports betting in person, in specific areas like betting windows and self-service kiosks within casinos at horse racing tracks. The rules also prohibit betting on games played in the state, including betting on college competitions. Thus, loyal Cornhusker fans will only be able to bet on road games.
While Nebraskan players have every reason to be excited, the remaining process of sports betting legalization could still take several months.
WarHorse Lincoln has a reason to celebrate
WarHorse Casino, the first state-licensed casino in Lincoln that opened its doors a month ago, is excited about the unanimous approval of rules and regulations. And the casino is looking forward to offering a new type of gambling.
Pete Graziano, WarHorse Gaming’s director of marketing said last week:
“We are really excited to see the sports betting regulations out of the gaming commission yesterday. It’s a great milestone to give the voters in the state what they asked for, which is casino gambling in Nebraska, including sports betting.”
The NRGC granted WarHorse Lincoln its license on Sept. 23, a historic vote almost two years after Nebraskan voters approved casinos at the state’s licensed horse racetracks in 2020.
WarHorse brought nearly $286,000 in taxes in a week
During the first week of operating, WarHorse Lincoln brought around $286,000 in taxes for the Cornhusker State.
WarHorse’s temporary casino is the only place in Nebraska offering sports betting. However, it is estimated two or three more retail casinos in Nebraska will be established before sports gambling becomes legal.
