Legalizing Commerical Gambling in Nebraska

[ita]

There is an AP article concerning efforts in Nebraska to get ballot questions concerning commercial gambling in 2020.

https://www.nonpareilonline.com/busines ... 962ad.html

It gives a fair perspective of issue and addresses what might be up for vote in 2020. Do you all think something like this will make the ballot next year? Has the political and cultural climate changed enough over the last decade that we could be voting on legalizing commercial gambling in 2020? My initial thought is that conservatives and non-conservatives are more entrenched on their on side now more than ever. I suppose the better question is whether the calculus has changed from a numbers standpoint. Proponents of legalizing commercial gambling would need a minimum of 10% of registered voters just to get the proposal for a constitution amendment on the ballot. Per Ballotpedia, in 2018, there was a little over 1.2 million registered voters, so over 120,000 signatures are required.

[GrandpaaSmucker]

There is an AP article concerning efforts in Nebraska to get ballot questions concerning commercial gambling in 2020.

https://www.nonpareilonline.com/busines ... 962ad.html

It gives a fair perspective of issue and addresses what might be up for vote in 2020. Do you all think something like this will make the ballot next year?

It would not matter in the slightest if it made the ballot and the public voted for legal gambling. We have already seen what the new rule of law in Nebraska is and it is whatever the ones in power want not what the people want! The public voted to have Obama Care made available to the poor in Nebraska last year and it still is not being made available. The powers that be have even said that Obama Care will not be available to the poor in Nebraska until maybe late fall of 2020. In short our rulers in this state have made it clear they do not care what we want or vote for. If anyone thinks the poor will be getting their free Obama Care next fall they are dreaming as it is nothing but a stall job and it will never ever happen.

[Omaha Cowboy]

I’ve said it before regarding legalized gambling in Nebraska (the last time it was on the ballot here, I believe, was 2008).. Until the “old guard” passes, even if gambling gets back on the ballot, it’ll never pass. Why? Because what will happen, just like it did in 2008, the W-H will roll out Tom Osborne, Warren Buffet, and Ernie Chambers.. and they’ll co author an editorial (and this happened the last time it was on the ballot. Look it up) expounding on the evils of gambling..and Nebraskans, both urban and rural, will listen to Tom, Warren and Ernie, and strike down gambling in Nebraska by an overwhelming number..

Right or wrong-

And you can book that...

Ciao..LiO...Peace

[Cermak]

Crossroads mall would be a great location for a casino. It’s time Omaha gets a first class casino and hotel. Build a highrise hotel and larger casino than any of the ones in CB. The profits can go toward repairing Omaha’s roads, man are they bad...

[Professor Woland]

I think casino gambling should be legal because I think that what consenting adults do with their money is their business, especially when the overwhelming majority are able to do so responsibly, but I think we are fooling ourselves if we think that casinos will provide a revenue bonanza. If we're lucky we will see a slight revenue bump, but on the whole gambling usually ends up costing a region more than it produces (unless it brings in a whole lot of people from outside the region like Vegas.) I say go ahead and legalize it, but don't be surprised if there are unintended consequences most of us won't like.

[ita]

Here is an OWH article with some more details:

https://www.omaha.com/news/legislature/ ... cafc8.html

Here are some details not mentioned in the AP article. Gambling of all kinds would be made legal at racetracks via constitutional amendment via the first petition. The second petition proposes laws passed to define and regulate gaming at the tracks. The third petition proposes tax regulations on the proceeds, devoting 70% to go to the NE property tax relief credit and the rest to local municipalities and the state's compulsive gamblers assistance fund.

[Trips]

In 2004 there were over 50% of people that voted yes for some form of gambling. The reason it failed was there were two different options. One authorized two casinos and the other basically said anywhere with a liquor license. The No Casino people voted No on all of them. Some of the Yes picked one or the other. 47% said yes to anywhere with a liquor license but only 36% said yes to two casinos. If you were a yes to hundreds of locations you should have be a yes to two locations. That was not the case as people were confused.

Attempt #1 2004
Measure 417 - People may enact laws to authorize, operate, regulate and tax all forms of casino gaming through initiative measures.
- NO 51%
Amendment 3 - Authorize up to two casino locations upon approval of voters in the affected counties.
- NO 64%
Measure 419 - The measure established an annual tax on gaming revenue, distributed percentages of gaming revenue
YES - 51% Approved
Measure 420 - permitted communities to authorize games of chance, the use of gaming devices at casinos, racetracks and establishments that sell alcoholic liquor on the premises.
NO - 53%

Attempt #2 2016
Received enough signatures to but put on the ballot. The issues was that when you signed you needed to be in the county that you lived in. I signed at a concert downtown but live in Sarpy so my signature did not count.

2019 - I have not read the final version but one of the early versions said that the casino must be within 1 mile of the racetrack. 72nd and 84th and I-80 are 1.50 miles away from Horseman's.

[nebugeater]

Call me crazy but I think this state is to a point that if it is proposed correctly it will pass.

[ita]

Call me crazy but I think this state is to a point that if it is proposed correctly it will pass.

Well here's a hot take for exiting NU pres, Hank Bounds: state should look at legalizing gambling to help fund NU better.

https://www.ketv.com/article/time-for-s ... s/28577791

[bigredmed1]

Call me crazy but I think this state is to a point that if it is proposed correctly it will pass.

Well here's a hot take for exiting NU pres, Hank Bounds: state should look at legalizing gambling to help fund NU better.

https://www.ketv.com/article/time-for-s ... s/28577791

They are going to have to do something. Expanded medicaid is going to blow up the state budget here like in other states and the NU budget lines are going to be fat hogs for the slaughter. The salaries of the top admin staff are going to be obvious targets. NU needs to redefine itself rather than rely on the "stupid, poor, and desperate" tax called legalized gambling.

Before anyone gets all fired up over gambling isn't always bad, let us reflect that going all the way back to Lucky Luciano and the rest of the smart mob, casinos have realized that their profit isn't from one loser or burning one player out of a lot of money, its burning thousands of people out of a few bucks so the other people don't think its a big deal and are willing to look the other way. Casinos and legalized gambling in general rely on the addicted and the clueless to sit in slot machine hells plunking their life's work into machines so they can see flashing lights and hear middle C tones.

If we want to be noble Nebraskans, we should instead reorganize NU at an extreme level.

1. We don't need 3 campuses for undergrad. We can have 1 program at multiple sites (If the college of Nursing can do it, so can the English dept.)
2. We need to have 1 standard fo all degrees so that a person can take a year at UNL, then move to Omaha for a job and complete the degree at UNO without losing credits.
3. We need to look at the cost of the central admin in Varner Hall and especially the salaries of the chancellors and up as well as the number of admin people and think hard about cutting a lot of the staff.

The money saved could fund the rest of the NU system.

Next we need to get revenue generating programs off the general fund budget. Game and Parks and Newborn Screening are two examples of progams that could easily generate enough revenue that the general fund would be necessary only as a back stop for unexpected bumps in expenses.
They should be expected to become independent of the general fund, thus freeing up money for other things that can't generate revenue.

Finally, we need to decide what the limit is. What will the state be on the hook for and what is not our job. Frankly, expanded medicaid should come with imits. You get x dollars to pay for private insurance. That is it. Go over, and that is not on us. Want to build a house 1000 yards and 30 feet up from a river? You get flood insurance. Want to build a house 50 feet and 1 yard above the river, then you have all the rebuilding costs on you. Etc.

[ita]

So this happened last night:

Election 2020 results: Nebraskans vote in favor of gambling initiatives, payday lending caps; against slavery

Nebraska voters are getting their say on whether to expand gambling in the state; whether to cap payday lender interest rates; and whether to remove slavery from the state’s Constitution.

Nebraska voters overwhelmingly approved measures to allow casino gambling at state-licensed horse racing tracks in Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Columbus, and South Sioux City. Opponents fought hard to keep the issue off the ballot, including filing a lawsuit in September that was rejected by the Nebraska Supreme Court.

Now, voters have approved a change to the state constitution to allow slot machines and table gambling, as well as two laws that will regulate and tax casino gambling.

[Bob from Omaha]

35 years too late but hey, now begins the descent into the 7th level of h e l l. Buckle your seat belts kids. We're going to have fun at the all you can eat buffet!

[ita]

35 years too late but hey, now begins the descent into the 7th level of h e l l. Buckle your seat belts kids. We're going to have fun at the all you can eat buffet!

If the buffet is any good, I'll see you there. Haha. Seriously though, are we going to get another racetrack in the Metro, or is one enough?

[GrandpaaSmucker]

There is no way the King and his minions are going to let this come to pass here in Nebraska. Democracy as we once knew it is almost dead now. I double guarantee you that he will have his attorney general and lawyers block this and get it thrown out. Bet on it. This is the world we live in. If the rulers don't like the results of the election they simply claim it was illegal and void it. Sorry!

[GrandpaaSmucker]

35 years too late but hey, now begins the descent into the 7th level of h e l l. Buckle your seat belts kids. We're going to have fun at the all you can eat buffet!

Actually none of the 3 Casinos in Council Bluffs have opened their Buffets back up since the virus shut them down. Most of the Buffets in Vegas have never opened back up. Quite a bit of rumblings have gone around that the Casinos may never open the Buffets back up even after the pandemic, They were losing money on them for years. Recently I am told that HyVee has taken down its salad bars and removed them from many of the stores. Again rumor is they were losing money on the salad bars for years and they have no plans to reopen the salad bars even after the pandemic. Buffets may be dead.

[Bob from Omaha]

It was overwhelmingly passed. There is no compelling case to be made to either block or throw it out. Void it?

I see your lips moving but I hear Pat Loontger's voice.

Which reminds me. What will Pat do now?

[bbinks]

I feel sorry for the people who voted for this exclusively thinking that their property taxes will be reduced by a huge amount. How much will the average home owner see. Enough to buy a tank of gas?

[Linkin5]

Was listening to a guy from Horseman’s Park on the radio today. He stated that Nebraska categorizes sports gambling as games of chance, meaning that they will be taking sports bets when they open.

[ita]

With Casino Gaming Approved, Regulations And Proposals Come Next

With the strong support Nebraskans gave expanded gambling, the state's horse racing tracks can begin planning casinos.

With the last of the ballots still being counted, Lynne McNally of the Horseman's Association was "thrilled, absolutely thrilled" that so many Nebraskans were ready to embrace casino gambling.
The state's horse breeders in the state got their wish.

What happens next is not entirely up to the race tracks. McNally says state government moves first.

"We wait for rules and regs, and we wait for the governor to appoint the additional two members to make the Racing Commission the Racing and Gaming Commission.

Creating regulations for the new gaming industry could be a complicated process influencing casinos' size and the racing season's length.
...
Getting the new "racinos" up and runner remains a couple of years away. The regulations and new permits need to be approved. In the coming months, millions of dollars will be spent at existing tracks and on behalf of those being planned.

It will be a while before we see any development of racinos, but what do you think Horseman Park ultimately looks like? They are squared in and adjacent to a Upullit and other industrial. It looks like Hawkins owns the large parcel to the east, so it looks like that would be the likely direction of expansion? Or do they just build a new building on their land?

[GrandpaaSmucker]

It will be a while before we see any development of racinos, but what do you think Horseman Park ultimately looks like? They are squared in and adjacent to a Upullit and other industrial. It looks like Hawkins owns the large parcel to the east, so it looks like that would be the likely direction of expansion? Or do they just build a new building on their land?

Our Gov will stall that racino out for 5 years.....not 2 Thats if he does not just shut it down in court. If the Gov does let them do it they will build a small casino right there. Not anything near as big as Ameristar or Harrahs.

[GrandpaaSmucker]

It will be a while before we see any development of racinos, but what do you think Horseman Park ultimately looks like? They are squared in and adjacent to a Upullit and other industrial. It looks like Hawkins owns the large parcel to the east, so it looks like that would be the likely direction of expansion? Or do they just build a new building on their land?

Our Gov will stall that racino out for 5 years.....not 2 Thats if he does not just shut it down in court. If the Gov does let them do it they will build a small casino right there. Not anything near as big as Ameristar or Harrahs.

I remember back in the 80's when the first Indian casino opened up in Onawa Iowa. It was 2 double wide trailer homes with a rock parking lot. Walked in and it was packed with farmers sitting at a slot machines with 1 gallon buckets full of quarters.

[nativeomahan]

It will be a while before we see any development of racinos, but what do you think Horseman Park ultimately looks like? They are squared in and adjacent to a Upullit and other industrial. It looks like Hawkins owns the large parcel to the east, so it looks like that would be the likely direction of expansion? Or do they just build a new building on their land?

Our Gov will stall that racino out for 5 years.....not 2 Thats if he does not just shut it down in court. If the Gov does let them do it they will build a small casino right there. Not anything near as big as Ameristar or Harrahs.

I remember back in the 80's when the first Indian casino opened up in Onawa Iowa. It was 2 double wide trailer homes with a rock parking lot. Walked in and it was packed with farmers sitting at a slot machines with 1 gallon buckets full of quarters.

[ita]

Nebraska casino rules set to come out next week

Matt Olberding
A year after Nebraska voters approved casino gambling at the state’s horse racing tracks, there’s finally a light at the end of the tunnel for the tracks hoping to get gambling licenses.

Tom Sage, executive director of the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission, said that a final draft of casino regulations is set to be released Nov. 12.

Sage said the commission has been working on the rules for the past couple of months, after it received a consultant’s report in early September. It has fielded comments from the public and the gambling industry and has incorporated some of the suggestions into its draft regulations, he said.

“I’m very, very pleased with where we’re at with the rules,” Sage told the commission during its meeting Wednesday.

Commissioners will hold a public hearing on the proposed rules at their next scheduled meeting on Dec. 17. Because of the expected interest from industry members and the public, the commission plans to hold the meeting at Nebraska Innovation Campus in Lincoln.

They also have the proposed calendar for horse racing:

Fonner Park will run 37 days of racing between Feb. 19 and May 22, and Columbus Exposition and Racing will run 12 days between May 27 and June 5. Atokad in South Sioux City plans two days, and Horsemen’s Park, Lincoln Race Course and Fairplay Park in Hastings all plan one day. Race dates at those four tracks are still to be determined.

I did not know that some of these tracks are hardly used.

[djc311]

Will we be able to use Fan Duel and other sports wagering apps once this is finalized?

[bigredmed1]

Will we be able to use Fan Duel and other sports wagering apps once this is finalized?

If it’s anything like Phoenix, you will be able to tell that when gambling ads hit TV like political ads during the Iowa Caucus season.

[djc311]

Will we be able to use Fan Duel and other sports wagering apps once this is finalized?

If it’s anything like Phoenix, you will be able to tell that when gambling ads hit TV like political ads during the Iowa Caucus season.

That's where I'm confused - I personally see so many Fan Duel, Draft Kings, etc ads already and at the bottom of the ad it lists the states you can participate in... Nebraska currently is not one of them (Iowa of course is).

[iamjacobm]

I’m 99% sure mobile gaming is still not allowed, everything on site.

[GrandpaaSmucker]

I’m 99% sure mobile gaming is still not allowed, everything on site.

You are 100% correct. Ricketts and his minions being the poor sports that they are sabotaged the legal gambling in Nebraska by creating a rule that no Sports Book gambling over the phone or the internet would be allowed. They jammed that rule in after we had already legalized gambling. In effect they have successfully sabotaged the casinos best income making source. Most people are not going to go up to the casino and bet on sports. Most of the people will just continue to waste their money on the Powerball up at the gas station.

[djc311]

I’m 99% sure mobile gaming is still not allowed, everything on site.

You are 100% correct. Ricketts and his minions being the poor sports that they are sabotaged the legal gambling in Nebraska by creating a rule that no Sports Book gambling over the phone or the internet would be allowed. They jammed that rule in after we had already legalized gambling. In effect they have successfully sabotaged the casinos best income making source. Most people are not going to go up to the casino and bet on sports. Most of the people will just continue to waste their money on the Powerball up at the gas station.

I suppose I shouldn't be surprised, as I know he's been anti-gambling since walking in the door.

I would, however, think some of his rich buddies would have stakes in online casinos and sportsbooks.

[Woodgreentim]

just a matter of time with the rest of the country moving towards it.

there are sites like sportsbetting3.com that aim to educate folks which is so important. most of the problems with gambling are uneducated folks who just think its easy money whereas even the best gamblers only win 55%, so just a bit better than a coin flip.

[Coyote]

Senators pass bill regulating expanded gambling in Nebraska

[ita]

https://www.ketv.com/article/nebraska-r ... g/41738743

The state's racing and gaming commission signed off Friday on the rules for sports betting in Nebraska.

"What this means for Nebraska is we're connecting the dots based upon what the voters intention was," Nebraska Racing & Gaming Commission Chairman Dennis Lee told KETV after Friday's meeting.

The rules, which are already listed under state law, will next go to the Attorney General's office to be reviewed. They would then go to the governor for approval, then to the secretary of state.

Under the rules, no betting would be allowed on any sporting event where the major of athletes are under the age of 18.

In accordance with state law, betting would only be allowed in person — sports wagering areas, including windows and kiosks, as approved. Bettors would be able to wager with cash or vouchers, bonus credits, cash equivalent, chips, a funded account, or debit cards.

"In our statutes sports wagering can only be conducted at brick and mortar locations," Executive Director Tom Sage said. "There is no mobile wagering outside the facility, or even inside the facility."

According to state law, wagers on any Nebraska college sports team playing a game in the state would be prohibited.

[ita]

Sports wagering to officially open in Nebraska this week

Jake Anderson
For the first time in the state's history, Nebraskans will be able to legally bet on sports this week.

Starting Thursday, customers at WarHorse Casino in Lincoln can place a wager at one of 10 kiosks or the sports book window at the facility.

“Nebraskans have been asking for the opportunity to wager on sports since the ballot initiatives were passed in 2020,” Lance Morgan, CEO of Ho-Chunk, Inc., the parent company of WarHorse Gaming, LLC, said in a statement. “We’re thrilled to be the first casino in the state to offer sports betting.”

Under state regulations, betting is only allowed on site, but bettors can build their wagers on the WarHorse app and place them at a kiosk or sports book window.

Bets also won't be allowed on any home game for Nebraska's in-state teams — only if it's an away game.

[Brad]

Crossing into Iowa to use sports gambling apps? Plenty of Nebraskans are doing it

https://omaha.com/news/state-regional/c ... 03db1.html

A remarkable thing is happening at a rather unremarkable highway exit on the Iowa side of the Missouri River across from Omaha.

The 130th Street exit on Interstate 680 is surrounded by farm fields and connects to gravel roads. It offers no convenience store, gas station or fast-food outlet to lure drivers off the highway.

....

On Saturday, Nov. 18, for example, 2,300 geolocation checks involving 100 unique player accounts occurred at the interchange according to GeoComply solutions, which provides geolocation services to several national mobile sportsbooks. Geolocation checks are recorded at various stages of a user engaging with a legal sportsbook, including registering an account, logging in and placing a bet.

[djc311]

Crossing into Iowa to use sports gambling apps? Plenty of Nebraskans are doing it

https://omaha.com/news/state-regional/c ... 03db1.html

A remarkable thing is happening at a rather unremarkable highway exit on the Iowa side of the Missouri River across from Omaha.

The 130th Street exit on Interstate 680 is surrounded by farm fields and connects to gravel roads. It offers no convenience store, gas station or fast-food outlet to lure drivers off the highway.

....

On Saturday, Nov. 18, for example, 2,300 geolocation checks involving 100 unique player accounts occurred at the interchange according to GeoComply solutions, which provides geolocation services to several national mobile sportsbooks. Geolocation checks are recorded at various stages of a user engaging with a legal sportsbook, including registering an account, logging in and placing a bet.

Not surprising whatsoever - what is surprising is that it's not easier to trick the apps into thinking you're somewhere else so you can play from the convenience of your own home in Omaha (or Nebraska in general).

I have no plans to step foot inside the new casinos when they're open, at least I'm in no hurry to do so. I am glad we finally realized it's idiotic to send Nebraska money across the river to Iowa so they can reap the rewards of our taxpayers. However this new casino/gambling legalization was setup solely to benefit those that open the casinos and not the people of Nebraska. They have sports betting on their property but you have to actually go there. Why? Because the casino gets their cut. If they legalized the apps then we could all sit in our living rooms and bet, which the casinos wouldn't benefit from.

They'll likely open up the apps someday but probably not anytime soon. Until then I guess Nebraskans will go sit in parking lots off of the nearest interstate exit in Iowa

Is it me or does it seem like Nebraska is almost ALWAYS one step behind when it comes to this stuff? Lottery, casinos, etc...

[almighty_tuna]

bUt NeBrAsKa VaLuEs!! Think of all the children who are being saved because sports betting is being done on the internet on the OTHER side of the river!

[djc311]

bUt NeBrAsKa VaLuEs!! Think of all the children who are being saved because sports betting is being done on the internet on the OTHER side of the river!

True - I wasn't thinking clearly in my state of anger.

Ironically enough, isn't Iowa also a "red" state like Nebraska?

[Trips1]

I stopped in the Horseshoe two weeks ago and it was a sad ghost town. I'm guessing it's a combination of raising the pit minimums from $5 to $20 and what Nebraska has going on. I would not be surprised if get rid of some the table games and figure a way to shrink the place as it's only going to get worse.

[ita]

Commission's reaction to report could be a good sign for communities looking to build horse tracks and casinos

In the last year Nebraska's racing and gaming industry has taken off.

New casino's opened their doors, sports fans were able to start placing bets on games and several communities have started exploring the benefits of opening their own track and casino.

But in December a report, ordered by Nebraska's Racing and Gaming Commission, created some doubts on whether the state could handle more racetracks…
...
That study, authored by The Innovation Group, determined that Nebraska already had sufficient capacity at existing horse tracks and did not need to build anymore to keep up with demand.

But the Racing and Gaming Commission has taken issue with the lack of hard data in the report, particularly around casino gaming, and doubt the author's conclusions.

There is an apparent disconnect between what the report is allegedly saying and what critics of the report are saying. The report apparently concludes that Nebraska doesn't need more racetracks with 4 operational tracks currently. Critics are saying that Nebraska doesn't have enough casinos. Legislation only allows casinos at ractracks and cities wanting caisnos are now trying to force racinos in an additional 7 locations. Can the state support 7 more casinos? Probably. Can it support 7 more tracks? Probably not. In my mind, more tracks just do not make sense. I think Horseman's Park was doing like 1 live race a year under the schedule released for 2021. Fonner's was scheduled for 30+, Columbus track has 12, and Lincoln's also had 1. If we had 7 more tracks doing 1 day of racing a year, it seems like a monumental waste of land, money, etc.

[almighty_tuna]

I truly don't understand how horse racing is some magic gatekeeper to a casino.