There are several authorities in charge of running the casino industry in the Cornhusker State. These are the Nebraska Gaming Commission, Nebraska State Racing Commission, and Nebraska Liquor Control Commission. They act in accordance with the Nebraska Revised Statutes.
The official age for gambling in Nebraska is 19 for lottery products, 18 for pari-mutuel wagering and charitable gaming, and 21 for casinos. On average, a Nebraskan spends around 400 USD per year on gambling. Another fun fact: around 70% of the Nebraskans live within 60 miles of an out-of-state casino, including venues in Iowa, Kansas, and Missouri.
Land-Based Casinos Nebraska
Despite the strong lobby, commercially operated casinos remain illegal in the state. Campaigns for pushing them to become legal suggest using all the heavy artillery arguments, including promises that these venues will bring between $60 to $80 million in taxes to the Property Tax Credit Fund.
Meanwhile, Tribal Casinos are allowed and prospering. They can be located within Indian reservation territory and are authorized to operate slots and table games. On average, a venue will have between 80 to 400 electronic slot machines, as well as table games like roulette, blackjack, and craps operating at certain hours. In addition to slots and table games, visitors can enjoy live and electronic Bingo, as well as Keno.
The list of tribal land-based venues includes but is not limited to Iron Horse Bar and Casino, Lucky 77, and Native Star.
Pari-Mutuel BettingNebraska
The state allows simulcast and pari-mutuel betting and has several racetracks, with horse racing being legal and greyhound racing — banned. In addition to betting, visitors of racetracks can enjoy Keno and Bingo but all campaigns for allowing slots and turning venues into racinos have been failures for many years.
The latest development that we received as this publication was being finalized was that the state legislature approved a bill to permit casino gaming and retail sports betting at racetracks in the state. Following its approval, the bill progressed to its final vote in the legislature and would be sent to the Governor for enactment if passed.
The list of locations to head to for live racing and simulcast betting includes the Lincoln Race Course, Columbus Exposition and Racing, Fonner Park, and Atokad Park. Depending on the venue, live racing events will be held on up to three to 31 days per year, with simulcast betting on certain days, and Keno available year-round.
Lotteries in Nebraska
Lotteries are legal in Nebraska since 1992. They are the state-run ones, and the residents and visitors of the state can purchase scratch-off tickets, pull-tabs, and instant tickets, as well as participate in national draws like Powerball or Mega Millions.
Plus, Nebraskan cities and towns are allowed to hold their own local lottery-like drawings. The RTP across these and state-run events is around 57%, which is not much at all.
