Nebraska casino regulations approved

All six licensed horse tracks in Nebraska have announced plans to add casinos.

US.- Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission has voted in favour of proposed rules to allow casino gambling at Nebraska race tracks. Governor Pete Ricketts will now have the final word before being sent to the secretary of state, which is expected to happen the week afterwards.

Last year, Nebraska voters approved casino gambling at the state’s horse racing tracks, and the commission started working on the rules and regulations. All six licensed horse tracks, which are located in Lincoln, Omaha, South Sioux City, Columbus, Grand Island and Hastings, have announced plans to add casinos. Six additional racetracks have been proposed in Bellevue, Gering, Kimball, Norfolk, North Platte and York.

Executive vice president of the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, Lynne McNally said: “I think when all 6 facilities for the existing race tracks are up and running, I think we are talking about around $100m a year in revenue.”

See also: City Council approves horse racetrack and casino in Nebraska

McNally said the property tax relief fund is just a small portion of the significant economic impact that the facilities would offer Nebraska. He said they would also create thousands of jobs and sales taxes. She said she was confident in Ricketts signing off.

“He knows that this was an overwhelming mandate of the people of the state of Nebraska last year and so I am confident that he would not want to do anything to stand in the way of getting significant property tax relief back to the state of Nebraska.”

See also: Global Gaming Nebraska to reveal plans for North Platte casino and track