Nebraska group pushes for casinos

The Nebraskan group seeks to place a proposal to legalise casinos on the 2020 ballot.

US.- The Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association and Ho-Chunk Inc. have recently announced that they want to push for an initiative to include casinos at Nebraska horse racing tracks.

The coalition is interested in placing the issue on the 2020 ballot, but they’re aware that the effort would actually mean that they have to gather tens of thousands of signatures beginning in 2019. If the effort ends with a positive result and voters approve it, casino gambling activity would be allowed at state racetracks in Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Columbus, South Sioux City and possibly Hastings.

While the group is positive that they can gather the signatures, this is not the first time that a proposal like this one has emerged in the state – a similar attempt to place the initiative on the November 2016 ballot ended with a shortage of signatures and a legal case against the company that promoted the petitions.

Lance Morgan, head of Ho-Chunk Inc., the economic development wing of the Winnebago Indian Tribe, said: “We don’t quit. We felt like last time, we spent a lot of time and effort, and didn’t get a fair chance at it.”