Figures released by the Nebraska Lottery and Charitable Gaming office indicate spending on charitable gambling has not been affected by the opening of casinos.
Brian Rockey, director of the state Lottery and Charitable Gaming office, said that in the last quarter of 2022, Nebraskans wagered $97.2 million on keno, pickle cards, bingo and the state lottery. Rockey said that’s an increase of nearly 5 percent over the third quarter.
But, Rockey warned, it’s still too soon to predict whether competition from casinos will hurt other forms of gaming. “When the full-blown casinos are open, it might be different,” he said.
In 2020, Nebraska voters authorized legal gambling at the state’s licensed racetracks, with a share of proceeds directed to property tax relief.
WarHorse Casino, a subsidiary of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, opened a temporary facility in late September at Lincoln Race Course while its $200 million casino resort is completed. Another temporary casino is operating at Fonner Park in Grand Island while Fonner Park and Elite Casino Resorts build the $100 million Grand Island Casino Resort. A third temporary facility, Caesars Entertainment’s Harrah’s Nebraska, will open in Columbus in March. Casinos also have been authorized in South Sioux City and Hastings.
Rockey noted lottery revenue in other states decreased by about 10 percent when casinos opened. But he said that’s likely “a worst-case scenario.” He noted the only form of charitable gaming that lost revenue in October, November and December was bingo, with wagering dropping from $1.2 million during the third quarter to $1.1 million during the last quarter.
So-called “racinos” are planned at racetracks in Omaha, Lincoln, Columbus, Grand Island, South Sioux City and Hastings.
