WarHorse Lincoln in Nebraska recently hired Jason Johnston as sportsbook manager. Johnston previously served as sportsbook manager at BetMGM.
Lynne McNally, chief executive officer at the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association, Ho-Chunk’s casino partner, told the Lincoln Journal Star, “He’s got a lot of experience and so he knows what people are interested in bet-wise.”
McNally noted the sportsbook may not be allowed to open by the end of June. “It always is more complicated than you think it’s going to be,” she said. Last month, Kambi Group signed an agreement with WarHorse to operate the on-site sportsbook but “that’s not where it stops,” McNally told the Star.
She explained Kambi must provide a secure location for the server before an accredited official can service it. Then, the software must be loaded into the server after the Nebraska Racing & Gaming Commission grants permission.
“It’s all for security and integrity,” McNally told the Star. “So I’m certainly not going to complain about it. You know, we want to have a secure game and have it be safe, so that people know when they place their bets that they’re secure, their information is not going to get out. That’s very, very important to us.”
Nebraska voters approved casino gambling and sports betting in November 2020. Commissioners prioritized opening casinos but sports betting rules took effect in early February after Governor Jim Pillen approved them. Under the rules, sports wagers must be made in person at a casino. Also, bettors may not wager on Nebraska college teams when they are playing in-state games.
