If you’re talking about casinos in Nebraska, it’s safe to say that things are escalating quickly in The Cornhusker State.
According to the latest figures from the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission, the WarHorse Casino in Omaha and the WarHorse Casino in Lincoln are generating millions of dollars in tax revenue for the state. They’re also breaking records along the way.
Combined tax revenues from the state's four casinos have already reached $25.5 million, up from $17.8 million for the entire year of 2023.
Harrah's Casino, which opened in May in Columbus, Nebraska, was the first permanent commercial casino in the state. Since then, revenue has been rolling downhill.
Omaha Casino Nets $1M+ Monthly in Taxes
After nearly a decade of effort to introduce casino gaming to Nebraska's largest city, the venture has proven worthwhile.
Since opening in August, the WarHorse Casino in Omaha has brought in almost $5.2 million in tax revenue, making about $1.3 million each month. Seventy percent of this amount, or $969,000, is sent directly to the Property Tax Credit Cash Fund to help lower state property taxes.
The casino offers 800 slot machines, table games, sports betting, and simulcasting. The Nebraska Horsemen’s Association also intends to use the casino’s earnings to revitalize horse racing in the state.
“What we’re doing with our share of the revenue is we’re building barns in Lincoln,” Lynn McNally, CEO of Nebraska Horseman’s Association, told WOWT news. “We’re increasing purses, and we’re increasing live (racing) days.”
Lincoln WarHorse Casino Breaks Two Records
The $200 million WarHorse Lincoln doubled its space when it opened its permanent casino at the Lincoln Racecourse on November 4, 2024.
The WarHorse Casino originally opened on Sept. 24, 2022, and has since experienced significant growth. The first phase included a 9,000-square-foot gaming floor with more than 400 slot machines, simulcast, and live racing.
Crews just finished the second phase of the expansion (in November). The casino now has 876 slot machines, 10 table games, a sportsbook, and simulcast horse racing, and it’s already paying off. The WarHorse Lincoln just recorded its most successful month.
Gaming revenues soared to $6.9 million, surpassing both the facility's previous record of $4.6 million and a statewide casino revenue record. The casino is not done yet.
Construction continues on a 220-room hotel, steakhouse restaurant, and event center, which will open in 2025. There are also plans to expand viewing for live horse racing at the Lincoln facility with possible construction beginning next fall.
Why Are Casinos In Nebraska So Successful?
There are a few theories from industry experts as to why the casinos in Nebraska have been so successful in such a short period of time.
The first is that online casinos are currently illegal in Nebraska. Casino apps and websites have not yet been authorized by lawmakers.
However, Nebraskans who are aged 18 or older can use sweepstakes and social casinos to play online slots, table games, and video poker at sites like High 5 Games, WOW Vegas, and Chumba Casino. These sites let you play for fun and legally redeem cash prizes.
Another reason brick-and-mortar casinos are thriving may be because Nebraskans can now gamble at home. Over 70% of Nebraskans live within 60 miles of a casino in another state, and they spend an estimated $400 million there each year.
A secondary factor contributing to the success of Nebraska casinos is that lawmakers have banned smoking inside their casinos by applying the state's Clean Indoor Air Act.
In Iowa and Kansas, people can smoke anywhere on the casino floors, and in Missouri, they can smoke in designated areas.
"Things have been absolutely phenomenal since we opened. We've been thrilled with the reaction from the community," said McNally, in a separate interview with KETV News.
"We haven't even hit our stride yet, really," she added.
