Nebraska advances bill for new casino development

The bill was approved during the first round of a three-step voting process.

Nebraska lawmakers have approved a bill that will push the state closer to new casino development while also preventing too many new facilities. The bill would allow the state’s six counties that already have licensed horseracing tracks to add casinos to their facilities as well.

Douglas, Lancaster, Adams, Dakota, Hall and Platte counties all have existing racetracks and would benefit from the proposed bill. These counties are all located in eastern and central Nebraska. Some lawmakers would like to see additional casinos built in the western part of the state.

Those who wish to build casinos in other parts of Nebraska would be subject to a detailed study conducted by the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission that would examine the potential casino’s impact on the state. The commission could then approve or deny licenses based on its findings.

The due date for the study would be January 1, 2025.

The bill has passed the first voting round of approvals necessary in the state’s process. Three voting sessions are needed for the bill to become law.

Senator Tom Briese said the new bill is an attempt to reach a compromise between communities and developers who would like to see more casinos in their areas, and those who are opposed to gambling who are concerned about the number of facilities constructed.

Briese is also the Chairman of the General Affairs Committee.

This latest bill is not the first time Nebraska has sought to reach a balance between opposing views. Previous proposals have been presented, but those would have imposed more specific limitations on statewide casino construction, including the number of casinos allowed and a required distance between those locations.

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