THE NEBRASKA LEGISLATURE’S GENERAL AFFAIRS COMMITTEE HEARD TWO BILLS TUESDAY THAT WOULD REFINE REGULATION OF NEBRASKA’S VOTER-APPROVED HORSE RACETRACK CASINOS AND THE COMMISSION THAT OVERSEES THEM.
LB-876, INTRODUCED BY SENATOR TOM BRIESE, WOULD REQUIRE RACETRACKS TO HOLD A MINIMUM OF FIVE LIVE HORSE RACING DAYS A YEAR BY JANUARY 1ST OF 2026.
THE BILL WOULD REQUIRE AT LEAST ONE LIVE RACING DAY DURING A LICENSEE’S FIRST THREE YEARS OF OPERATION AND PROHIBIT A NEW RACETRACK FROM BEING LOCATED WITHIN 50 MILES OF ANOTHER RACETRACK.
IT WOULD CREATE A SELF-EXCLUSION LIST FOR PROBLEM GAMBLERS AND REDUCE THE LICENSE PERIOD FOR A RACE TRACK FROM 20 YEARS TO FIVE AND INCREASE THE LICENSING FEE FROM $1 MILLION TO $5 MILLION.
CASINO DEVELOPER LANCE MORGAN SUPPORTED THE BILL, SAYING ALLOWING TOO MANY CASINOS WOULD CAUSE EACH FACILITY TO BE SMALLER, MAKING NEBRASKA LESS COMPETITIVE WITH ESTABLISHED CASINOS IN OTHER STATES.
BRIESE ALSO INTRODUCED LB-877, WHICH WOULD CHANGE STATUES GOVERNING THE STATE RACING AND GAMING COMMISSION.
