Push for online betting: Nebraska casinos back petition drive

Casino owners in Omaha told First Alert 6 that collecting enough signatures to get the measure on the ballot is a sure bet.

Two petitions are in circulation

50% of online gambling revenue comes from addicted gamblers, according to figures cited in the report.

Online betting has been debated and opposed in committee. Nebraska lawmakers have warned the Legislature needs to act or the casinos will — and they did.

Two petitions are being circulated: one dealing with a constitutional amendment, the other a statutory petition.

“We need signatures from five percent of the people who voted in the last election — that number, so if 100 people voted you need five — but you need it from 38 counties,” said Lance Morgan, CEO of Warhorse Casino.

Morgan said organizers would like to collect 300,000 signatures, which would be well above the required threshold.

Polling and opposition

“I don’t think it will be any trouble getting it passed. Our polling shows it’s somewhere around 70 percent approval rating,” Morgan said. “And that’s before sports betting really took off here.”

Morgan acknowledged that opposition remains. “I think that the anti-gambling group — they have a good point. You don’t want people to abuse it,” he said.

Budget and tax revenue

Nebraska lawmakers are currently working to balance the state budget and provide property owners with tax relief.

Morgan said a $3 million a month answer could be in the hands of those who want to place bets on their phones.

“When I say it’s three million a month, I think that’s right and it could be low, so it’s going to be a significant tax generator for the state,” Morgan said.

If the measure passes, Morgan does not think state lawmakers would delay action on the issue, as some believe they have done with medical marijuana — a petition that passed with an overwhelming number of Nebraska voters in favor.

“We had a little bit of a delay on the gaming, on the casino, but we got it going. But I think it’s obviously open now, and I think the urgency to create the tax revenue will probably make some sense,” Morgan said. “I think that the state itself understands that this is something the people want,” he added.

The petitions must be submitted in July. Morgan said if approved, gamblers in Nebraska could be making sports bets on their phones by March Madness next year.