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In August, Nebraska casino revenue shot up 74.3% thanks to WarHorse Omaha, the state’s newest casino, logging its first month of full operation.
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission’s latest revenue report revealed that Nebraska land-based casinos generated nearly $16 million in revenue, up $6.8 million over July.
Nebraska revenue reports don’t include online casinos because they aren’t legal.
Key takeaways
- Online casinos could’ve brought Nebraska more than $34 million in August
- WarHorse Omaha’s first month of operation propelled Nebraska casino revenue past $15 million.
- Gaming revenue was up 74.3% month-on-month.
- Nebraska’s revenue numbers include electronic slots and table games, poker, table games, and sports betting.
Attempts to expand Nebraska gaming online fail
Nebraska’s gaming revenue primarily comes through land-based casinos. The state has been defiant when it comes to any form of online gaming, whether it’s online casinos or mobile sports betting.
Sen. Eliot Bostar tried to change that this year, pushing for an online sports bill that could’ve paved the way for online casinos. Bostar’s bill never made it to the legislature floor for a vote.
Instead, the bill died in a committee despite Bostar’s efforts, PlayUSA legal analyst Matthew Kredell pointed out earlier this month.
The reason? A group of senators signed a letter saying they weren’t interested in expanding gaming to phones because of the dangers.
“Expanding gambling further will inevitably lead to expanding the associated addictions and adds to more suffering in our communities,” the letter stated. “Online sports betting turns every cell phone into a 24/7 handheld gambling device, leading to new addictions.”
The bill’s failure wasn’t a blow just for sports betting; it was a bad sign for online casinos. Online sports betting tends to soften lawmakers to people gaming from their devices and computers.
Therefore, it’s much easier to pass online casino legislation in a state with legal sports betting. The opposite is true, too: no online sports betting, then no online casinos.
But, let’s imagine for a moment that Nebraska online casinos were legal this past month. What kind of revenue could iGaming operators expect? Nearly $35 million, or more than double what land-based casinos brought in:
| August online casino revenue | Population (according to 2023 Census Bureau data) | Per-capita revenue | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pennsylvania | $225 million | 13 million | $17.31 |
| New Jersey | $198.4 million | 9.3 million | $21.33 |
| Michigan | $196.7 million | 10 million | $19.67 |
| Connecticut | $44.6 million | 3.6 million | $12.39 |
| West Virginia | $20.4 million | 1.8 million | $11.33 |
| Delaware | $5.8 million | 1 million | $5.80 |
| Rhode Island | $3 million | 1.1 million | $2.73 |
| Average | $99.1 million | 5.69 million | $17.42 |
| Nebraska (projected) | $34.8 million | 2 million | $17.42 |
WarHorse Omaha opening leads to August revenue explosion
WarHorse Omaha, Nebraska’s newest casino, opened in early August. Before that, the property’s site was home to a sportsbook that brought in just under $57,000 in July.
That number exploded to $6.9 million this past month, marking the highest total among the four casinos in the state by more than $2.4 million.
| Casino | August revenue | July revenue | % change |
|---|---|---|---|
| WarHorse Lincoln | $4,544,070.10 | $4,323,049.66 | +5.1% |
| Grand Island Casino & Resort | $2,465,542.53 | $2,755,021.42 | -10.5% |
| Harrah's Columbus | $2,053,898.25 | $2,024,531.61 | +1.5% |
| WarHorse Omaha | $6,898,869.67 | $56,912.77 | +12,021.8% |
| Total | $15,962,380.55 | $9,159,515.46 | +74.3% |
