In its first full year of operation, Nebraska’s venture into casino gambling was a huge success; in December, the state recorded its second straight month of revenue records. The state’s four racetrack casinos took in around $8.9 million in December, adding to the almost $89 million in revenue they made at the end of the year from slot machines, table games, and sports wagering.
With $51.5 million spent, Lincoln’s WarHorse Casino emerged as the front-runner, generating the majority of revenue. The casino saw a spike in activity, particularly in the slots, where $50.2 million and $1.3 million were wagered on sports. The vice president of marketing for WarHorse, Pete Graziano, expressed happiness, saying, “We’re very happy with the results we’ve seen so far.”
Promising Expansion Plans
WarHorse is preparing for growth after a strong 2023 performance. According to Graziano, the business plans to launch its larger Lincoln casino during the year’s fourth quarter. With the addition of 10 table games and 800 more slot machines (from 425 to 800), the expansion will significantly quadruple the amount of casino floor area.
The construction of a hotel, which is scheduled to start soon after the casino expansion is finished, will take place before the future extension. Furthermore, Legacy Downs, a seven-eighths-mile horse track with live racing scheduled for later this year, is a project that WarHorse is actively developing.
Operating all year round, the Grand Island Casino and Resort brought in close to $30 million in income. The general manager of the casino, Vincent Fiala, was pleased with the outcomes, which exceeded his initial expectations. Fiala anticipates that the entire casino and resort will open in the first quarter of 2025, despite the current cold weather impeding building work.
After six and a half months of operation, Harrah’s Casino at Ag Park in Columbus brought in around $7.4 million. Although the casino’s slot machines brought in over $7 million, a sportsbook has not yet opened. In its short time in existence, the operator, Caesar’s Entertainment, had a remarkable effect.
The situation of casinos in Nebraska is changing quickly, and the positive results of the first full year point to a bright future for the gaming sector in the state. Stakeholders and fans anxiously await the ongoing growth and influence on the local economy as expansions and projects take shape.
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