The casino industry in Nebraska just keeps growing.
Casinos in Omaha and Lincoln set records for gross revenue and tax contributions in October. That's according to the latest report from the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission.
WarHorse Casino Omaha generated almost $1.9 million in tax revenue for the month of October, while WarHorse Lincoln sent off $1.5 million to local and state entities. Both of those figures are record high amounts for the racetrack casinos for any month.
Lance Morgan, the CEO of Ho-Chunk Inc., which owns the WarHorse brand, said his casinos are cutting into demand for Iowa facilities.
"You have to think of it as an economic marketing war that's happening in Omaha and Lincoln," Morgan said, "and we're slowly winning."
Slot machines statewide - including ones in Grand Island, Columbus and Ogallala - topped $20 million in gross revenue for the first time since May. Table games hit $2.2 million in revenue for the racetrack casinos. Sports betting generated $1 million in total revenue for the first time this year.
Gaming revenue ebbs and flows throughout the year, Morgan said.
"There's seasonality to every month," Morgan said, "but it shows that the investments made by the gaming companies are really starting to take off."
Mobile sports betting "will change the equation," Morgan said, adding that it would increase tax revenue by $30 million per year. A petition to legalize online sports gambling needs signatures from 10% of registered voters in order for the measure to make the November 2026 ballot.
WarHorse Lincoln will continue to expand, and the company will be building a new casino in South Sioux City in the near future. South Sioux would be casino No. 6 in Nebraska since voters approved racetrack casinos in 2020.