People line up Saturday morning, Sept. 24, 2022 at the entrance to WarHorse Lincoln, the first state-licensed casino to open.
KENNETH FERRIERA Journal Star
Tribal Elder Ken Mallory of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska (left) and Wally Wollesen of the Nebraska Horsemen's and Benevolent Association officially play the first games at WarHorse Casino on Saturday.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Tribal Elder and member of the Nebraska Winnebago Tribe's Tribal Council Ken Mallory (left) and Wally Wollesen officially play the first games at WarHorse Casino's opening in Lincoln on Sept. 24.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star file photo
Tribal Elder and member of the Nebraska Winnebago Tribe's Tribal Council Ken Mallory officially pulls the casino's first slot machine during the opening ceremony for first state licensed Casino on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, at WarHorse Casino.
KENNETH FERRIERA, Journal Star
Tribal Elder Ken Mallory of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska (left) and Wally Wollesen of the Nebraska Horsemen's and Benevolent Association officially play the first games at WarHorse Casino on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.
For the first time in Nebraska history, a state-licensed casino opened its doors Saturday, marking the first pull of a slot machine in Lincoln.
At 9:30 a.m., a half hour before the doors opened to the public, Tribal Elder and member of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska's Tribal Council Ken Mallory was among the first to play a slot machine in the WarHorse Casino.Â
"What's the difference between praying at church and praying at the casino?" Mallory joked as he pulled a slot machine alongside Wally Wollesen of the Nebraska Horsemen's and Benevolent Association. "At the casino you really mean it."Â
By 10 a.m., over 100 guests waited outside to be some of the first inside the temporary casino to experience state-licensed gambling in Nebraska. At 10:45 a.m., just shy of 150 people were inside the 850-capacity building, with more still arriving. With the parking lots full, staff opened up overflow spaces to accommodate the morning crowd.Â
According to Lynne McNally of horsemen’s group, a partner in the Lincoln casino project, that flow remained steady throughout the day, although no official numbers were yet available by 4 p.m.Â
"I wanted to be the first through the door," said 74-year-old Monika Serie, counting down the minutes until opening on her Mickey Mouse-themed wristwatch. "I just can't wait to get in there and put my card in and have it say 'Winner!'"Â
The initial surge was halted only by the security process, with staff checking IDs and handing out player cards as the first guests headed inside.Â
"I'm happy to be one of the first ones in the first casino opening in Nebraska," Lincoln resident Julia Brown said.
"We were really excited," her daughter, Roquayyah Brown, added.Â
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Inside, casino goers were impressed by the breadth of the space and the number of slot machines, rushing to try different ones throughout the building. Holly Glasgow, on the other hand, knew exactly where she was headed.Â
"I have been waiting to play this machine for so long," Glasgow said, sitting in front of Huff N' More Puff — a game based on the story of the three little pigs and the big bad wolf. "I wanted to be the first one to play and win in the state of Nebraska."Â
Six golden hard hats appeared on screen, triggering a win. Glasgow cheered, high-fiving her neighbor Lori Thomas, chief operating officer for the Nebraska Horsemen. According to Thompson, the excitement in the room was contagious as attendees celebrated having a state-licensed casino within Nebraska's borders for the first time.Â
"We've worked so hard to get to this day that it's unbelievable, it's a dream come true," Thompson said. "For us, it's about bringing a new source of revenue to Nebraska. Watching all these people be happy is just the icing on the cake."Â
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission granted WarHorse Lincoln its license on Friday, a historic vote coming nearly two years after voters in the state approved casinos at the state's licensed horse racing tracks.
If the casino hadn't opened this weekend, Glasgow would've found herself driving across the Iowa border to Council Bluffs, she said, adding that she was happy for the opportunity to keep the money in Nebraska. Other patrons echoed the sentiment.Â
"We're not big gamblers, but we know how to budget our money to come out here and have a good time," Randy Homer said.Â
According to his wife, Barbara Homer, the pair would head to Iowa casinos for special occasions like anniversaries and birthdays. With a location 10 minutes from home, she said the pair might find themselves in the casino more often, especially with the money saved on gas.Â
"We're done with Iowa," Randy Homer said. "We're not driving up Interstate 80 to Council Bluffs when we can keep it in Nebraska."Â
Tribal Elder Ken Mallory of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska (left) and Wally Wollesen of the Nebraska Horsemen's and Benevolent Association officially play the first games at WarHorse Casino on Saturday.
Tribal Elder and member of the Nebraska Winnebago Tribe's Tribal Council Ken Mallory (left) and Wally Wollesen officially play the first games at WarHorse Casino's opening in Lincoln on Sept. 24.
Tribal Elder and member of the Nebraska Winnebago Tribe's Tribal Council Ken Mallory officially pulls the casino's first slot machine during the opening ceremony for first state licensed Casino on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022, at WarHorse Casino.
Tribal Elder Ken Mallory of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska (left) and Wally Wollesen of the Nebraska Horsemen's and Benevolent Association officially play the first games at WarHorse Casino on Saturday, Sept. 24, 2022.