Nebraska regulators have moved one step closer to allowing sports betting at the state's racetrack casinos.
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission on Friday voted unanimously to approve rules for wagering on sporting events, but it's unclear when people will actually be able to place any bets.
The rules now must be vetted by the Attorney General's Office, then approved by the governor. It's not clear how long that process will take, but it's likely to be several months.
"If any of you think ... you're going to be able to do some sports wagering in the relatively near future, that's not really accurate — nothing further could be from the truth," said Commission Chairman Dennis Lee.
The rules approved Friday pretty much mirror the framework adopted earlier this year by the Nebraska Legislature.
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They require that all sports wagering take place in person at casinos at horse racing tracks in the state and they prohibit wagering on games involving teams when they are competing within the state.
The rules also lay out many technical aspects of sports betting, including what kinds of events people can bet on and what kinds of bets they can make.
Currently, the only casino in operation is WarHorse Casino at Lincoln Race Course, which opened last month. But there could be anywhere from one to three more in operation by the time the sports betting rules wind their way through the regulatory process.
WarHorse does plan to offer sports betting at its temporary casino as soon as the rules are finalized and is currently working out the details of how it will do so, said Lynne McNally, CEO of the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association.
McNally called the rules "a solid start," but said she believes they will "end up being a living document" that will likely be amended over time.
Commissioner Jeffrey Galyen said that while the rules may be a living document, "I think it's a very good draft. A very good set of rules."
In other business, the Racing and Gaming Commission approved horse racing dates for 2023, including eight days at Lincoln Race Course, which will be renamed Legacy Downs.
Those eight dates are tentatively scheduled for four weekends: May 13-14, 20-21 and 27- 28, and June 3-4.
McNally said the track, which has never had more than two days of racing, is working with Fonner Park in Grand Island to bring in portable barns to make sure there are enough stalls to accommodate more horses.
Lincoln Race Course is spending about $2.5 million to resurface its track and add features such as a new safety rail. McNally said the plan is to have the project done sometime in March or April.
Also Friday, the commission introduced its newest member, Trent Loos.
Loos, who served as one-time Republican gubernatorial candidate Theresa Thibodeau's running mate, is a central Nebraska rancher who hosts a conservative radio show.
He is a member of the Nebraska Capitol Commission and served on former President Donald Trump’s agricultural advisory committee.
Loos also has a bit of a controversial history. In 2002, he pleaded no contest to a misdemeanor charge related to a South Dakota cattle fraud case. He, his wife and another man are facing a lawsuit from the Nebraska State Fair over the rights to the name of Omaha’s former Aksarben Stock Show.
The appointment of Loos means the board finally has its statutorily designated seven members.