Slot machine names can be goofy and enticing, their colors bold and exciting.
Starting Tuesday at 10 a.m., gamblers in Omaha will be able to risk their paychecks on hundreds of slot machines bearing names such as “Prosperity Link,” “Mystery of the Lamp” and “Rich Little Piggies.”
The new WarHorse Casino at 63rd and Q streets is set to open as the first state-sanctioned casino in Omaha.
Omaha-area residents will then have a local alternative to the casinos in Council Bluffs — a point emphasized by advocates of expanded Nebraska gambling who complained the state was missing out on gambling revenue.
The casino was built by Ho-Chunk Inc., the economic development arm of the , through a partnership with the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association after state voters in 2020 approved gaming tied to racetracks.
People are also reading…
The 58,000-square-foot building will open with more 800 slots, 19 live table games and 100 simulcast screens.
The building was a hive of activity a few days before the opening as workers inside and out prepared.
“We’re scrambling, as you can see, but we should be on time, ready to open on the sixth,” said Stephen Ditchkus, casino general manager.
The casino retained power during last week's severe storms but lost wireless internet.
Representatives of Gaming Labs International, a testing firm, were on site verifying that the slot machines were programmed correctly and operated properly. GLI inspectors checked that the machines accurately register the amount of coins, currency and betting slips inserted, and whether the machines paid out as intended, Ditchkus said.
Once a machine is certified, a state seal is applied that must remain intact or the machine must be shut down, officials said.
The slots are “the latest and greatest,” all brand new and appealing to a range of pocketbooks, Ditchkus said.
“Some are multi-denominational, even penny, two penny, five cent, ten cents. Some are dollars. Some are five dollars. Ten dollars,” he said.
One section of the floor features high-dollar machines.
The casino has some traditionally styled slots, where a handle pull spins cylinders.
Other machines resemble video arcade games, with large curved screens that give the player an immersive experience.
There’s a bar, where patrons can sit and play video poker, and a Sweetwater Café serving smoothies, coffee and other treats.
The table-games area is large and spacious, with offerings such as blackjack, craps and roulette, he said.
There is an exclusive VIP lounge, which will be available to customers who meet WarHorse criteria. It will initially be open so any customer can take a peek, said Lynne McNally, chief executive officer of the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association.
“Customers will be able to see what it provides,” said McNally. “We’re going to have drinks and food here, and on the weekends, we’ll have a bartender just for the VIPs.”
The casino will offer simulcast betting on horse racing and also the WarHorse sportsbook to bet on sporting events ranging from football to Formula 1 racing.
Nebraska does not allow mobile sports betting, where bets can be placed via a phone app. A political battle is under way on whether to authorize it. For now, the law requires sports bets to be placed in person at one of the state-sanctioned casinos.
Robin Miller, chief operating officer for WarHorse Gaming, said close to 400 people are employed at the Omaha casino and about 225 at the casino in Lincoln.
“We’re preparing to start a job fair next month for an expansion there,” Miller said. “We look to hire another 150 positions.”
The casino in Lincoln is open but under construction and operating as a temporary facility. Its newly expanded casino is expected to open around Nov. 1.
Miller said some of the new employees working for WarHorse previously worked for casinos in Iowa.
Advocates and critics of casino gambling will be closely watching as Nebraska launches gaming to see whether it lives up to the promise of providing tax relief.
Lance Morgan, chief executive officer of WarHorse Gaming, said he projects that initially the City of Omaha and Douglas County will split about $6 million a year in revenue from the state’s gaming tax.
The state imposes a 20% annual tax on gross gaming revenue from games of chance operated at licensed racetrack locations.
Seventy percent of the tax revenue goes to the state’s Property Tax Credit Cash Fund. Twenty-five percent goes to the county where the racetrack is located, and if the racetrack is located partially within a city or a village, the county and city or village split it. The remaining 5% is split between the state’s general fund and the Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund.
A second phase of construction at WarHorse Omaha is expected to open next spring, with more than 400 additional gaming positions, a smoking area and additional dining options.
The casino will be the state’s second so-called “racino” to open in a permanent facility in Nebraska. Harrah’s Columbus opened in May.
In Grand Island, the new $100 million casino at Grand Island Casino Resort is slated to open in the first quarter of 2025.