Boyd’s Gaming is pushing through a measure that would try and get gambling legalized in Nebraska. They have teamed up with The Committee for Better Schools and More Jobs in Nebraska, Inc. to bring gambling and slot machines into the state. The group is working to bring in a new initiative that would allow gambling in three districts - with a total of three casinos. The money brought in would increase revenue for the state, with the funds earmarked for horse racing, treatment of gambling addictions, the creation of a board to regulate gambling, but most importantly, it would bring in additional funding for K-12 education.  

The problem is that there is a law in Nebraska’s Constitution that does not allow a group to file more than the allowed limit of ballot proposals- and the limit stands for so many within three years. Once that limit is reached, no more can be submitted. By them filing the slot machine initiative, Secretary of State John Gale determined they had overdrawn the limit and would not allow the slot machine initiative to be heard on the ballot. Nebraskans have already voted down two proposals for casinos, and Gale thinks that is enough. 

Greg Lemon, who has filed a lawsuit against the state, feels that the initial law was set up to protect people from those that would use the system to basically keep submitting the same bill over and over. This is not the case, he contends, for his group’s initiative is very different from the others that have already been vetoed. One of the initial proposals would have brought in two casinos in Omaha, and 4,900 video poker and slot machines is approved.

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