Omnibus gaming bill passed

Lawmakers gave final approval April 18 to a bill that contains several updates to Nebraska gaming law.

LB775, sponsored by Sen. John Lowe of Kearney, updates the definition of licensed racetrack enclosure in the Nebraska Racetrack Gaming Act to include all real property licensed and used to conduct a race meeting.

The bill also grants the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission authority to recommend necessary updates to state law that it administers and authority to create an adjudication subcommittee to investigate and respond to violations of the gaming act.

The measure includes provisions of four additional bills:
• LB72, sponsored by Grand Island Sen. Raymond Aguilar, which amends the County and City Lottery Act by establishing that gross proceeds do not include any admission costs collected at any location where the lottery also is available to the public free of an admission charge;
• LB73, also sponsored by Aguilar, which allows funds from the County Visitors Promotion Fund to be used to improve a facility in which parimutuel wagering is conducted if the facility also serves as the site of a state fair or district or county agricultural society fair;
• LB232, sponsored by Omaha Sen. John Cavanaugh, which authorizes the sale of digital keno tickets for players verified to be on the premises of a licensed Nebraska lottery location and the use of debit cards — limited to $200 in wagers from a lottery operator in single calendar day — bank accounts, prepaid cash accounts or the cash balance of a payment application as payment methods; and
• LB544, sponsored by Lincoln Sen. Danielle Conrad, which makes minor changes to the Nebraska Bingo Act to reflect technological advancements.

Senators voted 46-0 to pass LB775.