Bill would expand keno options

A bill to allow digital keno in Nebraska was heard Jan. 24 by the General Affairs Committee.

LB923, introduced by Sen. John Cavanaugh of Omaha, would allow individuals to play keno digitally while at a licensed lottery operator in Nebraska. Currently, keno tickets are available only in paper form. Credit card purchases of keno tickets would remain prohibited under the bill.

“This bill simply allows an additional format for the ticket to be purchased and filled out,” Cavanaugh said.

Bill Harvey, testifying on behalf of Big Red Keno, spoke in support of the bill. Keno proceeds are an important source of community benefit revenue, Harvey said, and each city could decide if it wanted to allow digital keno.

“You can go to any of the state’s horsetracks and place a bet on your phone,” Harvey said. “LB923 basically just restores parity between us and the tracks.”

Jack Cheloha, testifying on behalf of the city of Omaha, also supported the bill. Omaha receives about $9 million annually in keno revenue, he said, which has been used to fund the Nebraska Humane Society, purchase police cars and make upgrades to the Henry Doorly Zoo and TD Ameritrade Park.

“It’s time to keep up with the times and allow people to play on their devices,” Cheloha said.

Al Riskowski of Gambling With the Good Life testified against LB923. Digital keno could allow Nebraskans to “drain their checking account” without realizing it, he said.

“In the atmosphere of a bar, where you’re there for an extended period of time, you can easily lose track of how many games you’re playing,” Riskowski said.

The committee took no immediate action on LB923.