Nebraska residents moved one step closer to gambling expansion as the issue will most probably be put before voters during the upcoming ballot in November. The group that is lobbying for an expansion of the gambling sector on the territory of the state, dropped off three sets of petitions defending their cause. They have also taken further actions to neutralizing their opponents who have prepared a bunch of challenges at court.
The organizers of the petitions said that they have collected enough signatures to qualify for the ballot. Scott Lautenbaugh, one of the avid casino supporters, revealed that as many as 130,000 signatures have been gathered for a constitutional amendment that allows gambling to be put forward.
As many as 90,000 signatures for each of the other two petitions have been collected. These were intended to cast light on the casinos regulation and the utilization of the tax revenue.
Lautenbaugh, who used to be an Omaha senator, said the casino proponents were glad about what they have achieved. In order to have the legal right to demand a constitutional amendment, supporters had to collect the signatures of at least 10% of the Nebraska’s registered voters or approximately 113,900 signatures. The other two petitions required a bit less than 80,000 signatures.
Plus, the casino supporters had to collect the signatures of at least 5% of the voters in 38 counties or more.
Despite the support they received, they still expect their opponents to take actions against the gambling expansion. They are even expected to file a lawsuit to exclude the gambling issue from the ballot.
Currently, Nebraska residents are allowed to engage in keno, lottery, horse racing. The idea about video gambling was proposed quite some time ago, but for one reason or another, it was rejected every time by voters.
Keep the Money in Nebraska is said to have raised $1.25 million, while the Gambling with the Good Life raised a bit more than $25,000. However, half of the amount is given to the group by the Archdiocese of Omaha.
Although the casino opponents might not be able to afford radio or television ads, they largely rely on public support from important figures such as Tom Osborne, a former football coach at the University of Nebraska, and Governor Pete Ricketts.
The state authorities are now required to clear out the administrative hurdles related to the gambling expansion and the November ballot. The secretary state office has 40 days to sort out the petitions and send the boxes to the counties. Then, the local authorities will have to proceed with confirming the number of signatures and reporting the exact number to the state officials.
