WarHorse Gaming LLC, owned by Ho-Chunk, Inc., opened its sports betting facility on November 1, 2023, in Omaha to debut legalized sports betting in the city. The operator launched its sports book in a building situated at Horsemen’s Park, 63rd and Q Streets to temporarily host local bettors until the casino opens next fall.

Sports Betting Launch:

As reported by Omaha World-Herald, the horse race betting facility has been relocated to make room for the new sports wagering one. According to the source, the move will not affect the horse bettors as they may continue wagering on horse races that are televised in real-time. The launch of sports betting in Omaha follows the WarHorse‘s development in Lincoln with the Omaha expansion announced in May 2023. In this way, the local bettors will have a much more convenient option to bet on games than before, when they had to take a 50-minute drive to wager at the Lincoln casino.

Online Sports Betting Now Available:

Online sports betting is not legal in Nebraska and Omaha bettors have had to go to neighboring Iowa to place wagers on games, however, according to the Omaha World-Herald, the revenue generated in Iowa stayed in Iowa. That’s where the Ho-Chunk Inc company stepped in as the parent company of WarHorse and an economic development arm of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.

Having developed a casino in neighboring Lincoln, the Omaha expansion has been a seamless operation and a proven measure for Ho-Chunk to keep wagers in the city. Lance Morgan, chief executive officer of Ho-Chunk Inc., reportedly said: “We think it’s going to be exciting, especially for people who have to go to Iowa right now, to be able to do it right here in Omaha.”

Building Permanent Gambling Facility:

As reported, Morgan considers that the launch of sports betting is just a “tiny first step” to the goal designed for the Omaha site. He said: “What we’re building in the permanent facility is going to be incredible. It’s something, I think, people can take great pride in.”

The permanent facility being built by WarHorse will include a casino, racing, and entertainment complex as part of an approximate $250 million investment. According to the Omaha World-Herald, the development will include renovation of the Horsemen’s Park complex and expand the current construction by almost 67,000 square feet. In the interim, Omaha bettors can wager at ten electronic kiosks or the WarHorse Sportsbook window located inside the temporary building at Horsemen’s Park. The first bet has reportedly already been placed on the Nebraska Cornhuskers football team.