Nebraska’ casino industry almost triples its revenue, no casinos for South Carolina, and funny business at Hollywood Casino in Maine are the stories in this edition of Casino Concierge.
Casino industry in Nebraska grows
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission says casino revenue in its state should continue to rise as more facilities open and current casinos expand.
“We have seen so much growth since 2022 that every year we have either opened a new facility or opened different phases,” said Casey Ricketts, the executive director of the commission. “So you’re just going to continue to see our numbers grow that way.”
The first casino opened in Nebraska just in 2022. By 2024, $145 million was generated, which tripled the amount from 2023.
In 2025, Nebraska’s five casinos in Omaha, Lincoln, Grand Island, Columbus and Ogallala brought in $261 million.
The WarHorse locations in Omaha and Lincoln are responsible for $177 million of that. The Omaha casino is the crown jewel of the system.
“We had over a million customers just through the doors of this facility,” Lynne McNally, the head of government relations for WarHorse, told KOLN news. “I think people are just becoming more accustomed to having casinos in the state.”
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission collects a 20% tax on those profits, and 70% of that goes to the state’s property tax relief fund. In 2025, casino revenue contributed more than $36 million to that fund.
WarHorse Omaha, opened in 2024, is doing so well, that it expanded its facilities less than a year after opening.
Hollywood Casino in Bangor now a laugh factory
Hollywood Casino in Bangor, Maine, is getting into the funny business.
The casino, along with Maine comedians Adam Hatch and Ian Stewart, are hosting a six-week introductory course on the art of standup comedy. According to WABI, “they’ll be covering everything from writing a joke, how to handle certain situations during a live set, and finding your unique presence on stage.”
The casino is doing this on their property in order to try to grow the entertainment community of Bangor.
“Our goal is to make Hollywood Casino the epicenter of entertainment in Bangor, and comedy is a huge part of that,” said Alton Buzzell, Director of Marketing at Hollywood Casino.
The course will take place every Wednesday from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. in the Lancaster room until March.
No casinos for South Carolina
A bill that would allow a casino to open in South Carolina will not move forward after facing pushback from its Governor and the state’s powerful religious lobbyists.
The bill died in session, and according to the Charleston’s newspaper, the Post and Courier, “forward movement seems like a long shot this year. Gaming opponents, particularly religious groups, have lodged a full-court press against legalized gaming, flooding the statehouse earlier this year in an effort to poise Republican members against the bill.”
While it’s not completely dead, one of the bill’s sponsors cautioned optimism.
“There’s a pathway that it could be successful at the end of the day,” said House Ways and Means Chairman Bruce Bannister. “We could get it back out of Ways and Means. But I don’t see that pathway right now based on the current circumstances.”
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