State's Casino Revenue Tops 121% Yearly Increase in June Due to WarHorse Expansion in Nebraska
Nebraska Casinos See Record-Breaking Revenue Growth
Nebraska's casino industry experienced a significant boost in June 2025, with a remarkable 121% increase in gross gaming revenue compared to the same month last year. This growth was primarily due to the expansion of casino operations, including the opening of the new $185 million Grand Island Casino Resort facility in April 2025.
The Grand Island Casino Resort, with its new facilities and amenities, attracted an estimated 315,000 visitors since its opening on April 10, 2025. This influx of visitors contributed significantly to the revenue growth.
Other casinos also reported strong revenues. WarHorse Casino Lincoln and WarHorse Casino Omaha, for example, both showed robust performances through the first five months of 2025. WarHorse Omaha led the pack with $35 million in revenue, followed by WarHorse Lincoln at $33.2 million.
Harrah’s Columbus Casino, which began live racing in mid-June 2025, expected a considerable rise in revenue during June and July. The casino had already recorded $10.8 million in gross revenue through May 2025.
However, Harrah's Casino was the only one of the state's four casinos to see a decrease in revenue, with a 7.8% decrease from $2.2 million in May 2025 to $2.1 million in June 2025. On the other hand, Grand Island Casino generated $4.6 million in June 2025, a 75.9% increase compared to the $2.6 million brought in during June 2024.
WarHorse Casino Omaha saw a staggering 8,543% year-over-year rise in revenue, from $89,000 in June 2024 to a impressive $7.7 million in June 2025. This significant rise is attributed to a major expansion in August 2024, which allowed the casino to operate slots, table games, and electronic table games.
The report published by the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission did not provide revenue figures for any month other than June 2024 and June 2025. WarHorse Casino Lincoln added 4.23% year-over-year to its total revenue, but still fell short of WarHorse Gaming Omaha.
The report also did not provide revenue figures for casinos other than WarHorse Casino Omaha for June 2025. Prior to the expansion, WarHorse Casino Omaha only offered retail sports betting.
The remarkable revenue growth in Nebraska's casinos mirrors broader trends of expansion-driven revenue growth seen in other states. This growth is attributed to new casino investments, higher visitation due to enhanced facilities and events, and the seasonal boost around the Nebraska State Fair period.
- The expansion-driven revenue growth in Nebraska's casino industry, specifically the Grand Island Casino Resort, can be attributed not only to its new facilities but also to the introduction of diverse casino-games such as slots, table games, and electronic table games.
- Despite the sports-betting facility, WarHorse Casino Omaha's substantial revenue growth was not limited to sports betting alone; it recorded a staggering year-over-year rise in revenue due to its expansion, which also included casino-games, contributing to the casino-and-gambling culture in Nebraska.
