| | |  | Last Updated: Tuesday, June 19, 2007 |  | | | Gambling Initiatives to Continue
- Thursday, 2 Mar 2006
Nebraska Secretary of State, John Gale, said that it was too early to determine whether the petitions to widen the legality of gambling options in the state were legal and whether these petitions violate the Constitution. It is clear that Gale must wait for all the signatures in favor of the relaxed gambling laws to be collected before determining if it can appear on the ballot. Gambling opponents are questioning whether the casino petition should be allowed to proceed because the state has a limit on similar ballot proposals more than once in three years.
Even though the proposed gambling petitions differ to previous attempts, opponents are considering them as one of the same. Nebraskans voted down two casino gambling proposals in November 2004 of a relatively similar nature. The secretary of state said he can understand the citizens’ frustration to have to vote against a similar petition when they declined a gambling related petition less than 18 months ago.
The current proposed bill is being pushed as being more ‘socially friendly’ - It would allow one casino in each of the state's three congressional districts. The proposal also calls for most the gambling revenue collected to go to Nebraska schools, spending $3 million a year on compulsive gambling assistance and up to $10 million to bolster live horse racing in the state. The keno related petition would allow individual keno playing at machines – and not the centrally state run option which exists today. | |
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