Three gambling initiatives put forth this year will not appear on the November ballot.
On Tuesday, the Nebraska Secretary of State's office announced that the initiatives are too confusing to be placed on the ballot.
A media release from Secretary of State Robert B. Evnen states that the initiative petitions include a proposed state constitutional amendment to legalize casino gambling at racetracks, along with two proposed laws that would regulate and tax casino gaming.
The petitions all had the same primary purpose, according to the release: “to permit currently prohibited games of chance to be conducted in Nebraska.”
In particular, one initiative was to allow games of chance at racetracks, which Evnen said included a provision that also allowed gambling on tribal lands, regardless of whether a racetrack was present. The release states that another had provisions for property tax relief, but only if the first initiative was put into effect.
According to the release from Evnen’s office, the three initiatives are sponsored by Keep the Money in Nebraska Inc., the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent & Protective Association, Ho-Chunk Inc. and Omaha Exposition & Racing.
A court review of the decision is likely.