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Nebraska Grapples With Gambling

"He knows slot machines there and in neighboring Missouri, South Dakota, Colorado, and Kansas, lure thousands of Nebraskans each year to spend millions of dollars outside their home state.

"He's heard criticism that Nebraska is losing out on a bonanza by not allowing casino gambling.

"He wants no part of it.

"…A group of bar owners are circulating petitions to change the state constitution to allow video slot machines in bars and some restaurants. If 110,000 valid signatures are collected by early July, voters will decide the issue in November.

"…Iowa has allowed casinos since 1989 in the 10 counties where voters approved riverboat gaming referendums. Gambling has become the fifth-largest source of money for the state treasury, said Bill Hansen, chairman of the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission.

"Iowa's three race track casinos and 10 riverboat casinos are expected to generate $194 million in state taxes this year.

"Johanns said casino-style gambling is different from wagering sanctioned by Nebraska -- the lottery, keno, horse racing, bingo and so-called ''pickle'' cards sold by nonprofit groups.

"'It's one thing to walk through the grocery store line and buy a lottery ticket. But video slots is a different thing,' he said. '`It's an enticing game. It's more addictive.'

"That logic angers Omaha Sen. Ernie Chambers, who has tried to abolish the state lottery.

"'If the governor is in favor of the state lottery ... he ought to wear big red letter ''H'' for hypocrite,' Chambers said. 'What he is trying to do is to protect those people who already have staked out there territory.'…"

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