The launch of state-sanctioned casino gambling in Nebraska appears to be taking a bite out of revenue at two big Council Bluffs casinos, according to the state of Iowa. Revenue is down this year at Ameristar and Horseshoe casinos, two of Iowa’s top-grossing casinos, state records show.
The American Gaming Association noted this dip in a report on third-quarter revenue published last week.
“In the Midwest,” the AGA said, “traditional revenue at two of Iowa’s three top-grossing casinos in the Council Bluffs market continued to trail last year following the launch of slot gaming in eastern Nebraska in late 2022.”
The revenue dip should please gambling advocates in Nebraska, who for years argued the state should have its own casinos and stop the leakage of gambling dollars to Iowa.
