Temporary Grand Island Casino debuts Nebraska's second retail sportsbook

The Grand Island Casino Resort in Nebraska opened on Wednesday morning its new Elite Sportsbook facility, where guests will find betting kiosks and retail betting in the Draft Day area. The casino thus joins WarHorse Casino in Lincoln, which opened its sports wagering operation in June, as the second in the state with sports betting.

"We are excited to offer sports betting to our guests," said Dan Kehl, CEO of Elite Casino Resorts, the parent company of the Grand Island Casino. "This is another big step on our path to bring a permanent, full-service casino resort to Grand Island," he added, as reported by KSNB.

There are two kiosks and betting stations for bettors and even after hours, kiosks will still be available. The location of the new sportsbook received an upgrade. The former Snack Bar underwent a transformation into “Draft Day,” an eatery offering an expanded menu selections.

However, bettors will encounter some restrictions on wagering for the NCAA's Huskers. "The only downside is that Nebraska teams when they are playing in Nebraska, you can’t bet on them," Vince Fiala, general manager of Grand Island Casino Resort, said according to the above-mentioned media. "You can only bet on them when they aren't in Nebraska."

Last week, the casino expanded its offerings by being the first in the state to offer table games in Nebraska, launching blackjack, craps, and roulette tables in addition to new slot machines. The launch of sports betting had been in the works for several months, and after receiving approval from the Nebraska State Racing Commission, the plans went into fruition.

The temporary casino opened on December 27, 2022, and now has more than 300 slot machines and eight table games. Construction of the permanent resort is set for October 2023 and the current projection for the casino to become permanent is set for December 2024.