Lawmakers in the US state of Nebraska have rejected a proposal that could have led to casino gambling in the state.

Nebraska

Senators voted 27-16 to kill Legislative Resolution 10CA, introduced by State Senator Paul Schumacher of Columbus. Currently voters must amend the Constitution to expand gambling.

Schumacher said the proposal would have made it possible for Nebraska to compete with neighbouring states for gambling revenue, something that is too difficult to accomplish with constitutional amendments.

He said most Nebraskans now live within an hour of casinos and that Nebraskans spend an estimated $300m to $400m on gambling outside of the state. Iowa, in particular, has geared its casinos to attract Nebraskans’ dollars.