Light & Wonder has found its way into Nebraska’s official skill niche via a comprehensive collaboration with Betson Enterprises. Together, it brings six titles adapted peculiarly for the state. The line-up features 6 top-tier titles on the KASCADA Dual Screen terminal. Meanwhile, Betson prepares a new distribution hub in La Vista to service licensed cabinets. Operators get to enjoy a compliant route into a scarce US skill niche with proven content and local support.
Launch Details and Market Entry
Light & Wonder broadens its skill portfolio in a state that officially regulates skill-based amusement devices. The Nebraska rollout follows earlier joint activity with Betson in Illinois, Georgia, and Pennsylvania. This signals a strategy of pairing familiar brands with cabinets that fit local rules.
What is lined up for Nebraska:
- 6 adapted titles curated for skill venues;
- deployment on the KASCADA Dual Screen cabinet across licensed locations;
- a distribution site in La Vista to support terminal logistics and servicing (via Betson).
The brand-new hub gives venues and operators quicker installation, maintenance, and parts availability. The content mix leans on player favourites that already show strong engagement in other jurisdictions, which helps venues reduce trial and error in game selection.
Company Signals and Partnership
Brian Pierce, the company’s Chief Commercial Officer for Gaming, indicated that the team was excited about entering Nebraska with titles known to drive play. On top of that, he mentioned that the Betson relationship helps pave the way into new territories with content that can elevate on-site experiences for new audiences. The companies frame the rollout as a combination of proven brands, a widely adopted cabinet, and a distribution backbone that shortens time to revenue for local partners.
From Betson’s side, a brand-new facility underscores a commitment to support Nebraska licence holders with on-the-ground fulfilment, field service, and compliance-friendly operational practices. Operators and venues gain a single channel for cabinets, content, and support, which simplifies contracting and day-to-day operations.
Nebraska’s Legal Ecosystem
The state is among the few US jurisdictions that regulate skill-based devices under a clear framework. The machines resemble casino slots in look and feel, yet manufacturers emphasise that outcomes depend in part on player inputs such as memory, pattern recognition, or reaction speed. That distinction places the devices in a separate category from chance-only slot machines and shapes how the state oversees taxation and licensing.
How Nebraska allocates finances and licences:
- Operators pay a 5% tax on net revenue.
- Annual device licence fees range from $100 to $5,000 based on size.
- Venues may host from 4 to 15 machines located on a floor area.
Tax distribution:
- 40% Property Tax Credit Cash Fund;
- 20% Charitable Gaming Operations Fund;
- 10% Tourism Promotion Fund;
- 30% General Fund, the Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund, and local jurisdictions.
The market footprint is already meaningful. Approximately 5,800 registered devices are active across restaurants, bars, social clubs, and fraternal halls. A defined tax split and predictable device counts per venue let Nebraska offer a stable environment for investment and long-term planning.
Why It Matters for Small Businesses
Within Nebraska and in other states where frameworks exist, skill games often serve as an anchor of non-core income for neighbourhood bars, social venues, and convenience locations. Supporters note that the machines can offset rising operating costs and help keep doors open during softer periods. In regulated settings, revenue is shared between the business and the machine operator. Meanwhile, the state takes its statutory portion, which brings predictability to monthly cash flow.
In states without clear rules, owners may still split income with device providers but operate under legal uncertainty and pay no specific taxes on the activity. That gap increases the risk of seizures and business disruption. The uncertainty has pushed some owners to join manufacturers in legal efforts that seek either explicit legality or a defined ban to end the grey area.
Elsewhere in the US: Mixed Laws and Active Courts
Nebraska’s clarity contrasts with the broader national patchwork. Several large states continue to wrestle with where skill devices should sit in statute and what oversight should apply.
Pennsylvania
The state hosts the largest number of skill machines yet operates in a legal grey zone. The Attorney General has called the devices illegal, while a number of courts have found that certain configurations do not meet the definition of gambling devices. The legislature debated 3 different regulation bills this year but made no final choice.
Governor Josh Shapiro has repeatedly encouraged regulation as a budgetary tool. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court already agreed to weigh in, so a statewide answer could arrive through the judiciary if lawmakers do not act first.
Virginia
Skill devices were initially banned in 2020, continued to run during a legal challenge, then faced a Supreme Court decision that confirmed the prohibition in 2023. A 2024 bill to regulate the machines passed the legislature but was vetoed by Governor Glenn Youngkin.
In a surprise twist, a county judge later ruled that a redesigned Pace O Matic product did not meet the definition of an illegal gambling device. As a result, it signalled that certain modified games could fit within the current state law.
California
Pace O Matic has sued the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control over what it argues were wrongful seizures of its machines at 2 sites. The company seeks the return of devices and clarity on operational boundaries for businesses that host them.
Recent court rulings in other states:
- Tennessee ruled in July that Torch Electronics devices marketed as skill-based were illegal under state law.
- A Texas appeals court upheld a 2024 District Court decision that Pace O Matic devices did not qualify as gambling machines and ordered their return after seizures.
- North Carolina’s Court of Appeals ruled at the start of 2025 that skill games are illegal.
- The Kansas Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit from a Pace O Matic subsidiary seeking a declaration that its Dragon’s Ascent product is lawful.
For operators and suppliers that build multistate routes, this map of inconsistent rules makes Nebraska’s framework stand out. A venue can plan device counts, share splits, cabinet choices, and responsible gaming obligations without waiting on a court calendar or volatile legislative sessions.
The Main Things about the Skill-Based Market
Light & Wonder’s Nebraska push with Betson pairs licensed distribution with recognisable content and a cabinet that already has an installed base in other regulated states. Venues receive a straightforward way to diversify entertainment and tap an additional revenue stream that aligns with clear tax and licensing rules. Operators gain a content pipeline, parts access, and field support that can scale as more locations come online.
Key takeaways for investors:
- Nebraska offers a defined tax rate, device caps per location, and clear licence fees.
- Light & Wonder brings established titles suited to skill categories, which shortens testing cycles.
- Betson’s La Vista site reduces lead times for installs and repairs.
- Small businesses can stabilise cash flow with state-recognised devices and predictable splits.
- The broader US landscape remains uneven, so planning around regulated states can limit legal risk.
Casino Market tracks the evolving US legal landscape. The next phase of your multistate rollout can start with a simple conversation about content mix, hardware, and compliance pathways. Order all the necessary software and equipment for your gambling projects at our studio.
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