How WarHorse Casino Lincoln began
The temporary casino that opened on September 24, 2022 was the first legal casino floor in Nebraska, two years after voters approved gaming at licensed racetracks. For its first two years the building had room only for slot machines. The track itself, long known as Lincoln Race Course, now races under the name Legacy Downs.
Building in phases let the operator earn revenue while construction continued, starting with a slots-only floor, adding tables in late 2024 and moving into a third stage in 2026. The approach is common at newer racinos, a model explained in what is a racino, and it shaped every expansion that followed in Lincoln.
Table games and the slot floor
The second phase opened on November 4, 2024 with 400 more slot machines, ten table games and an expanded sportsbook and simulcast area, which WarHorse said would double the size of the building’s interior. Until then the casino had room only for slot machines, so blackjack and roulette marked a real change for regular players.
The current table games line-up covers blackjack, craps, roulette and baccarat. Through the first seven months of 2026 the property reported $55.7 million in gross gaming revenue, second in the state behind WarHorse Omaha. Most of that tax revenue is directed by state law to the property tax credit fund, with portions going to Lincoln and Lancaster County.
Phase 3 construction at WarHorse Casino Lincoln
Work on the final stage began on February 9, 2026 and is scheduled to run through the summer of 2027. When it is finished, WarHorse Casino Lincoln expects to offer more than 1,100 slot machines and 18 table games. Two restaurants are part of the build: Nebraska Ale Haus, a sports bar concept, and Big Fire Chop House, a steakhouse.
The construction changes how visitors arrive. The big south-east parking lot is closed for the duration, and a complimentary shuttle runs from alternative parking to the door. Drivers reach the property from 1st Street and West Denton Road, then follow signs to the entrances on the west side of the building; on Fridays and Saturdays a north entrance also opens.
The horse racing schedule at Legacy Downs
Racing at Legacy Downs is concentrated in a short spring meet. The 2026 horse racing schedule approved by the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission listed eleven days between May 16 and June 14. That slot sits after Fonner Park in Grand Island closes its season in early May and before Omaha’s seven July dates at Horsemen’s Park.
Outside the live meet, the casino carries simulcast racing seven days a week, so a bettor can follow the bigger national cards through the year. The national horse racing schedule lists the Nebraska meets alongside tracks in other states, and our pari-mutuel betting guide covers how win, place and exotic pools work at the window.
Dining and nearby options
While Phase 3 is under way, the main restaurant is the Winner’s Circle Grill, which serves breakfast, lunch and dinner. The new steakhouse and sports bar will add sit-down choices once construction ends. Because diners pass through a gaming building with a 21-and-over rule, the casino is not set up for family meals.
Lincoln’s other restaurants are a short drive north, with the Haymarket and downtown districts close to the University of Nebraska campus. For a second racino on the same trip, WarHorse Casino Omaha is about an hour north-east on Interstate 80, and the Grand Island Casino Resort at Fonner Park is roughly ninety minutes west.
Visiting with limits in mind
WarHorse Casino Lincoln checks identification at the entrance, and Nebraska allows only adults aged 21 and over on any racetrack casino floor. A budget set before the visit, and a stop time agreed with friends, helps keep a night out from running long. The statewide helpline at 1-833-BETOVER answers around the clock.