A major push is being launched to get the signatures of Nebraskans on gambling petitions. Seven petitions are currently in the works, needing thousands of names apiece.

Rich Bellino owns and runs La Visita Keno and he's heading up one of the seven petitions to bring casino gambling to Nebraska.

Bellino says, "It's going to be a terrible, terrible battle, because six years ago when we did it, the horse tracks had an initiative out there and both of us failed because we couldn't get enough signatures. So with seven of them out there, I'm sure somebody is going to fail."

But that's not stopping Bellino from getting back in the fight.

"I believe it should be the people's choice," he says. "There's a poll out there now that says 91 percent of people in Nebraska want to vote on this issue."

Jerry Bauerkemper sees no winners.

Bauerkemper is with The Nebraska Council on Compulsive Gambling and he says, "All the funds are gained by gambling revenue, yet there are no funds available to help problem gambling."

Whether anyone will come out ahead is a big question.

Bellino says he might have a tough time with his petition but he thinks it will be harder for the group trying with four petitions.

"They have less than 120 days to do it," Bellino says. "And that's about 4,200 signatures a day they have to collect, and being part of the last initiative that was done, that's a big hill to climb for anybody."

The Keep the Money in Nebraska Coalition will start gathering signatures for its four petitions on Thursday while Bellino will start his petition next week.

All petitions are due at the beginning of July.

If enough valid signatures are collected, the gambling question will be on the November ballot.

As the grassroots initiatives begin to roll, the Legislature is debating a plan that would legalize up to eight casinos. That proposal is stalled in the second of three rounds of debate.