Nebraska Online Sports Betting Referendum Set
Nebraska voters will decide this November whether to bring online sports betting to the state, after the Secretary of State's office certified two ballot initiatives aimed at legalizing and regulating mobile wagering.
The initiatives are designed to work together: one would amend the state constitution to permit online betting, while the other would create the regulatory framework needed to license and oversee mobile sportsbooks.
The constitutional measure required 138,473 valid signatures, 10% of Nebraska's registered voters plus a county-level threshold, while the regulatory measure needed 96,918.
Both were submitted for the November 3 general election ballot after passing certification, despite earlier concerns over the validity of more than 13,000 signatures from Lancaster County that had been flagged for potential irregularities.
Racetrack Casinos Could Go Online
If both measures pass, Nebraska's existing racetrack casinos would be able to offer online sports betting directly or partner with outside sportsbook operators, with each casino allowed up to two platform partnerships.
The measures would continue to bar betting on games involving Nebraska college football and basketball teams.
Tax Relief Nebraska, the group behind the push, has commissioned a study projecting as much as $87m in tax revenue from online sports betting over the initiative's first five years, with most proceeds earmarked for the state's Property Tax Credit Cash Fund.
Casino Games Hub
Operators Are Already Backing The Campaign
DraftKings and FanDuel have both invested millions of dollars into the campaign, with BetMGM and WarHorse Gaming also providing financial backing. All these operators have some of the best betting apps available to customers.
Supporters point to the number of Nebraskans who already travel out of state to place mobile wagers as evidence of demand, while opponents have raised concerns about gambling-related harm from wider access to betting.
If voters approve both measures in the referendum, the Nebraska Gaming and Racing Commission would then be responsible for writing the rules governing the new market, following public hearings ahead of the vote.
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