Sports betting: Nebraska petitioning voters on legalizing mobile wagering in the state
Nebraska has two petitions circulating that would put an amendment to legalize sports betting on the November ballot
The Nebraska Secretary of State's office has approved two petitions for circulation, one of which would amend the state's constitution to legalize Nebraska sports betting. If enough signatures are acquired, the Nebraska sports wagering amendment would be placed on the November ballot for this year's general election.
The other petition outlines the regulations and requirements for a Nebraska sports betting statute, with online gaming running through licensed horse racing tracks and overseen by the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission. According to the petition, online operators would need to host their platforms on a server located in Nebraska and could offer sports wagering through no more than two platforms.
The proposals are supported by WarHorse Casinos and the Sports Betting Alliance, and WarHorse CEO Lance Morgan said DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Circa and bet365 are on board for partnerships with his company. Warhorse is the state's largest casino operator, with facilities in Lincoln and Omaha and another planned for South Sioux City.
Sports betting is legal in Nebraska only at licensed casinos through in-person wagering after a referendum was approved by voters in 2020. Nebraska online betting has repeatedly failed to get through the state legislature. A constitutional amendment proposed this year in the Nebraska legislature was not sufficiently supported by lawmakers after limited debate, so proponents have turned to ballot initiatives.
The constitutional amendment would require 10% of Nebraska registered voters to sign the petition, and the statute initiative needs 7% to sign on. Both efforts also require 5% support in at least 38 of Nebraska's 93 counties. Signatures must be obtained before July 3. If the initiatives pass, rules governing online sports wagering would be in place by June 1, 2027.
The statute initiative says tax revenue from online sports betting would be used to alleviate homeowner property taxes. Commercial casino revenue played a big part in a $20 million contribution to Nebraska's Property Tax Credit Fund in 2025, and supporters of the sports wagering initiatives say adding online sports betting could contribute to further property tax relief.
