Officials from Nebraska have authorized two citizen-driven petitions aimed at legalizing and regulating online sports betting, thereby enabling organizers to start gathering voter signatures with the goal of presenting the matter to voters in November.
The initiatives would revise the Nebraska Constitution to allow online sports wagering while establishing a legal framework for the operation of online betting platforms within the state. Currently, sports betting in Nebraska is only permissible through in-person transactions at licensed commercial casinos, following a referendum approved by voters in 2020.
The movement towards online betting comes after several unsuccessful attempts in the state legislature to broaden gambling beyond traditional sportsbooks. A coalition advocating for this change, led by WarHorse Gaming, the largest casino operator in the state, and the Sports Betting Alliance, has decided to pursue the ballot initiative route.
The Nebraska Secretary of State’s office, under Robert Evnen, has approved the final wording of both petitions after reviewing and suggesting modifications, paving the way for their circulation.
“The constitutional amendment aims to state that laws may be created to permit sports wagers within Nebraska via an internet-based platform provided by an authorized gaming operator,” reads the petition.
The initiative proposes that each licensed casino would have the ability to operate or partner with up to two online sportsbooks, requiring that betting servers be located within Nebraska’s borders.
Organizers are tasked with obtaining signatures from at least 10% of registered voters—approximately 125,000 individuals—to place the constitutional amendment on the ballot. A related statutory petition requires signatures from 7% of registered voters, or around 88,000. Both ventures must achieve a geographic threshold of 5% support in at least 38 of Nebraska’s 93 counties. All signatures must be submitted by July 3, four months prior to the general election.
“If you’re a citizen wishing to sign the petition, you should be able to find someone around within the next week or two,” stated Lynne McNally, government relations director at WarHorse Casinos.
A supplementary referendum is set to allocate tax revenue generated from online sports betting mainly to Nebraska’s Property Tax Credit Fund, which lawmakers have utilized to alleviate property taxes for homeowners. Revenue from commercial casinos has already surpassed expectations, resulting in a reduction of approximately $250 in property taxes for a $200,000 home in 2024.
Governor Jim Pillen noted last autumn that casino revenue contributions to the relief fund were $20 million higher than originally anticipated.
Should voters approve the measures, the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission would be mandated to draft and finalize regulations on online sports wagering by June 1, 2027.