Nebraska Prepares to Vote on Legalizing Online Sports Betting on November 3

Nebraska will decide if it wants to legalize online sports betting in the general election this autumn, as supporters of the idea are gearing up for a campaign after last month, state officials put the controversial question on the November 3 ballot. Proponents of Online Sports Betting Are Preparing a Ballot Campaign If approved by a majority of voters on the ballot, Nebraska would become the 33rd state to legalize statewide mobile sports wagering. In-person sports betting is already permitted at the state’s casinos and racetracks. The proposal would allow up to 12 statewide mobile sportsbooks, with each of Nebraska’s six gaming facilities eligible for two operators. However, not all of those available licenses may ultimately be filled. Tax Relief Nebraska, the main proponent of legalization, must file its first general election campaign finance report by October 5. Those filings will provide insight into how much sportsbooks are investing in the campaign and the financial support behind efforts to secure voter approval in November. Officials from Tax Relief Nebraska say the initiative would generate new revenue for local communities while providing millions of dollars in property tax relief. Other supporters could pour millions of dollars more into the campaign this fall, as backers of similar ballot measures have done in other states. Major sportsbooks have already contributed more than $7 million toward the signature-gathering effort, so it’s likely they will now shift their financing focus to the election campaign. FanDuel, DraftKings, Fanatics, and BetMGM are expected to pursue licenses after each contributed to the signature-gathering campaign. Caesars is also likely to seek a mobile license, given that it operates a Nebraska gaming facility and has a branded retail sportsbook at the property. Some Oppose the Legalization of Online Sports Betting Of course, not everyone is thrilled about the prospect of legalizing online sports betting in the state. For example, the Nebraska Family Alliance has emerged as one of the measure’s leading opponents. However, it remains unclear whether the group plans to contribute financially to efforts to defeat the proposal. Additionally, State Auditor Mike Foley and Treasurer Joey Spellerberg have recently joined the Save Nebraska Sports initiative, which also opposes legalization of online sports betting in the state. The initiative argues that doing so would undermine the integrity of college sports in Nebraska. The initiative is already somewhat successful, as the ballot measure would prohibit online wagers on Nebraska college teams when they play games within the state. Nebraska is the only state with legal sports betting that prohibits wagers on in-state college teams when they play within state lines while allowing bets on those teams when they compete outside the state.