Nebraska Online Sports Betting Petition Certified for November Ballot

Nebraska voters will decide in November whether to expand sports betting to the internet, with the statewide ballot set to include a referendum on online sports wagering. A roadside sign at the Nebraska state border with Colorado welcomes motorists. Homeowners in Nebraska are seeing their property taxes eased with the liberalization of casino gambling and sports betting. (Image: Shutterstock) On Friday (Aug. 21), Nebraska Secretary of State Robert Evnen (R) announced that his office had certified the online sports betting petition. The referendum is two parts, with one question asking if the Nebraska Constitution should be amended to permit online sports gambling, and a second seeking voter approval to revise the Nebraska Racetrack Gaming Act to allow licensed casinos to conduct online sportsbooks. Evnen reported that the constitutional amendment petition secured “at least 138,473 valid signatures” and exceeded state-mandated rules regarding canvassing minimums. The statutory initiative regarding the gaming regulations surpassed less stringent referendum criteria. The Nebraska Secretary of State’s office will hold public hearings on these ballot measures in each of Nebraska’s three congressional districts, as well as produce an informational brochure about the ballot measures. The dates and locations of district hearings will be announced at a later date,” Evnen said. FanDuel and DraftKings primarily bankrolled the online sports betting referendum, with each sportsbook contributing $3.5 million to the campaign called Tax Relief Nebraska. BetMGM and WarHorse Gaming, LLC, the latter being Nebraska’s largest casino operator, also lent support. Evnen’s certification comes only days after Lancaster County Election Commissioner Todd Wiltgen flagged over 13,000 petitions as potentially fraudulent. The online sports betting campaign, Tax Relief Nebraska, said it remained confident it submitted more than enough signatures to meet the thresholds despite the concerns in Lancaster County. Nebraska Sports Betting Rules On Nov. 3, 2026, Nebraskans will be asked to authorize online sportsbooks through two questions. If the ballot measures secure a simple majority, or 50% plus one vote, each racetrack casino would be allowed to operate or partner with up to two online sportsbook platforms. The skin model means the state would not conduct an open bid but instead allow the current casinos to field sportsbook partnerships. Though not set in stone in the regulatory referendum, it’s largely expected that online sportsbooks would be taxed at 20% of their gross revenue. The state would allocate 70% of the proceeds to the Property Tax Credit Cash Fund, which provides homeowners with credits against their annual property taxes. Nebraskans passed the 2020 racetrack casino bill with hopes of seeing their property taxes diminish. Along with sports betting, 20% of each casino’s slot machine and table game revenue goes to the state, with 70% earmarked for residential property taxes. In-State Ban Remains Regardless of whether online sports betting comes to Nebraska, bets on games involving in-state colleges and universities will remain prohibited. Nebraska’s sports betting law says an “authorized sporting event does not include an in-state collegiate sporting event in which an in-state collegiate university team is a participant.” That means bets on the state’s beloved Cornhuskers will stay on the sidelines. The post Nebraska Online Sports Betting Petition Certified for November Ballot appeared first on Casino.org.