Nebraska might be late to the proverbial party, but it is the latest state to consider online sports betting expansion.
Voters approved a ballot measure in 2020 to legalize casinos at the state’s horse racing tracks. During the subsequent legislative session, lawmakers passed a bill allowing retail sports betting at the casinos. In 2023, casinos opened brick-and-mortar sportsbooks.
On the other hand, online betting needed an amendment to the state constitution.
Lawmakers are attempting to bring online sportsbooks to the Cornhusker State this year, and it passed its first hurdle earlier in the week.
LR20CA advanced in the unicameral legislature during the first round of debate on Monday. The bill would allow the state’s horse tracks to offer online sports betting. Sen. Eliot Bostar sponsored the bill and sees it as a way to help taxpayers.
“This is an opportunity to create a new source of revenue for property tax relief,” he said. “In fact, Nebraskans are already in favor of the measure. Almost 60% of voters support legalizing mobile sports betting.”
Online Betting Helps State Coffers
Bostar said the absence of an online option meant the state was missing out on as much as $32 million in annual tax revenue.
“Let’s not leave this money on the table,” he said.
Getting the bill past the finish line may be difficult despite passing the first hurdle. One legislature member promised a filibuster, and overcoming that would mean getting two-thirds of the body’s 49 members to vote in favor of it.
The plan passed an initial round of voting 27-16, but Bostar believes that at least three of the six lawmakers who missed that vote would have voted yes. However, wrangling three more yes votes may not be easy.
The bill has faced considerable opposition. Some lawmakers are concerned about gambling addiction and other perceived social ills.
”Please don’t sell out our young people for property tax relief,” Sen. Brad von Gillern told colleagues.
Others expressed concern that legalizing online betting could harm the state’s fledgling casino industry.
“I think that I would rather see people come to the casino, come to my neighborhood, have fun, and I guess make more of an effort than having it at your fingertips,” Sen. Margo Juarez said. “I could see how that could be so much more out of control.”
A similar effort to legalize sports betting also failed last August.
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