Nebraska Voters Could Decide the Future of Online Betting

The Cornhusker State was among the first to move boldly and legalize land-based sports gambling in May 2021, but it has mostly balked at the idea of expanding the activity, choosing instead to limit the activity to the Grand Island Casino Resort and Harrah’s Columbus.

Bringing Online Betting to Nebraska at Long Last

So, what’s new in Nebraska? Well, the Legislature’s General Affairs Committee has chosen to advance the Legislative Resolution 3CA in a 5-2 vote, which signals a strong endorsement for the measure across lawmakers. The idea of 3CA is to expand sports betting to online gambling in the state.

The idea is to have the proposal appear in the general election, changing the constitution – if enough popular vote is garnered – and legalizing sports gambling. Measures that make it to the ballot are usually endorsed for the most part, at least so far as sports gambling is involved.

However, Nebraska lawmakers ought to hurry, as the window is closing fast. Should they miss the present window of opportunity, the earliest the proposal would make it to voters is in 2026.

The proposal is not without its detractors, but the majority of legislators believe that its current language is enough to put it on the ballot in 2025 and still tinker with it if it’s passed by all lawmakers along with the voters’ approval next year.

There are strong incentives to pursue this, as online sports gambling and its legalization should fetch an extra $32 million in tax revenue for the state, a no negligible sum, and certainly a powerful incentive. Nebraska does not have a long record of opposing sports gambling – especially since the federal ban on the activity was lifted in 2018.

Agree to Disagree as Lawmakers Find Tax Windfall Appealing

For example, Gov. Jim Pillen had confirmed even before land-based betting became legal in the Cornhusker State that he would not seek to block the matter if it was brought to his desk, although he acknowledged that it might be better left for future legislative sessions to avoid opposition.

The extra revenue holds a very strong appeal as well. For example, committee members, Senators Jana Hughes of Seward and Tom Brewer of Gordon, were somewhat opposed, but they acquiesced that the possible windfall from the activity to the state made a powerful argument by itself.

The matter is not quite sealed just yet, but the progress of 3CA has been encouraging.