Legislation for sports betting in Nebraska fails, unfavorable for sportsbook expansion seems remote in the year 2025
April 24, 2025, 12:58h
Last updated on: April 24, 2025, 01:06h.
Bye, Bye, Online Sports Betting in Nebraska...for Now!Stuck with brick-and-mortar sportsbooks for now*Legislation stalls, leaving online sports betting on hold*
It's a bummer for Nebraskans who crave the convenience of placing bets from the comfort of their homes. The dream of legal online sports betting in Nebraska might have to wait another year (or more) as efforts to expand legal sports betting to the internet have hit a brick wall.
Back in 2020, during the presidential elections, Nebraskans voted for a statewide constitutional amendment that allowed casinos with slot machines, table games, and sports betting at licensed horse racetracks. Although sports betting wasn't explicitly mentioned, lawmakers later believed it was included—but only on the casino grounds. That's right, Nebraska sports betting remains limited to physical retail sportsbooks.
Some Nebraskans, eager for a taste of online sports betting action, have been using offshore gaming sites. Supporters of legal online sports betting say this trend is draining tax revenue from the state.
2026 Referendum R.I.P.
Sen. Eliot Bostar (D-Lincoln), one of the younger members of the Nebraska Legislature, wanted to give Nebraskans the chance to decide if online sports betting should be allowed through another gaming referendum during the 2026 midterms. Legislative Resolution 20 (LR20) would have presented the question to voters next fall. However, on Wednesday, Bostar pulled the measure.
Bostar told reporters he didn't have the support to overcome an expected filibuster on LR20. According to him, the votes were too fluid, and it was the responsible thing to move on.
Sen. Brad von Gillern (R-Elkhorn) argued that the state's 2020 gaming authorization was intended to revitalize horse racing and decrease property taxes—not become the Las Vegas of the Midwest. Von Gillern claimed that allowing online sports betting would lead to problem gambling and addiction, with young men being the most vulnerable.
I can attest that many men in their 20s lack the wisdom to refrain from harmful things," von Gillern said.
Legislative Bill 421, introduced by Sen. Stanley Clouse (R-Buffalo), aimed to bypass the referendum by recognizing online sports gambling as a permissible form of gambling authorized by the 2020 referendum. Clouse proposed that as long as an online sportsbook's IT system is based within a racetrack casino's property, online sports betting would be legal.
Unfortunately, just like LR20, Clouse's bill faced opposition from those against making gambling more accessible, as well as legal questions over whether the 2020 referendum permitted online sportsbooks regardless of their location. LB421 had a hearing in the General Affairs Committee last month but was later shelved.
Sports Betting Ain't Moving Anytime Soon
With most state legislatures approaching the end of their sessions, the chances of a state joining the 39 and Washington, D.C., that have already passed sports betting laws seem slim. Missouri was the only state to legalize sports betting in 2024.
Meanwhile, Hawaii, a state with no legal gambling, is the best remaining hope for joining the sports betting market in 2025. A special conference committee is trying to find a middle ground between the two sports betting bills passed by the Hawaii House of Representatives and Senate.
Apart from Nebraska, Mississippi lawmakers also declined to push forward with online sports betting bills this year.
Remember, Nebraska sports betting is operational in physical retail locations, but the legalization of online sports betting is still up in the air due to ongoing legislative hurdles. So for now, grab your baseball cap and sports bettors, it's off to the casino we go!
[For the latest gaming news and updates, follow CasinoOrgDevinO on Twitter.]
- Supporters of legal online sports betting in Nebraska are disheartened as efforts to expand legal sports betting to the internet have stalled, leaving online sports betting on hold for the time being.
- Despite Nebraska sports betting being operational in physical retail locations, the legalization of online sports betting remains up in the air due to ongoing legislative hurdles, causing some to resort to using offshore gaming sites.
- In an attempt to give Nebraskans the chance to decide on the matter, Senator Eliot Bostar (D-Lincoln) had proposed Legislative Resolution 20 (LR20), but he pulled the measure due to lack of support to overcome an expected filibuster.
- Nebraska joins Mississippi in declining to push forward with online sports betting bills this year, making it less likely that any new states will join the 39 and Washington, D.C., that have already passed sports betting laws in the near future.
