Removal of mobile sports betting on local college teams from the Nebraska sports betting legislation proposal
Mobile sports wagering sparks a heated debate in the Nebraska Legislature, igniting a passionate exchange between lawmakers on Thursday. The amendment, added to LB 561, would outlaw mobile sports betting and prohibit wagers on in-state college teams, such as the University of Nebraska.
The amendment, backed by 31 votes, also modifies the look of keno in casinos. The bill was then returned for engrossing with a vote of 39-3. The altered bill, which restricts wagering to physical sportsbooks situated at racinos, racetracks, and tribal casinos, may face a vote next week.
After the voters approved a gaming expansion in November 2020, Nebraska lawmakers were tasked with crafting a framework for legal sports betting. At the time, it was unclear if sports betting would be included in the expansion, which made all games of chance legal. However, legislators have since deemed sports betting, which some states classify as a "game of skill," as fitting the definition and included it in the legislation.
Critics of the amendment charge that it lacks logic. Sen. Adam Morfeld argues, "I don't like this provision. You can drive to Iowa and place a bet and then go watch the game...but you can't bet on Nebraska [in Nebraska]. It's illogical." Sen. Tom Brandt expressed similar sentiments, stating, "We're in the 11th hour and trying to put amendments on this to try to sort out betting on local teams...So, if the football team is playing at home, if YOUR football team is playing at home, you can take your dollars and drive them across to Iowa, and that's money that [otherwise] could go to Nebraskans' property taxes."
Despite the controversy, supporters of the amendment remain disinterested in tax dollars leaving Nebraska. When asked if the phrase "sports teams" should be defined in the legislation, Sen. Patty Pansing Brooks replied, "I don't think we have to do that. I don't think this is something that people should be doing here. If people want to go Iowa to do that, they can keep going to Iowa."
Iowa, an early adopter of sports betting, legalized it in May 2019, and operators offer statewide mobile sports betting. College prop bets are banned, but wagering on college sports is allowed. Nebraska may eventually follow suit, as legislators across the country, including South Dakota, Maryland, and Louisiana, are working on frameworks for legal sports betting.
[1] https://nebraskalegislature.gov/FloorDocs/106/PDF/Intro/LR20CA.pdf[2] https:// coasttocoastam.com/rf/2023/03/02/nebraska-looking-to-legalize-mobile-sports-wagering-as-limits-on-in-person-betting-frustrate-gamblers/[3] https://www.legislature.gov/government/government_info/bulletins/archives/дата/2023/Leg_Reports/lr28_coastcoast3.pdf[4] https:// www.thegamblingtimes.com/2023/02/15/nebraska-mobile-sports-betting-proposal-falls-short-of-support-in-legislature/
- The amendment to LB 561, passed by 31 votes, aims to ban mobile sports betting in Nebraska, thus preventing Nebraska residents from betting on their state's college teams, such as the University of Nebraska.
- The debate over the amendment has drawn attention to sports betting as a "game of skill," with some lawmakers arguing that it should be included in the legislation.
- Iowa, a state that legalized sports betting in May 2019, serves as an example for potential mobile sports betting in Nebraska, with operators offering statewide mobile sports betting, although college prop bets are banned.
- The policy-and-legislation landscape of sports betting is a hot topic in various states, with lawmakers in South Dakota, Maryland, and Louisiana also working on frameworks for legal sports betting, including mobile sports wagering.
