Debate on legal online Nebraska sports betting will have to wait until January as the state’s special legislative session adjourned sine die Tuesday without formal discussion of the issue.
Despite spending more than three weeks discussing ways to reduce property taxes in the state, lawmakers never took up a constitutional amendment and accompanying framework bill to legalize online NE sports betting. However, lawmakers did send several other bills to Gov. Jim Pillen as part of a property tax relief package, which he signed into law at a press conference Tuesday.
The next push for expanded gambling in Nebraska will come in the new year, with Pillen already voicing support for a priority sports betting bill likely to gain consideration.
Nebraska sports betting bill
Sen. Eliot Bostar introduced LR 3CA and LB 13 at the start of a special session that began July 25.
The amendment advanced out of the General Affairs Committee last week. It would have required a four-fifths majority from the unicameral legislature to put the question in front of voters this November, or a three-fifths majority to head to the ballot in November 2026.
The longer the special session went on, the less optimistic stakeholders were that online sports betting would be discussed. Industry sources signaled to LSR late last week that hope for LR 3CA was dwindling.
The ‘poison pill’
Another hurdle came Friday when 13 Nebraska senators called any effort to legalize online sports betting a “poison pill.”
Without online sports betting, Bostar believes Nebraska is losing $32 million in annual tax revenue. His bill would have directed 90% of proceeds to the state’s property tax relief fund.
With a priority bill coming in January, the earliest voters could decide on legalizing NE sports betting apps is November 2026. Bostar believes that timeline will cost the state $100 million in tax revenue.
In-person NE sports betting results
Right now, sports betting in Nebraska is limited to four in-person sportsbooks.
During the latest fiscal year, those retail operations combined to send nearly $2 million in tax payments to the state.
The state currently directs 70% of all gambling revenue to the property tax relief fund.
