Nebraska Sports Betting And Sportsbook Apps 2024
Nebraska sports betting has been legal since the state legislature passed a bill in May 2021. While online sports betting is not available, bettors can wager at four retail locations in the state.
WarHorse Casino’s two locations, the Grand Island Casino Resort, and Caesars Sportsbook at Harrah’s Columbus are, for now, the only locations in the state where Nebraskans can place legal bets on sports.
Read below for more information on Nebraska sports betting, including what a future online market could look like.
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When will online sports betting launch in Nebraska?
Any potential launch date for legal online sports betting in Nebraska is still unclear, as there are no rules allowing online sports betting in the state. The state’s next legislative session begins on Jan. 8, 2025.
For now, there are just four locations in the state where bettors can bet on sports legally. All other licensed casinos in the state that wish to provide legal sports betting must apply for and receive vendor licenses.
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What’s happening in Nebraska sports betting right now
- Aug. 21, 2024 — Nebraska’s special session ended without formally discussing online sports betting. The issue will now have to wait until a new legislative session starts in January.
- Aug. 16, 2024 — Opposition to sports betting legalization has kicked up, as 13 state senators released a signed statement in opposition to any movement.
- Aug. 14, 2024 — The constitutional amendment to allow voting on online sports betting in Nebraska has been officially introduced in the legislature. The amendment needs 80% support from lawmakers to move to voters this year or 60% support for 2026.
- July 30, 2024 — Online sports betting could soon be legal in Nebraska as the state kicked off a special session with proposed legislation that included amending the current sports betting law to allow online wagering.
- April 5, 2024 — According to the Lincoln Journal Star, a coalition of online sportsbooks, including FanDuel and DraftKings, declined to fund a petition to put online sports betting on the November ballot in Nebraska.
- Nov. 6, 2023 — A groundbreaking ceremony was held to begin the construction of Fonner Park in Grand Island, a new casino expected to open in 2025. The future location will offer retail sports betting.
- Oct. 25, 2023 — A second WarHorse Casino has received approval to open in Omaha. The facility will become the third retail sports betting location in the state.
Potential Nebraska sportsbook apps
As of now, rules and regulations for sports betting in Nebraska do not allow online or mobile wagering. However, if that changes, there are a few online books that could look to stake their claim in the state and begin offering online sports betting promos. Here are some of the top candidates:
- DraftKings — Already active as a daily fantasy sports provider in Nebraska and usually one of the first to launch in states that allow online sports betting.
- FanDuel — Also active as a DFS provider in Nebraska and often quick to launch in states where sports betting is legal.
- Caesars — Caesars already operates a retail sportsbook at the new Harrah’s location in Columbus.
Nebraska sports betting law
For now, sports betting will be available only at approved racinos, and people must place wagers in person at sports betting kiosks at the approved locations.
- Bettors may wager on professional, international, and college sports, individual sports awards, sports drafts, esports, and simulated games.
- The state won’t allow prop bets on individual college athletes or bets on Nebraska-based college teams that are playing games in the state.
- Bettors also won’t be able to bet on minor league sports or high school sports.
- The state of Nebraska will take a 20% tax on casino gambling revenue.
Legal sports betting options in Nebraska
At the moment, there are four legal options for sports betting in Nebraska: one WarHorse Casino location in Lincoln and another in Omaha, the Grand Island Casino Resort in Grand Island, and Caesars Sportsbook at Harrah’s Racing and Casino in Columbus. Some offshore sportsbooks may suggest that wagering on sports is legal in Nebraska on their websites, but those sites are operating outside of US laws, and there would be no legal recourse for bettors to recoup unpaid winnings or account balances should the sportsbook close.
DFS providers such as DraftKings and FanDuel allow Nebraska residents to play daily fantasy sports contests on their platforms.
There are also five tribal casinos in Nebraska located on Native American reservation land, but none of them offer sports betting at this time.
Horse betting in Nebraska
Horse racing and horse betting are legal in Nebraska. Bettors can wager live at the track, through simulcast betting, or online or via an app.
There are six tracks in Nebraska with live dates for 2024.
- Atokad Park in South Sioux City
- Fairplay Park in Hastings
- Columbus Exposition & Racing in Columbus
- Fonner Park in Grand Island
- Horsemen’s Park in Omaha
- Legacy Downs in Lincoln (this track is located at WarHorse Casino)
Simulcast betting is available at Fonner Park, Horsemen’s Park, and Legacy Downs.
Nebraska and daily fantasy sports
All of the major daily fantasy sports providers accept contest entries from within Nebraska. The daily fantasy sports space is a legal gray area in the state, as the language in state law does not specifically forbid or allow daily fantasy sports.
Companies like DraftKings and FanDuel do accept paid entries from within the state and could also end up seeking licenses to operate as retail sportsbooks in the future. There have been multiple attempts over the past few years to get daily fantasy sports regulated and taxed within the state, though none of that legislation has passed.
Legal sports betting in nearby states
While Nebraska does not currently have a legal avenue to place online sports bets, five of the six states that border Nebraska allow sports betting in some form, including online.
Omaha, which contains nearly a quarter of Nebraska’s population, is on the Iowa border. Iowa sports betting was legalized in 2019, and both online and retail betting launched later that year.
Colorado, Wyoming, and Kansas also border Nebraska and have legalized online sports betting. South Dakota, to the north, also allows sports betting, but only at casinos located in the city of Deadwood.
Missouri is the only state bordering Nebraska where sports betting remains illegal, but this is not for lack of trying. Proponents of legal sports betting in Missouri are pushing to include the issue on the November ballot.
Most popular sports to bet on in Nebraska
In Nebraska, all allegiances to pro sports teams come secondary to the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers. The Huskers football team is the most popular team in the state and would likely bring in the biggest betting handle of any events based in Nebraska, except that in-state bettors cannot legally wager on their beloved Huskers under the state’s sports betting rules.
There are no professional sports teams in the state, so loyalty to pro teams tends to focus on teams in neighboring or nearby states.
In the NFL, the Denver Broncos and Kansas City Chiefs are two of the more popular teams in Nebraska. Both teams are located in neighboring states and have had some recent success.
The Kansas City Royals, Colorado Rockies, and Chicago Cubs are three of the most popular MLB teams in Nebraska. The Cubs are also owned by the family of former Nebraska Gov. and current US Sen. Pete Ricketts.
In the NBA, the Denver Nuggets and Chicago Bulls are two of the most popular teams.
Nebraska sports betting FAQ
Is sports betting legal in Nebraska?
Yes, but right now, the only way to place a wager is at one of four retail locations in the state.
Who will be able to bet on sports in Nebraska?
Anyone 21 or older and inside Nebraska will be able to wager on sports in the state, provided, for now, that they are placing their wagers at a designated racino. While some select activities — lottery and pari-mutuel wagering — require participants only to be 18 or older, most gambling options in the state mandate that you be 21 or older.
Who oversees sports betting in Nebraska?
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission oversees all gambling in the state, including sports betting.
Where can I bet on sports in Nebraska?
The WarHorse Casino locations in Lincoln and Omaha, Caesars Sportsbook at Harrah’s Casino in Columbus, or the Grand Island Casino Resort in Grand Island.
Can I bet on sports on my phone in Nebraska?
There are no legal options for mobile sports betting in Nebraska at this time.