Nebraska Voters to Weigh Legalizing Online Sports Betting in Upcoming Election

Nebraskans may soon get to decide whether online sports betting should be legal in their state. Wagering on sports through websites and apps is not currently permitted in Nebraska, but two initiatives headed to the upcoming election would give voters the chance to change that.

According to the American Gaming Association, online sports betting is allowed in 32 states and Washington, D.C. Iowa is among them, and the difference in rules has led some Nebraskans to cross state lines to place their bets.

Political consultant Jordan McGrain led the petition drives behind both Nebraska measures. McGrain spoke with KMTV 3 News Now reporter Jeremy Fredricks at an office in Elkhorn. He said his interest in gaming issues is tied to property tax relief. "These gaming issues are something that I've been passionate about, specifically as they relate to property tax relief," McGrain said.

The two measures work together. Initiative Measure 440 would amend the state constitution to allow online sports betting, while Initiative Measure 441 would establish the rules governing it.

McGrain argues that the current situation costs Nebraska money. When residents travel to neighboring states to wager, he said, potential revenue goes to those states and to unregulated platforms. "We're just losing so much revenue to other states and unregulated platforms," he said.

Legalizing and regulating the activity in Nebraska, McGrain said, would let the state and cities collect tax revenue. He said 70% of that revenue would be directed to property tax relief. McGrain said he started the petitions because he believes Nebraska voters should have the final say, adding that "Nebraskans can dedicate their own common sense to laws like this."

The Nebraska Council on Problem Gambling is not taking a side. Executive director Mike Sciandra said the organization is neutral on the initiatives, but wants protections in place if voters approve them. "Our main goal is that if it does pass, we want to make sure that there's safeguards in place," Sciandra said.

Sciandra said possible safeguards include a cap on how much a person can deposit each day, a ban on using credit cards to fund accounts, and shutting down betting apps for a few hours overnight.

The Nebraska Secretary of State's Office is holding hearings on Initiative Measures 440 and 441. A hearing is scheduled for Saturday at 1:30 p.m. at the Omaha Public Library's Millard Branch.