Tax Relief Nebraska, the committee behind two ballot initiatives that would legalize online sports betting in the state, filed signatures with the secretary of state on June 26. One initiative is an amendment that would authorize laws governing online sports betting. The second is an initiated state statute that would authorize the state gaming commission to adopt rules and regulations governing the online sports betting gaming operators and wagers.
Currently, sports betting is legal at racetracks in Nebraska but not online. In 2020, Nebraska voters approved three ballot initiatives that together legalized, regulated, and taxed gambling at horse racetracks. Each was approved by at least 65% of the vote. The state legislature passed a law in 2021 authorizing sports betting at the racetracks, and the sportsbooks went live in June 2023.
The measure is supported by BetMGM, DraftKings, FanDuel, and Fanatics.
Lynne McNally, head of government relations for WarHorse Casinos, said, “Based on the feedback we've received so far, we're optimistic that if we're on the ballot in November, then we should be seeing legalized mobile sports betting after that.”
Concerned about an increase in gambling addictions in the state, Mike Sciandra at the Nebraska Council on Problem Gambling said, “Research has shown that mobile sports betting is four times more addictive than other forms of casino gambling. So if we use that logic there, we need to be funding probable gambling treatment at a much higher level than that 2.5%. I understand the reasoning for wanting to bring mobile sports betting to the state from a revenue standpoint, but we cannot ignore the social costs that would come from bringing mobile sports betting into the state.”
In 2018, the U.S. Supreme Court overturned the federal ban on online sports betting, allowing each state to regulate it. Including Nebraska, 39 states authorize sports betting, with 30 authorizing it on online platforms.
In Nebraska, the deadline to submit signatures for initiatives is July 2. To qualify the amendment for the ballot, petitioners must collect signatures from 10% of registered voters by the signature deadline. According to the latest voter registration report, there are 1,256,903 registered voters as of May 22. The approximate number of signatures required is 125,690 signatures. To qualify the statute, petitioners need to submit signatures equal to 7% of registered voters, which would be approximately 87,983 signatures.
Nebraska also has a distribution requirement that requires initiative proponents to collect signatures from 5% of the registered voters in two-fifths (38) of Nebraska's 93 counties. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval. However, the number of affirmative votes cast for the measure must be greater than 35% of the total votes cast in the election.
This election cycle, 12 ballot initiatives were filed in Nebraska. As of July 1, one other campaign reported submitting signatures. Fairness for Girls filed signatures for an initiative that would require schools to designate sports teams as male, female, or co-ed and prohibit male participation on female sports teams.
Nebraska voters are set to decide on a legislatively referred constitutional amendment this November that would change the term limit for state legislators from two consecutive four-year terms (eight years) to three consecutive four-year terms (12 years). Nebraska voters adopted state legislative term limits in 2000 with the approval of Initiative Measure 415. In 2012, Nebraska voters defeated an amendment that would have increased the consecutive term limits for Nebraska legislators from two terms (eight years) to three terms (12 years). Voters defeated the amendment by a margin of 35.4% in support of the amendment to 64.6% opposing it.Additional reading:
