Nebraska residents will have the opportunity to determine the future of online sports betting in the state after two ballot initiatives secured enough verified signatures to appear on the November 3 general election ballot.
The Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office, cited by Nebraska Public Media, confirmed that both measures met the requirements needed for certification. One proposal would amend the state constitution to permit online sports wagering, while the second would establish the legal and regulatory structure governing the market if voters approve the expansion.
The initiatives were backed by Tax Relief Nebraska, a campaign group that has spent much of the year gathering support for mobile wagering. Petition organizers submitted nearly 350,000 signatures combined earlier this summer, significantly exceeding the minimum thresholds required under state law.
According to the Secretary of State’s Office, the constitutional amendment petition obtained at least 138,473 valid signatures. The regulatory initiative reached at least 96,918 valid signatures. State officials stopped the verification process once both petitions surpassed 110% of the required totals.
The constitutional amendment required signatures equal to 10% of registered voters statewide and at least 5% of voters in 38 counties. The regulatory measure required support from 7% of registered voters statewide along with the same county-level distribution requirement.
Ballot Measures Outline Online Wagering Framework
Nebraska currently permits sports betting only at retail sportsbooks located within licensed racetrack casinos. Under the proposed changes, residents would gain access to online wagering platforms operating through partnerships with existing casino properties.
The regulatory initiative would amend state law to allow licensed racinos to partner with as many as two online sportsbook operators, enabling statewide mobile betting. If voters approve the measures, regulators would be responsible for creating the operational rules governing the market.
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission would have until June 1, 2027, to establish those regulations. State officials must finalize the full ballot by Sept. 11, while public hearings on the measures will be held in each of Nebraska’s three congressional districts before the election.
The petitions were originally filed in January and approved for circulation by the Secretary of State’s Office in February. Friday’s certification marked a significant step forward for supporters after previous legislative attempts to expand online wagering failed to reach completion.
In 2025, Senator Eliot Bostar introduced legislation that would have placed online sports betting before voters in 2026. Although the proposal initially received bipartisan backing and advanced through an early floor vote, lawmakers later voiced opposition and the measure was indefinitely postponed in April.
Industry Support and Funding Draw Scrutiny
The campaign behind the ballot measures has received substantial support from sportsbook operators and casino interests seeking entry into Nebraska’s online betting market.
Tax Relief Nebraska has been backed by major gaming companies as well as WarHorse Casino, which is operated by Ho-Chunk, Inc., the economic development corporation of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska.
Campaign finance disclosures show significant contributions from leading sportsbook operators. Reports indicate that FanDuel and DraftKings each committed approximately $3.5 million toward the initiative effort. Earlier fundraising disclosures also showed that the two operators contributed more than $1.1 million each during the initial stages of the campaign.
WarHorse Casino has already discussed potential partnerships with major online betting brands should the ballot measures succeed. According to local reports, conversations have included FanDuel, DraftKings and BetMGM as possible future partners.
Jordan McGrain, a political consultant working with Tax Relief Nebraska and a sponsor of the measures, said:
“We are grateful to every Nebraskan who participated in the process and signed our petitions. We believe voters will agree that a legal and regulated online sports wagering marketplace will keep the money in Nebraska, generating new revenue for local communities and millions of dollars in property tax relief.”
The Sports Betting Alliance, whose membership includes several major operators, has also expressed confidence in the measures’ prospects ahead of the November vote.
Tax Revenue Debate Shapes Campaign
Supporters argue that a regulated online sports betting market would capture wagering activity currently taking place outside Nebraska and provide a new source of public funding.
One petition proposes directing 70% of online sports betting tax revenue toward property tax relief, mirroring the percentage already allocated from casino tax collections. Advocates have estimated that online wagering could generate more than $30 million annually in gaming taxes from sports betting alone.
A separate study commissioned by Tax Relief Nebraska projected that legalized online sports betting could produce as much as $87 million in tax revenue during the first five years of operation.
Opponents continue to raise concerns about the social effects of expanded gambling access. Critics argue that mobile wagering increases the risk of gambling addiction and question whether additional tax revenue would offset the potential rise in gambling-related problems.
The campaign has also attracted regulatory attention. A national advocacy group recently requested that the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission investigate whether international influence may have played a role in funding the ballot effort. The complaint cited financial support from FanDuel and Roar Digital, a subsidiary of MGM, noting that their parent companies maintain leadership and headquarters outside the United States.
Despite those questions and an ongoing review of petitions connected to previously discovered fraudulent signatures in unrelated efforts, election officials confirmed that the online sports betting initiatives gathered enough valid signatures to qualify for the statewide vote.