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Summary:
- A proposed amendment would allow Nebraska voters to decide on legalizing online sports betting.
- If accepted, the legislation would generate $32 million in tax revenue annually.
- Senator Bostar rated the chances of advancing the bill out of committee as “6-out-of-10.”
Lawmakers are considering a proposal that could majorly impact gambling in Nebraska by allowing mobile sports wagering.
The proposed measure, Legislative Resolution 20CA, introduced by State Sen. Eliot Bostar of Lincoln, seeks to amend the state constitution and give Nebraskans a chance to vote on legalizing online sports wagering.
Currently, gambling in Nebraska is limited to casino-style betting at the state’s six licensed racetrack casinos, a change approved by voters in 2020.
Nebraska is currently missing out on a $1.6 billion state online industry and $32 million in annual tax revenue which instead goes to neighboring states like Iowa, Colorado, and Kansas
Bostar emphasized that legalizing mobile betting could provide a new source of funding for property tax relief. However, not everyone sees the proposal as a financial win.
Opponents: LR20CA Would Directly Threat Nebraska Families
Advocacy groups such as Stop Predatory Gambling, Gambling with the Good Life, and the Nebraska Family Alliance have voiced strong opposition, warning that measures like LR20CA pose a “direct threat” to Nebraska families.
Pat Loontjer, executive director of Gambling with the Good Life, pushed back against claims that expanding gambling would lead to lower property taxes.
It’s been five years, and I don’t know how many of you have had your property taxes reduced, but no one that I’ve ever met. It’s a lie.
During the hearing, the Legislature’s General Affairs Committee also reviewed several other gambling-related proposals.
Among them was a bill seeking to remove the restriction on betting on Nebraska college games when the Cornhuskers play at home, along with other minor changes to gambling tax allocation.
Opponents also criticized the amendment process, arguing that gambling supporters should take the initiative to get the issue on the ballot instead of relying on lawmakers.
Nate Grasz, executive director of the Nebraska Family Alliance said,
If they want this on the ballot. They should go out and do the work themselves rather than expect the senators to do it for them.
Nate Grasz: “The House Always Wins”
Gambling industry representatives pointed to polling data suggesting that Nebraskans broadly support online sports betting.
Sarah Meuli, DraftKings Government Affairs Manager
Five years ago, your constituents overwhelmingly passed in-person sports betting when they cast their vote yes on the 2020 ballot legalizing it with the state. That enthusiasm has only grown.
However, opponents raised concerns about the social costs of expanding gambling, particularly its impact on vulnerable individuals, including minors.
They warned that mobile sports betting could exacerbate gambling addiction and fuel what they call an “epidemic” of teen gambling.
The house always wins. For the house to win, the people of Nebraska and our own children … have to lose.
As for the bill’s future, Bostar rated its chances of advancing out of committee as “6-out-of-10.” The General Affairs Committee did not immediately take action on the gambling measures under discussion.
