Nebraska Voters Will Decide on Online Sports Betting This November
Nebraska Secretary of State Robert Evnen certified petitions on Friday, August 21, 2026, putting the legalization of online sports betting directly in front of Nebraska voters on the November 3, 2026 ballot. The campaign, organized under the group Tax Relief Nebraska, submitted two linked measures — a constitutional amendment and a companion statutory initiative — and both cleared the signature thresholds required to qualify.
What the measures would do
The constitutional amendment required signatures from at least 10% of Nebraska's registered voters statewide, plus 5% of voters in at least 38 of the state's 93 counties; organizers reported collecting 138,473 valid signatures across 64 counties, clearing that bar. The companion statutory measure needed a 7% statewide threshold plus the same 38-county rule, and reportedly gathered 96,918 valid signatures across 55 counties. Under the proposal, each of Nebraska's licensed racetrack casinos would be allowed to operate or partner with up to two online sportsbook platforms, with a 20% tax on sportsbooks' gross gaming revenue and roughly 70% of that tax revenue earmarked for the state's Property Tax Credit Cash Fund. Betting on in-state college sports involving Nebraska universities would remain prohibited under the plan.
Who's backing it
Major national operators helped fund the signature drive: FanDuel and DraftKings each contributed roughly $3.5 million to the campaign, with additional support from BetMGM and Nebraska's own WarHorse Gaming, according to reporting on the campaign's filings. The effort followed earlier fraud concerns raised by at least one county election official during the signature-gathering process, though those concerns did not prevent certification.
Why it matters
Nebraska currently allows retail sports wagering only in person at its licensed racetrack casinos — online betting has not been authorized. If voters approve the measures in November, the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission would be required to adopt implementing rules by June 1, 2027, putting the state on a path to join the roughly three dozen states that already allow mobile sports betting. The Secretary of State's office is expected to hold public hearings across Nebraska's three congressional districts and publish voter information materials ahead of the election.