Nebraska Casinos Begin Effort to Legalize Online Betting

Casinos in Nebraska are delivering on their promise to end the legislative deadlock that has prevented mobile sports betting.

The operators helped support a citizen-initiated ballot measure to legalize the industry in the Cornhusker State. The effort will require a petition signed by at least 7% of registered voters to be approved. They will also need signatures from 5% of registered voters in ⅖ of the state’s 93 counties.

Once the signatures are submitted and verified, the issue of mobile betting will be put on the ballot in November.

Casinos Claim Nebraskans Want Mobile Betting

While the percentage of signatures required may seem small, it will be a tall task. It will require organizers to travel around the state at a time when the public’s view of mobile betting is shifting. The rise of betting scandals and an unresolved problem gambling crisis has led to a drop in support in states like Wisconsin, which are also considering adding a mobile sports betting market.

According to WarHorse Casino CEO Lance Morgan, the shift in stance hasn’t hit Nebraska. The executive told WOWT Channel 6 that their own polling found that roughly 70% of voters support legalizing online sports betting. 

Morgan believes a realistic goal for the effort would be 300,000 signatures, which is far more than required.

Casinos Warned Lawmakers of Effort

Several prominent tribal casinos have been pushing for lawmakers to legalize online sports betting, leading to a push in 2024. However, their rhetoric recently began to change as they watched bills fail, with little sign that would change in the future. 

Last year, lawmakers supporting mobile betting warned that casinos could circumvent the state to legalize the industry. Casino representatives confirmed that possibility during hearings, but failed to convince enough opponents to switch their stance.

By supporting a signature-gathering campaign, the casino industry is undermining lawmakers' ability to shape the market’s framework. 

Concerns Over Problem Gambling Stalles Past Efforts

One issue that states without legal online sports betting markets are running into involves problem gambling. The country now has years to study the industry’s impact on problem gambling, and the results aren’t good. 

According to a Connecticut study conducted by Gemini Research, over half of sports betting revenue comes from people showing signs of problem gambling. While other studies have shown that number to be far lower, responsible gaming groups have backed the results.

That means lawmakers in Nebraska were forced into a tricky position. While voting against the industry over problem gambling concerns makes moral sense, it may anger the majority of residents. That led to heated debates among lawmakers, resulting in the issue now being taken out of their hands.