90%
75%
USA
Canada
Australia
UKNebraska Online Sports Betting Petition Surpasses Signature Threshold for November Ballot
Key Highlights
- Tax Relief Nebraska submitted nearly 350,000 signatures for two sports betting petitions.
- The totals are above the estimated thresholds needed to reach Nebraska’s November ballot.
- The proposal would allow mobile betting and send 70% of tax proceeds to property tax relief.
Nebraska is one step closer to legal online sports betting. While there are still hurdles to overcome, a lobbying group far surpassed the amount of signatures required for two sports betting petitions to be included in the upcoming November ballot.
Signature Totals Put Measures In Position to Appear on Ballot
Tax Relief Nebraska (TRN), the group behind the legal sports betting campaign, turned in nearly 350,000 signatures across two initiative petitions. One petition seeks a constitutional amendment to legalize online sports betting, while the other would create the framework to tax wagers and sportsbook revenue.
TRN has raised more than $7 million to date. FanDuel and DraftKings each contributed $2.6 million to the petition campaigns, while other online sports betting sites like BetMGM and Fanatics also supported the initiative.
The lobbying group submitted more than 201,000 signatures for the constitutional amendment and 146,000 for the regulatory petition, well exceeding the requirements of about 126,000 and 88,000 signatures, respectively.
Verification Process Now Moves To Counties
The signatures were submitted nearly a week before the July 2 deadline, but the proposals are not officially on the ballot yet. Each of the 93 counties in the state must verify the signatures before the Nebraska Secretary of State’s Office can certify the measures for the November election.
Lynne McNally, director of government relations for WarHorse Casino, said the group is waiting for that review to play out. The process is expected to take several weeks.
McNally said the campaign saw enough interest from voters that the final signature count was not a surprise. She also took issue with pushback from the Nebraska Family Alliance (NFA), which in June issued a press release calling the petition drive “a sham” and disagreed with the potential tax revenue benefits.
Tax Revenue & Gambling Concerns Shape Debate
Sports betting is legal in Nebraska, but wagers must be placed in person at one of the state’s five racetrack casinos. Bettors can build wagers online, but they have to take the ticket to a sportsbook to place the bet.
If voters approve both measures, online sports betting companies could partner with local casinos to offer online betting in Nebraska. WarHorse plans to work with DraftKings, FanDuel, and MGM if the initiatives pass.
Supporters estimate online sports betting could generate more than $30 million in annual gaming tax revenue. Under the proposal, 70% of tax proceeds would go toward property tax relief, matching the share currently directed from casino taxes. TRN projects the state would collect up to $87 million in new revenue over five years.
Groups like the NFA argue mobile betting could increase problem gambling because it is easier to access than in-person wagering. They also claim the added tax revenue would not justify the potential social costs.