An amendment to Nebraska’s sports betting law was introduced by Senator Tom Brandt on Thursday, and it would allow Nebraskans to wager on in-state college teams.
Removing the Ban
Sen. Tom Brandt introduced Legislative Bill 63 this week, which would remove the prohibition on wagering on in-state college sports teams. Studies show that removing in-state college athletic teams from wagering menus can reduce revenues by 15%, and in Nebraska’s case, that percentage is likely higher considering there are no major pro sports teams in the state.
Nebraska’s History with Sports Betting
In November 2020, Nebraska voters approved “games of chance” at the state’s six commercial horse racing tracks. Although sports betting wasn’t explicitly stated, it was part of a casino gaming expansion package the following year when retail sports betting was eventually launched.
Banning betting on in-state college teams was critical to getting the bill passed, and once everyone agreed, the bill sailed through the legislature by a margin of 44-3.
Senator Tom Briese, who sponsored the bill after the voters had approved gaming the previous November, said after its passage, “That mandate is they want casinos at racetracks and the property tax relief they will provide. In doing so, they approved all games of chance, including sports betting and other such games, as a matter of law,” Briese said following its passage.
“I introduced LB 561 to clarify what the voters approved and provide some parameters that are both consistent with what the voters mandated and consistent with Nebraska values.”
Nebraska’s Sports Betting Landscape
Nebraska is one of the few states with retail-only sports betting without in-state college teams on the menu, particularly in a state that has none of the major professional sports teams. However, there exists a rabid college fanbase that follows the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers in football and basketball, while Creighton University basketball is also a big draw.
Many lawmakers believed the legislation missed the mark. Statistics show that online sports betting generates well over 90% of the betting handle, and without it, the industry provides only a small fraction of the potential tax revenue that mobile sports betting could generate.
Could Online Sports Betting Be Far Behind?
It is fair to say that Nebraska has taken baby steps in getting gaming off the ground but not flying particularly high. Should Tom Brandt’s Legislative Bill 63 pass, and betting on in-state college sports teams is allowed, it could pave the way for online sports betting.
Governor Jim Pillen has been a staunch advocate of digital sports betting and proclaimed the following last summer: “Online sports betting is real, and it is happening in the state. Whoever wants to do it is doing it, and we’re giving all the revenue to our neighbors. I will put forth, and it will be a priority bill, in January to approve online sports betting.”
Nebraska’s legislative session just began on January 8th and will run through June 9th, so there is plenty of time for a bill to be sponsored. However, should it be approved, it would go to the voters; that vote would not take place until November 2026, which means online sports betting wouldn’t come to the Cornhusker State until sometime in 2027 at the earliest.
