Nebraska Online Sports Betting Proposal Advances

Nebraska online sports betting talks from local lawmakers have progressed with the legislative resolution proposed by legislators. Senator Eliot Bostar introduced Legislative Resolution 20CA (LR20CA), proposing a constitutional amendment for legalized online sports betting within the state.

The LR20CA passed in its first of three requisite full-chamber floor votes earlier this week. The bill got the favor of the unicameral legislature via a 27-16 vote, with six members opting to not vote.

Senator Bostar stressed that prohibiting mobile sports betting here in the state of Nebraska is not stopping anyone from engaging in that activity.

“I introduced this not because I think gambling is a great thing, not because I want everyone to do it, not because I think you should like it, or anyone should, but fundamentally because it’s already happening,” Senator Bostar added.

Senator Bostar also noted that Nebraska is currently missing out on tapping into a $1.6 billion state online industry. This tantamounts to $32 million in annual tax revenue that the Cornhusker State can utilize. However, since Nebraska doesn’t allow online sportsbooks, the potential revenue goes to neighboring states like Iowa, Colorado, Kansas and Wyoming. 

“Legalizing online mobile sports betting through LR20CA could significantly boost state revenues dedicated to the property tax credit fund, helping to address the burden of high property taxes,” Bostar mentioned.

What Does the Nebraska Online Sports Betting Bill Need to Pass Before Becoming Law?

Currently, the Nebraska online sports betting bill has been sent to the Enrollment and Review Initial stage. This is the phase where various parts of the bill will be reviewed, along with incorporating adopted amendments. Specifically, legislators will scrutinize the language for technical and grammatical accuracy and make any final specific recommendations.

After that, LR20CA heads to Select File, for another set of reviews from legislators where they can suggest potential amendments. If it were approved again at that stage, the proposed constitutional amendment would be engrossed and head for final reading. LR20CA would need a third and ultimate vote of approval and Gov. Jim Pillen’s signature to reach the ballot.

Nebraska bills three-fifths approval (30 votes) of the 49 elected members at final reading. This means that as of right now, Bostar’s proposal still needs additional supporting votes for it to become law. 

That said, the Nebraska online sports betting bill is inching closer to the finish line. Nebraska’s legislative session runs until June 9, but bills can carry over into 2026.