Nebraska Coalition Opposes Online Sports Betting Ballot Measures Over Revenue Shortfalls and Youth Exposure
Save Nebraska Sports launched a campaign against two November 3 ballot measures to legalize online sports betting. Officials and coaches argue $87 million in property tax relief over five years would require more than $435 million in losses while exposing kids to constant ads and athletes to point-spread pressure. Nebraska now limits betting to in-person racetrack casinos authorized in 2020.
SCCG Take — This resistance signals that revenue claims alone may not overcome local concerns on social costs, requiring operators to address athlete protection and advertising limits directly.
A coalition has launched an active campaign against two ballot measures that would expand sports betting to mobile devices in Nebraska. The proposals, sponsored by Tax Relief Nebraska, are set for the November 3 general election ballot. According to Focus Gaming News, state officials and coaches argue the initiatives deliver too little property tax relief relative to the risks involved.
Speakers at the launch included state auditor Mike Foley, state treasurer Joey Spellerberg, and University of Nebraska football assistant coach Ron Brown. Nate Grasz, executive director of the Nebraska Family Alliance, read a statement from former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne. Nate Grasz said: “They are seeking to make a profit at the expense of Nebraska families, businesses, fans and student athletes.”
Mike Foley described the offer to voters as a “false promise of property tax relief.” He noted any tax collected would be small compared with the sums that would flow to out-of-state operators. Joey Spellerberg said an estimated $87 million in property tax relief would first require Nebraskans to lose more than $435 million in bets.
Coalition Highlights Social Costs and Advertising Reach
Joey Spellerberg warned that betting would follow residents onto their phones through apps, advertisements, promotions, and notifications around the clock. He stressed this matters because children would grow up in that environment. The statement from Tom Osborne, read by Nate Grasz, said: “As a coach, I saw firsthand the immense pressure student athletes face. Some of the harshest criticism athletes receive is not for losing, but for failing to beat a point spread or reach a certain number of yards, completions or touchdowns. Online sports gambling turns an athletic contest into a gambling exercise with someone else’s money riding on the performance of young men and women.”
The campaign frames online expansion as prioritizing operator profits over family and athlete protection. It points to the mismatch between projected tax gains and the volume of losses required to generate them.
Current Retail Framework and Proposed Tax Allocation
Nebraska currently allows sports betting only in person at licensed racetrack casinos. Voters authorized that retail market in 2020. One ballot measure would amend the Nebraska constitution to authorise online sports wagering when the bettor is physically in the state. The companion statutory initiative would set the regulatory and tax framework and direct the state gaming commission to adopt rules for operators and wagers.
If approved, 70 per cent of the resulting tax revenue would go to property tax credits, matching the allocation used for casino taxes. A report commissioned by Tax Relief Nebraska has estimated just under $87 million in new state tax revenue over five years.
The opposition campaign underscores the specific thresholds at which tax relief materializes and the persistent advertising that would accompany mobile access. How voters weigh those stated trade-offs will shape the outcome on November 3.
Reporting: Focus Gaming News
Generated by SCCG’s automated editorial system from published source reporting. SCCG Management holds editorial responsibility.
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