Nebraska Voters Defeat Online Sports Betting Measures, Retaining In-Person Limits
Nebraska voters rejected two online sports betting measures by 55-45% and 54-46% on November 3. Sportsbooks including FanDuel and DraftKings funded a $22.5 million campaign that fell short against opposition led by Tom Osborne. The result keeps betting in-person only and funnels activity to neighboring states with mobile options.
SCCG Take — This preserves Nebraska's retail racetrack model and steers mobile revenue to border operators. It highlights how localized opposition tied to sports integrity can block expansion even against heavy industry spending.
Nebraska sports betting remains restricted to in-person wagers at licensed racetrack casinos. On November 3, voters rejected two ballot measures that would have enabled online sports gambling and granted new regulatory powers.
Initiative Measure 440, which proposed amending the state constitution to permit mobile betting, failed by a 55%-45% margin. Initiative Measure 441, which sought to authorize the Nebraska Racing & Gaming Commission (NRGC) to adopt rules for online sportsbooks, was defeated 54%-46%.
Costly Campaign and Key Opposition
Tax Relief Nebraska raised nearly $22.5 million to back the initiatives. The political action committee received $10.4 million each from FanDuel and DraftKings, plus $500,000 contributions from BetMGM and Fanatics. Proponents highlighted a 30% tax on sports betting revenue, aligned with the retail rate, as a path to generate tens of millions for property tax relief.
Opponents under Save Nebraska Sports enlisted Tom Osborne, the former Nebraska football coach who led the Cornhuskers to national championships in 1994, 1995, and 1997. Osborne warned that online access would increase gambling addiction among young people and expose student-athletes to online harassment by bettors.
“I see this being very dangerous,” Osborne said. “Putting a sportsbook on every phone will only expose more young people to gambling addiction. It’s not the Nebraska way.”
He maintained that promised tax benefits would be eclipsed by the resulting social and personal costs.
Win for Neighboring States
The measures' rejection delivers a clear advantage to bordering states that permit remote wagering, as first reported by Casino.org News. Iowa stands to benefit most, with residents of Omaha and Bellevue able to cross the Missouri River for online bets. Missouri, Kansas, Colorado, and Wyoming, which share borders with Nebraska, also maintain legal online sports betting.
This leaves the NRGC focused on its current in-person framework at racetrack casinos. The outcome directs potential mobile betting activity outward, preserving Nebraska's retail-only model while underscoring the pull of established online markets nearby. Operators in those adjacent jurisdictions gain sustained cross-border volume without new Nebraska-based competition.
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