It’s official: legal sports betting is finally available in the state of Nebraska… but it’s not exactly what in-state bettors had been hoping for. 5k6s6e
Nebraska Governor Pete Ricketts applied his signature to LB 561 on Wednesday, May 26, 2021, officially legalizing retail-only sports betting in the state of Nebraska. Finally, in June 2023, the first retail sportsbooks have gone live in NE!
While betting has technically been legal since 2021, it’s worth noting that online sports betting took until 2023 to finally go live in the state. Below we’ll cover why it’s taken years to roll out, and where bettors in Nebraska can get access to retail betting.
What’s happening now with Nebraska sports betting 3r1f1q
Online sportsbooks are still not legal in Nebraska, but now you can bet in person! It’s actually been years since LB 561 was signed in to law in the state of Nebraska, but finally, folks can bet by visiting WarHorse Casino in Lincoln!
Nebraska is now considering the move to allow online sports wagering. In July 2024, a special legislature session engaged in spirited discussions regarding proposals to legalize digital sports betting. Led by Senator Eliot Bostar, these proposals aimed to alleviate the burden of Nebraska’s high property taxes by channeling revenue from online sports betting, which is presently benefiting neighboring states.
Senator Bostar introduced two key bills, LR3CA and LB13, designed to authorize mobile sports betting and update Nebraska’s gambling laws. Despite the potential gains, including an estimated $32 million in annual tax revenue earmarked for property tax relief, the state legislature remains wary, primarily due to concerns about fostering gambling addiction.
Discussions on these bills have been postponed to January 2025, reflecting a critical moment for Nebraska’s gaming industry.
Sports Betting at WarHorse Casino in Lincoln, NE 4nu5q
s are now able to visit the WarHorse Casino in Lincoln and bet on sports for real cash! It’s been a long time coming, but finally, bettors in the state can head over to WarHorse’s in-person sportsbook to place bets.
| Retail Location | Address | Hours | Powered by |
|---|---|---|---|
| WarHorse Casino | 7055 S 1st St, Lincoln, NE 68512 | Open 24 Hours | Kambi |
Nebraska sports betting updates 6n472w
- March 17, 2025 – Constitutional amendment LR 20CA advanced to the Senate floor, marking a significant move towards legalizing digital sports betting with a potential public vote in 2026.
- July 30, 2024 – Bills LB13 and LR3CA proposed to allow statewide digital sports betting on professional, college, and amateur sports
- June 22, 2023 – In-person sports betting begins at WarHorse Casino.
- May 27, 2021 – Governor Pete Ricketts officially signs LB 561 into law. In-person betting at retail gambling facilities and racetracks becomes legal in Nebraska, but a firm launch date for the platform remains elusive.
- March 18, 2021 – Bill LB 561 es in the Nebraska state legislature, outlining some of the rules and regulations for retail sports betting platform in the state.
- November 20, 2020 – the date of the referendum that gave Nebraska citizens a say on whether or now to allow retail casinos for the purpose of launching in-person legal sports betting. Nebraskans said “Yes” to the measure and kicked off the process of legalization in the state.
Constitutional Amendment LR 20CA 1wa72
Proposed constitutional amendment LR 20CA, which aims to legalize digital sports betting within the state, senate committee sent on March 17, 2025 to the floor. This amendment, if approved, would allow sports wagers to be placed via mobile or electronic platforms at licensed racetrack enclosures, reflecting a modern approach to gaming and potential economic growth.
- Digital Sports Betting: Authorizes sports wagers to be placed through mobile or electronic platforms at licensed racetrack enclosures, provided the bettor is within Nebraska.
- Lottery Proceeds Allocation: Specifies the distribution of lottery proceeds, including contributions to the Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund, environmental and educational initiatives, and the Nebraska State Fair.
- Legislative Oversight: Requires legislative approval for new lottery game types, ensuring continued oversight and regulation.
- Public Vote: Scheduled for a public vote in November 2026, allowing Nebraska residents to decide on the amendment’s adoption.
- Economic and Community Impact: Aims to balance economic benefits with community betterment through strategic allocation of gaming revenues.
Bill LB 561 4ik4v
It is easy to criticize the slow pace of legalization in the Cornhusker State, and the lack of a mobile option. But things have actually moved forward in Nebraska. Bill LB561 was signed into law by Gov. Pete Ricketts on May 27, 2021, and the Nebraska Gaming Commission was created. It detailed a few of the rules and regulations for Nebraska’s legal sports betting scene.
- In-person betting at designated approved casinos or racetracks only
- Bettors must be 21 years of age or older to place legal sports bet in Nebraska
- Bets are carried out through kiosks at those facilities, or any other method identified by the Nebraska Gaming Commission Bettors are mandated to physically be in designated areas in order to place a bet
- Retail sports betting operators must partner with a casino/racino in the state
- Professional, collegiate, international, simulated gaming and individual sports awards are included in Nebraska’s sports betting menu
- Prop betting and wagers on in-state college teams remain illegal… for now
- A 20% tax is charged on all casino gaming revenue
Nebraska sports betting FAQ 642x1t
Is sports betting legal in Nebraska? 1suq
Yes, but it’s not online. In-person sports betting is legal and available at WarHorse Casino in Lincoln.
Is online sports betting allowed in Nebraska? 3f4m5o
No, unfortunately not. Nebraska legislators elected to pursue in-person betting only.
When did sports betting launch in Nebraska? 4g164b
Sports betting is live as of June 22, 2023.
Is betting on college sports allowed in Nebraska? 6827q
Yes, it is be legal to bet on college sports at Nebraska sportsbooks. However, Nebraska-based colleges are off limits.
Is it legal to bet on the Nebraska Cornhuskers? 293e5n
No, betting on in-state college teams like the Nebraska Cornhuskers is not allowed.
What responsible gambling resources are available in Nebraska? 1f20
All Nebraska sportsbooks offer resources for and encourage responsible gambling practices. Call 833-238-6837 or visit https://problemgambling.nebraska.gov/
Legislative road to sports betting in Nebraska 1x1r36
Legal sports betting has officially been on the radar in Nebraska for years, since voters had their say in 2020, and approved retail sports wagering in their state.
It took six months for the state’s legislature to a bill, outlining some of the lawmakers’ ideas of just how to bring about legal sports betting in the state. May 27, 2021 was the date that lawmakers agreed to a framework that would bring about a retail-only sports betting landscape.
Rules and regulations to Nebraska’s May 2021 retail sports betting platform plan had been very slow to develop, but finally as of June 2023, bettors can visit local casinos and bet on their favorite games.
Online sports betting in Nebraska 594d12
Targeting in-person betting instead of online betting is an interesting approach. There is some debate about the strategy here – some feel that the retail-only path was the quickest way to see legal sports betting come to Nebraska and that it would be easier to add mobile sports betting on to any Bill rather than arguing for it right off the bat. However, it hasn’t exactly played out like that with the lengthy wait. The casinos to house the retail Nebraska sports betting providers have to be built/completed and specific rules for such a platform are still in the works.
Sports betting pressure from neighboring states 3m251n
Nebraska has competition within their own region, making the roll out of legal betting more crucial. It’s not ideal to be losing tax dollars across state borders. Among its six border states, just Missouri has failed to move on any sort of legal sports betting regulation. Colorado, and Iowa, also full online sports betting markets. South Dakota to the north does allow for legal sports betting, but its only available in the city of Deadwood at specific retail establishments.
Sportsbook locations in Nebraska 4b6u3j
The new NE sports betting rules put six Nebraska racetracks on the radar to build and launch their own retail sportsbooks. Each location is entitled to one Nebraska sports betting licenses. The locations of those facilities are:
- Atokad in South Sioux City
- Fairplay Park in Hastings
- Lincoln Race Course in Lincoln
- Horseman’s Park in Omaha
- Agricultural Park in Columbus
- Fonner Park in Grand Island
Nebraska’s native tribes, that currently run their own brick-and-mortar casino facilities have not yet been brought into the legal sports betting fold. It remains to be seen if any expansion of a Nebraska legal sports betting scene will include the state’s tribal gambling entities.
Sportsbook companies aiming for Nebraska 4a4r31
It remains to be seen just which providers will be participating in Nebraska’s retail-only legal sports betting industry. The lack of a mobile betting industry will prevent many of the nation’s best sports betting brands from ing the fun in Nebraska.
That said, DraftKings, each of which currently run their DFS platforms in Nebraska likely won’t be scared off by the retail-only requirement. Each are a familiar name to Nebraskans and each already has an infrastructure in place in the Cornhusker State that could be modified to allow for sports betting. FanDuel and DraftKings are primarily an online betting platform however, they have dabbled in retail before.
Others sports betting operators that could have interest in launching in the Nebraska market include:
- Caesars – Caesars is always in on any new state launching a legal sports betting platform. They are active in a host of Nebraska’s neighboring states
- BetMGM – MGM has a strong presence in the region thanks to sportsbooks in Colorado and Iowa
- BetRivers – roots in the midwest, so Nebraska a connection here could make sense
Sports betting bonuses in Nebraska 1r6k18
While most states with online sports betting are replete with Sleeper.
Eligible betting markets in Nebraska 563147
Nebraska is accepting action on all of the most popular sports to bet on around the world. These include:
- Football (professional and college)
- Basketball (professional and college)
- Baseball (professional and college)
- Soccer
- Hockey
- Combat Sports (MMA/Boxing)
- Golf
- Motor Sports
- Cycling
- Tennis
- Rugby
- Cricket
- Snooker
- Surfing
- Table Tennis
- Volleyball
- Australian Rules
- Beach Volleyball
- Darts
- Handball
- Netball
Betting on college sports is allowed in Nebraska 4p2eg
As previously mentioned, college sports are included in the Nebraska sports betting menu. However, there is a provision in the already-outlined rules prohibiting wagers on in-state college teams. Betting on the Cornhuskers is not allowed.
Approved bet types in Nebraska 21p65
A comprehensive list of bet types is more synonymous with the most progressive and successful legal sports betting jurisdictions in the country. Nebraska certainly isn’t, and without changes won’t be considered one of those states. Early legislation has already, curiously, ruled out much of the prop betting opportunities. This includes player props on college athletes which have been signaled out as a “no-go” for Nebraska bettors.
With that being said, all of the sports betting staples are possible for sports betting in Nebraska:
- Spread – oddsmakers determine what they think a winner of a given match will win by. You bet against that “Spread.” An example is the Denver Broncos as 3-point favorites (-3) over the underdog Indianapolis Colts (+3). If you bet on the Broncos, they must win by over 3 points (called covering the spread) for the bet to cash. If the Colts lose by less than 3 or win outright (also known as covering the spread), your wager on the Broncos will fail.
- Totals – otherwise know as the Over/Under, bettors place a wager on the total number of points/goals that they think will be scored in a given game. Oddsmakers have a predetermined “Total” set, and bettors bet on whether the combatants of a sporting event go “Over” or stay “Under” that predetermined amount.
- Moneyline – simply betting on the winner of a given contest. Payouts of favorites will be smaller than one of underdogs in this bet type.
- Futures – betting on the outcome of future sporting events such as the winner of next year’s Super Bowl, Conference champions in a given league or the eventual MVP of that league.
- Parlays – Ideal for combining two or more bets into one. You can combine two or more different sports, wagers from different sports or multiple betting opportunities within the same game. Parlays are notoriously tougher to win than straight-up bets, but the payoff for a winning parlay bet is larger.
Legal sports betting a win for Nebraska 6k1o1m
Legal sports betting has been shown to provide states with impressive amounts of mobile sports betting.
To this point Nebraska has worked towards legal betting with baby steps. In-state bettors will have to hope that once it arrives, retail betting in the state will just be a stepping stone to online wagering.
