Nebraska online sports betting measure heads to November ballot

Nebraska voters will decide on statewide online sports betting this fall after the Secretary of State’s office certified two separate petitions needed to put the issue on the Nov. 3, 2026 general election ballot. For players in the Cornhusker State, sports betting is currently limited to in-person wagering at approved retail sportsbooks located on-site at licensed racetracks.

The certified petitions are designed to work as a pair: one would amend the state constitution to authorize online sports wagering, while the other would create a statutory regulatory framework describing how the market would operate. State officials must certify the full ballot by Sept. 11, and the Secretary of State’s office said it will hold public hearings in each of Nebraska’s three congressional districts, with dates still to be determined.

The regulatory initiative would amend existing state law to let in-state racinos partner with up to two online sports betting companies each, offering mobile wagering statewide. If voters approve the measures, the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission would be tasked with writing rules and regulations by June 1, 2027.

Certification hinged on signature thresholds and geographic distribution. The constitutional amendment required valid signatures from at least 10% of registered voters (127,054) and at least 5% of registered voters in 38 of Nebraska’s 93 counties, while the statutory initiative required 7% (88,938) and the same 38-county minimum at 5%. Secretary of State Bob Evnen’s office confirmed each petition met those requirements, reaching at least 138,473 signatures for the amendment and 96,918 for the regulation initiative, with verification ending once each reached 110% of the required total.

The ballot drive has been led by Tax Relief Nebraska, backed by sportsbooks and casinos. Political consultant Jordan McGrain, working for the group, said it aims to “keep the money in Nebraska,” generate new revenue for local communities, and provide “millions of dollars in property tax relief.” Campaign finance filings showed FanDuel and DraftKings each put around $3.5m toward the initiative, and WarHorse Casino—run by Ho-Chunk, Inc., the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska’s economic development corporation—has discussed potential partnerships with FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM.

Earlier efforts to get the question to voters through the legislature fell short: in 2025, a proposal from Sen. Eliot Bostar advanced 27-16 on its first floor vote but was later withdrawn and indefinitely postponed in April. With the petitions now certified, the next major milestone is the Nov. 3 vote.