Sportsbooks Back Nebraska Online Betting Measure

Major sports betting companies are investing heavily in efforts to bring online wagering to Nebraska, directing millions of dollars toward a ballot initiative while also contributing to political campaigns across the state.

The push centers on a proposal backed by a group called Tax Relief Nebraska, which aims to place the question of legalizing online sports betting before voters in 2026. Campaign finance records show that the initiative has attracted substantial financial support from leading operators in the industry.

Millions Directed Toward Ballot Effort

Tax Relief Nebraska raised more than $2.6 million during February and March, with the bulk of funding coming from two of the largest sportsbook operators. FanDuel and DraftKings reportedly each contributed more than $1.1 million to the campaign, accounting for the majority of the funds collected during that period.

Additional contributions came from other companies tied to the sports betting market. Roar Digital, a joint venture connected to BetMGM, provided $250,000, while FBG Enterprises OPCO, affiliated with Fanatics Betting and Gaming, added $75,000. The funds are being used to support the initiative’s signature-gathering process, which includes staffing and operational costs.

Organizers began circulating petitions in February as part of the effort to qualify the measure for the ballot. To move forward, they must secure signatures from at least 10% of Nebraska’s registered voters for a constitutional amendment and 7% for a statutory initiative. State requirements also mandate that at least 5% of registered voters in 38 of Nebraska’s 93 counties sign the petitions.

With more than 1.25 million registered voters in the state, the campaign needs to collect roughly 125,000 valid signatures to meet the threshold for a constitutional amendment.

Legislative Setbacks Lead to Ballot Strategy

Efforts to legalize online sports betting through Nebraska’s legislature have failed in recent years, prompting supporters to pursue a voter-driven approach. Although retail sports betting is already permitted at licensed casinos, lawmakers have not approved legislation to expand wagering to mobile platforms.

A proposal introduced by State Sen. Eliot Bostar in 2025 advanced through committee and received initial approval from the Nebraska Senate. The measure sought to legalize online sports betting through a constitutional amendment and projected approximately $32 million in tax revenue over a two-and-a-half-year period. Despite that estimate, the proposal did not advance after a filibuster blocked further progress.

Bostar had previously cautioned that if lawmakers did not act, outside groups could take the issue directly to voters. The current initiative reflects that shift, mirroring similar efforts in other states where ballot measures have been used to authorize sports betting.

Nebraska’s legislative structure, which operates under a unicameral system, requires bills to pass three rounds of voting with a two-thirds majority before reaching the governor’s desk. That process has proven challenging for online betting proposals, contributing to the repeated failures in recent sessions.

Political Contributions Draw Attention

Beyond funding the ballot initiative, gambling-related companies have also directed money toward political candidates and officeholders in Nebraska. Contributions have reached a range of recipients, including statewide officials and local candidates.

Attorney General Mike Hilgers received the largest amount from gambling interests between 2025 and early April 2026, totaling $75,000 from a mix of online betting companies, industry groups, and casino operators. Despite those donations, Hilgers has maintained his opposition to expanding gambling in the state.

Governor Jim Pillen has also received financial support from companies connected to the gaming industry. In 2024, he accepted $20,000 from WarHorse Gaming and $15,000 from Caesars Entertainment. Additional contributions in 2025 included $25,000 from the Grand Island Casino Resort PAC and $10,000 from Husker Gaming LLC. While Pillen has expressed personal reservations about gambling, he has supported the idea of legalizing online sports betting as a source of tax revenue.

WarHorse Gaming, which operates casinos in Lincoln and Omaha, has contributed smaller amounts to a wide range of candidates. “We’re no different than the Nebraska Cattlemen or the Nebraska State Education Association or any of those other groups that are concerned about how legislation might affect them, so we give contributions to candidates that we think understand our issue,” said Lynne McNally, director of government relations at WarHorse, according to Nebraska Public Media.

Regional Trends and Ongoing Demand

Nebraska remains one of the few states without legal online sports betting, even as neighboring states have adopted it. According to industry data, many residents cross state lines to place bets where mobile wagering is permitted. During the 2024–2025 NFL season, more than 2,800 individuals traveled from Nebraska to Iowa to access legal online betting platforms, while tens of thousands of attempted bets were blocked within Nebraska.

Some residents have turned to alternative methods, including virtual private networks or prediction markets, to access wagering opportunities despite current restrictions.

As the signature drive continues, the success of the Tax Relief Nebraska campaign will determine whether voters have the opportunity to decide on expanding sports betting in the state. The outcome could reshape Nebraska’s gaming landscape and align it with the majority of states that already permit online wagering.