(Lincoln) – Nebraska lawmakers have given initial approval to legislation that would place a Constitutional Amendment for legalized online sports betting on the ballot next year.
On Monday, the Unicameral passed LR20CA on general file by a 27-16 vote. The legislation was introduced by Senator Eliot Bostar of Lincoln and would place the Constitutional Amendment on the 2026 General Election ballot.
“This is an opportunity to create a new source of revenue for property tax relief,” said Bostar. “In fact, Nebraskans are already in favor of the measure. Almost 60% of voters support legalizing mobile sports betting, especially when they know it would generate $32 million annually for the state revenue. Support increases to 65% when the revenue is dedicated to property tax relief.”
Nebraska is one of 18 states in the country that still does not allow online sports betting. Bostar says regardless of senators’ opinion on sports betting, he would like the Legislature to be the one that sets the parameters for it, instead of a petition to place it on the ballot.
“Petitioners are all ready,” said Bostar. “In fact, we saw last February that proponents were considering moving forward with a petition effort. If that happens, with public support hovering in the mid to high 60% range, the version that reaches the ballot may not reflect the careful regulatory framework that this body would establish.”
Senator Jason Prokop says recent studies that indicated nearly 50,000 instances of a person crossing from Nebraska into Iowa to place their bets. He says he would like to see that revenue stay in Nebraska.
“There’s no reason why a cornfield in Iowa just off the interstate should be touted as the busiest cornfield in America,” said Prokop. “Senators, those are your and my constituents using this product, spending their money and paying taxes in another state simply because our Constitution does not provide for it.”
Senator Bran von Gillern of Elkhorn spoke in opposition to the bill. He says it’s not based on a moral objection to gambling, but rather the predatory nature of online sports gambling towards young men.
“I was a young man many years ago, and I can attest to the fact that many men in their twenties do not have the wisdom to abstain from things that are or can be harmful to themselves or their families,” said Von Gillern. “In those days, placing a bet involved a physical transaction with another person, and by the way, it was also illegal. You had to find a route to a bookie, give them your bet, give them your cash, pay or collect cash from them after a game. It’s very different from what we’re talking about today.”
Von Gillern says research indicates most online sports bettors lose money in the long run and that companies can limit your success.
“The purveyors of the platform can kick you off the platform for any reason, including that a player has an unusual success rate,” said Von Gillern. “In other words, if you’re really good at this, you can’t play anymore, and if you’re really bad, they’ll pursue you even harder.”
After passing general file Monday, the bill now heads to a technical review before it will need to be passed one more time. If it passes the legislature, the measure would be placed on the ballot in 2026.
发表回复