Gambling in Nebraska

Its journey began long before NE voters said yes to two constitutional amendments and more gaming options in the Cornhusker State.

Nebraskans will see the transformations of six horse racetracks into casinos with retail sportsbooks. Soon, Nebraska residents and visitors could enjoy table games, slots and wagering on major league sports.

Let’s take a closer look at legal gambling Nebraska.

Is Sports Betting Legal in Nebraska?

Yes, but it hasn’t launched yet. In May, Gov. Pete Ricketts signed LB 561 — the Nebraska Racetrack Gaming Act — into law. The gaming expansion package includes casino games and sports betting at kiosks at six “racinos,” aka racetrack-casino, in the state.

The legislation doesn’t allow prop bets on individual college athletes — a rule Iowa sports bettors are familiar with — and betting on Nebraska college teams when playing games in the state. The fine print is still being written; however, Iowa online sportsbooks are happy to hear that online sports betting will remain outside of Nebraska’s gaming framework.

How Nebraska Sports Betting Began

In November, Nebraska voters authorized constitutional amendments that will allow the six horse racetracks in the state to convert into “racinos” by adding casino gaming and sports betting.

On the heels of a gambling expansion vote, proponents of sports betting legalization in Nebraska struck while the iron was hot. Early, NE Sen. Brett Lindstrom introduced another constitutional amendment proposal that would authorize statewide online and retail sports betting, potentially putting the issue before voters.

Not long after that, Sen. Tom Briese put forth a bill in the General Affairs Committee that would immediately effect. Briese’s bill would have grandfather on-site mobile and retail sports betting under the gambling expansion amendments. NE bettors would have to be on the casino grounds to place legal wagers online.

Popular Sports to Bet on in Nebraska

Nebraska is not home to any major league sports franchises; however, there are a variety of fans to neighboring states’ teams:

Basketball betting

• Denver Nuggets
• Minnesota Timberwolves

Baseball betting

• Colorado Rockies
• Kansas City Royals
• Minnesota Twins

Soccer betting

• Colorado Rapids
• Minnesota United FC

Football betting

• Denver Broncos
• Kansas City Chiefs
• Minnesota Vikings

Hockey betting

• Colorado Avalanche
• Minnesota Wild

Are Online Casinos Legal in Nebraska?

There are no legal online casino sites in Nebraska. However, there are sweepstakes casinos. If you ever signed up for a chance to win a car or a shopping spree in a raffle, you’ve participated in a sweepstakes-style game. Some companies use the same concept and make casino-style games that you can play online. While online casinos remain illegal in Nebraska, sweepstakes casinos are legal for you to play. The key difference is these casino games don’t require your payment to play them.

You don’t have to pay to play, but you can still win real cash prizes on these websites. How does that work? Sweepstakes casinos use two different forms of currency; one you can buy but can’t redeem for cash prizes and another you can redeem for cash but can’t purchase. There are several ways to get the currency you can turn into cash, but the quickest is to play the games on the sites. 

Gambling Responsibly in Nebraska

As casinos and sports betting are brand new to Nebraska, the state is still in the process of setting up controls like a self-exclusion program and advertising standards. However, that doesn’t mean there are no resources for Nebraskans interested in ensuring they are gambling responsibly right now. In fact, the Nebraska Commission on Problem Gambling offers many resources toward that end. Those include:

• A free, 24-hour anonymous chatline.
• Educational documents about problem gambling.
• Resources for practitioners treating people with compulsive gambling issues.
• A directory of providers of counseling for such issues in the state.

In addition, the National Council on Problem Gambling has a chatline for assistance with this problem. Interested parties can also call or text 800-522-4700 if they prefer. Other support forums available to Nebraskans are:

• Gamblers Anonymous: A support organization for people who struggle with compulsive gambling themselves.
• Gam-Anon: This organization supports the loved ones of people with gambling problems.
• Gam Talk: A virtual support channel for anyone affected by pathological gaming.

Legal Online Gambling in Nebraska vs. Offshore Gambling

There are two facts about using unregulated betting websites in Nebraska. The first is that doing so is illegal, both on the federal and state level. The second is that these operations that allow players from Nebraska will prey upon those with compulsive gambling issues.

Then there are several consumer protection concerns. Bettors have no recourse if such a sportsbook or casino site treats them poorly. For instance, there’s nothing a bettor could do if an illegal operator opts to delay a payout or refuses to distribute winnings. They are often based outside of the US and are not bound to US or Nebraska laws. Additionally, there are no guarantees that the site isn’t selling your personal information. Be safe and place your bets at your local racinos or on sweepstakes casino sites.