Nebraska Sports Betting Campaign To Allow Online Wagering Will Soon Begin
Posted on: September 21, 2025, 08:39h.
Last updated on: September 21, 2025, 08:39h.
- Nebraska sports betting is limited to in-person wagering
- A campaign to expand sports betting to the internet will soon begin
- WarHorse Gaming is behind the ballot referendum drive
Sports betting in Nebraska remains limited to in-person wagering at one of the five racetrack casinos. A campaign to expand legal sports wagering to the internet will soon begin.
WarHorse Gaming, LLC, operates two of Nebraska’s casinos — WarHorse Casino Lincoln and WarHorse Casino Omaha. The commercial entity of the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska (Ho-Chunk) will add a third physical casino in the Cornhusker State by way of South Sioux City in the coming years.
WarHorse is dominating Nebraska’s early gaming market. Its Omaha and Lincoln properties accounted for more than $90 million of the state’s approximately $132 million in gross gaming revenue through August of this year. The gaming money includes GGR from slots, table games, and retail sports betting.
Lynne McNally says Nebraska’s gaming market would be much larger if the state permitted online sports betting. That would lead to more state gaming taxes, which primarily benefit the reduction of property taxes.
Online Sports Betting Petition
There are mixed views as to whether the statewide gaming ballot referendums Nebraskans passed in 2020 provide the state Legislature with the power to expand sports betting to the internet. Most, however, generally think the people should weigh in.
McNally and WarHorse Gaming will soon commence a statewide petition to canvass voters on online sports betting. If the initiated constitutional amendment drive can acquire 10% of registered voters, or about 125,000 signatories in support of online sportsbooks, and the state signs off on the ballot referendum language, the matter could go before voters during the November 2026 midterms.
The bottom line is you’re allowing tax money to go to Iowa, Kansas, and Colorado. People are using VPNs, and they’re disguising their location, pretending they’re in Iowa,” McNally told Nebraska Public Media about the state’s current ban on online sports bets.
WarHorse, which is partnered with the Nebraska Horsemen’s Benevolent and Protective Association for developing and running the group’s three horse racetrack casinos, was the primary funder of the 2020 referendums that authorized slots, table games, and sports betting at the state’s licensed horse racetracks.
Ho-Chunk, Inc., poured more than $17.5 million into the Keep the Money in Nebraska committee. The campaign successfully convinced Nebraskans to legalize casino gambling on the claims that state residents were already spending $400 million a year at casinos in surrounding states, leading to many millions of lost taxes that could be used to offset rising property taxes.
Casinos Paying Off
Casino.org reported this week that Nebraska’s liberalization of casino gambling is accomplishing what voters hoped — reducing property taxes. Casino revenue at the five properties has outpaced expectations, allowing Gov. Jim Pillen (R) to announce that $20 million more than forecasted was being added to the Property Tax Credit Cash Fund for 2025.
The fund’s allocations are available to all Nebraska homeowners, regardless of income. Last year, homeowners received about $250 on a property assessed at $200K. The credit will increase for this year.
Along with WarHorse’s two casinos, Nebraska’s three other gaming destinations are Harrah’s Columbus NE Racing & Casino, Grand Island Casino Resort, and Lake Mac Casino Resort.
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