Governor Jim Pillen called for a special legislative session to find solutions to reduce property taxes in the state. The session will also discuss the legalization of online sports wagering. Thus, lawmakers introduced Nebraska sports betting bills.
It was on July 25 when Senator Eliot Bostar proposed LB 13, a bill that would have legalized internet sports betting in Nebraska. There will be a hearing on Wednesday, July 31, before the measure is forwarded to the General Affairs Committee.
Sports betting in Nebraska’s state casinos was decriminalized in 2020, but the new gambling option was unavailable until June 2023. Thanks to a recently filed law, online sports betting will soon be available to Nebraskans via casinos’ platforms or their partners.
Proposed Nebraska Sports Betting Bills
When Bostar’s measure becomes law, it will change the Nebraska Racetrack Gaming Act so that casinos may take bets on sports online. According to Bostar’s proposed law, state citizens would get property tax relief from online sports betting. According to gambling platform reviews and news sites, the General Affairs Committee will hold a hearing on LB 13 on July 31st.
Online sports betting would generate a tidy sum—90 percent—that would go toward assisting Nebraskans with their property taxes. A portion of the total revenue from in-person sports betting is allocated to property taxes, while a portion goes toward taxes on other revenues.
The Racing Cash Fund, the Racing and Gaming Commission’s Racetrack Gaming Fund, a fund to assist those with gambling issues, and a fund for individuals without gambling problems would each receive 3.5 percent. He also made it lawful to wager on college sports within the state and prop bets on college athletes and individuals.
Also, Bostar has introduced LR3CA, enabling internet sports betting; the state’s people would then be asked to decide whether or not to support this proposal. The only way to legalize internet sports betting is to modify the Nebraska constitution, which would require the support of three-fifths of the legislature. Once this is accomplished, the initiative must receive the backing of the majority of Nebraska voters in the November election.
Second Sports Betting Bill in Nebraska
Besides Bostar’s measure, another bill related to sports betting will be introduced during the special session. On July 26, Republican Senator Tom Brandt presented LB 32 to legalize athletic wagers on in-state universities and prop wagers on collegiate teams and people.
Brandt’s measure, sent to the General Affairs Committee, covers only in-person sports bets in Nebraska. According to gambling industry news reports, the hearing will occur on Wednesday, July 31st.
In 2020, the people of Nebraska approved allowing more gambling. At the time, whether retail or internet sports betting should be included in the expansion was unclear. In the end, though, lawmakers determined that in-person wagering was compliant. You can place your first bets as of June 22, 2023.
After the special session, Governor Jim Pillen said he would bring up the matter again in 2025 if it were not heard. Last week, Senator Eliot Bostar introduced legislation laying the groundwork for legal online sports betting and the necessary constitutional change. In Nebraska, residents must vote on any proposal to expand gambling.
