Nebraska voters appear to have turned down online sports betting. In unofficial returns from the November 3 midterm election, both ballot measures that would have allowed mobile betting apps in the state were trailing by close to 10 points. WOWT’s results at 11:03 p.m. on election night showed Initiative 440 at 45% yes and 55% no, and Initiative 441 at 46% yes and 54% no. MultiState’s results tracker showed a similar picture, with both measures at roughly 45% to 46% support and still listed as pending.
The totals are not final until Nebraska’s Secretary of State certifies them, but a gap of that size is unlikely to close.
What voters were asked
The two measures were a pair, and both needed to pass. Initiative 440 would have amended the state constitution so the Legislature could allow people in Nebraska to bet on sports online, through platforms run by operators linked to the state’s licensed racetrack casinos. Initiative 441 was the matching statute: it would have set up the online framework and given the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission the power to license operators and write the rules.
Supporters, campaigning as Tax Relief Nebraska, pitched the measures as a way to cut property taxes. Their materials said 70% of wagering tax revenue would go to the state’s Property Tax Credit Cash Fund, and pointed to a campaign-commissioned study projecting more than $166 million in property tax relief over 10 years. They also argued that Nebraskans already bet through offshore sites or by driving to neighboring states.
The campaign was heavily funded by the two largest US sportsbooks. Fortune reported that gambling companies spent $22.5 million campaigning for the measures, and that DraftKings and FanDuel each gave $10.4 million. Earlier campaign finance filings, covered by Nebraska Public Media, also showed smaller contributions from Roar Digital, the company behind BetMGM, and from Fanatics’ parent, FBG Enterprises.
Where Nebraska stands now
Nebraska voters approved casino gaming at licensed racetracks in 2020, and sports betting began at those racetrack casinos in 2023. You have to be 21 and place your bet in person at a licensed facility.
With the measures failing, that retail-only model stays in place. Any future move to online betting would have to come back through the Legislature or another ballot campaign. Our US sports betting legal states map tracks where mobile betting is and is not available.
What it means for players
If you are in Nebraska, nothing changes: legal sports betting is still in person only, at the state’s licensed racetrack casinos. Sportsbook apps from licensed operators will not accept bets placed from inside Nebraska, even if you have an account opened in another state, because they use geolocation to check where you are when you bet.
Offshore sites that advertise to Nebraskans are not licensed by the state, and you have no regulator to turn to if they hold back a withdrawal or close your account. If you travel to a neighboring state where mobile betting is legal, such as Iowa or Colorado, you can bet there with a licensed app while you are physically inside that state. Our guide to the best US sports betting sites lists licensed sportsbooks and the states they cover.
Sources
- Election Night 2026: Nebraska race updates (WOWT 6 News)
- Nebraska 2026 Election Results (MultiState)
- What's at stake as Nebraska voters decide whether to legalize online sports betting in the midterms (Fortune)
- Online sports betting petitions in Nebraska get another $7 million from DraftKings and FanDuel (Nebraska Public Media)
Written in our own words from the sources above. Spotted an error? Tell us and we will correct it and log it on our corrections page.
About the author
The BettingSeeker News Desk covers regulation, operator news and safer gambling developments in the UK, the US and Canada. Every story is based on primary sources such as regulator announcements, government publications and company filings, or on reporting by established news outlets, and every source is linked at the end of the article.
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