Nebraska lawmaker aiming to legalize online sports betting
Senator Stanley Clouse is hoping to amend the Revised Statutes of Nebraska and introduce online sports betting to the Cornhusker State
Nebraska Senator Stanley Clouse is looking to legalize online sports betting in the state as a new legislative session gets underway.
Currently, Nebraska only offers retail wagering to residents and visitors at licensed casinos, as of 2023.
However, Clouse’s legislative bill 421 (LB 421) looks to amend the Revised Statutes of Nebraska, with his proposal aiming to legalize online sports betting under the Nebraska Racetrack Gaming Act.
The online sports betting market would be overseen by the State Racing and Gaming Commission, as per the bill.
As part of LB 421, Clouse has called for online sports betting licenses to be linked to Nebraska’s six licensed racetracks, all of which are required to partner with a sportsbook.
Under Clouse’s proposal, authorized online sports betting operators would be required to pay a one-time $5m licensing fee, with the option to pay over five years, with $1m due when the license is issued.
The bill also makes changes to how the state would garner tax revenues from the sports betting sector, proposing that 3% of all funds generated would go towards the Compulsive Gamblers Assistance Fund.
Meanwhile, Nebraska’s Gaming Commission Fund would receive 3.5% of the revenue, alongside a further 3.5% to be contributed to the commission’s Cash Fund. The remaining 90% of the tax revenue from sports wagering would go to The Property Tax Credit Cash Fund.
The 20% tax rate has remained unchanged on the bill.
As part of the proposed amendments, LB 421 would see Nebraska gaming law allow wagering on in-state colleges.
Clouse’s bill also encourages a survey of rules from other established regulated online markets to develop Nebraska’s own regulatory framework.
LB 421 is not the first attempt made by a lawmaker in the state to legalize online sports betting.
Just last year, Senator Elliot Bostar introduced legislative resolution 3CA, which raised the prospect of online sports betting through licensed casinos.
Despite a special legislative session that lasted 17 days, Bostar’s bill failed to reach the Senate floor.
The introduction of Clouse’s LB 421 follows Senator Tom Brandt filing legislative bill 63 last week, which is aiming to alter Nebraska’s Gaming Act to permit pre-match and live betting on in-state college sporting events.
Both the University of Nebraska and Creighton University boast several sports teams that contest high-profile fixtures, including the Nebraska Cornhuskers and Creighton Bluejays basketball rivalry.
Clouse’s efforts to legalize online sports betting come just days after both Wyoming and Indiana lawmakers introduced bills looking to legalize online casino ahead of legislative sessions starting in each state.