We will admit that when we started to research the gambling laws in Nebraska, we didn’t know too much about the state. Now, we realize how important this state is, and while there are less than two millions residents, there is a rich history with gambling in Nebraska. This page will review the gambling laws across all verticals and will give you some insight on some potential changes that could be coming to the Cornhusker state.
Sports Betting in Nebraska
College sports are the top billing in Nebraska, and with the popularity of the football and basketball teams, it is not shocking to notice the number of people talking about point spreads and totals on game days. However, just like every other state outside Nevada, sports betting is illegal in the state. This hasn’t stopped many residents from finding ways to gamble, and as you will see below, there are many viable options for those of you who want to get some money down on the next big sporting event.
We expect there will be some movement on the sports betting regulatory front in the future. The Supreme Court repealed the law that prevented states from offering sports betting, and since then a flood of states have rushed to get laws on the books.
Online Sports Betting
As we mentioned, even though it is illegal to take a sports bet in Nebraska, it is not illegal for a resident to place one. With that in mind, many Nebraskans have headed online to find a sportsbook that will accept their deposits. Online sportsbooks have been available in the United States dating all the way back to the late 1990s, and despite efforts to shut them down, there are still alive and kicking. It is not adviseable to play at these offshore sportsbooks however as there is no security guarantee…
Horse Betting in Nebraska
The horse racing business in Nebraska is…well, it’s good or bad, depending on how you look at it. The optimistic side of the business is that there are currently six different facilities that offer live racing in the state, which is a great number considering the population base. The issue is that each of the tracks has a very limited number of live race days approved. The highest number of days of operation at any one track is 31, while there are two facilities that are only authorized to offer racing one day of the year! This may seem extreme, but it seems to be the way that each track does not compete with the others.
This obviously means that tracks need other forms of revenue to be profitable, and this mainly comes in the form of simulcast racing and off-track pari-mutuel betting. Each of the tracks offers the opportunity to bet on races from across the country, which gives people a reason to head to the track on one of the many days where live racing is unavailable. The tracks also offer live Keno as another source of revenue, although those games have seen better days.
Online Horse Betting
While the land-based horse betting industry in Nebraska is a little confusing, there is nothing confusing about the online side of the business. The tracks are not allowed to offer their own online pari-mutuel betting, but with sites like Twinspires and Xpressbet offering account-based wagering to residents of Nebraska, there are options for those not interested in heading to the track. We aren’t entirely sure why the Nebraska government hasn’t taken steps to prevent this from happening or at least to allow their local tracks to compete on even footing, but for now, if you want to bet online on the ponies, you will have to do so with one of these firms.
Casino Gambling in Nebraska
Nebraska follows the same line as many of the states in the country when it comes to casino gambling, The licensing and operation of land-based casinos have been awarded to the tribal nations in the state as part of a compact signed between the tribes and state back in the late 1980s. This means that the only casinos in the state are on tribal land, and at this time there is a handful open in the state. These casinos offer players a full set of games, including thousands of slot machines and all sorts of table games.
Online Casinos in Nebraska
One thing the tribes did not put into their compact when it was signed was the ability to offer internet casino games to players in Nebraska. This is not entirely surprising seeing that this compact was signed before internet gambling was a thing. It is always possible that the compact will be renegotiated to add these games, but it is unlikely to happen anytime soon. This leaves online casino gaming to the unregulated companies that offer the games outside of the reach of U.S. law. Even though the federal government has tried several times to eliminate these casinos, the bottom line is that many still exist and thrive in the U.S. market. Hopefully soon, they will be replaced by online casinos licensed in Nebraska are only those will be safe enough to warrant you playing there.
Once these Nebraska-licensed online casinos appear, we will review the sites in detail, covering the types of games being offered, the bonuses that are tied to deposits and to play, as well as the history of the ownership of the company. Our team has decades of experience in the online casino world, and they are players themselves so you can rest assured that the sites on this page are also the ones that our team are most likely to open and play themselves.
Lottery in Nebraska
Nebraska was one of the last states to create a Lottery Commission, launching in 1993. Players in the state are able to enter draws to win daily smaller prizes or some of the largest jackpots in the world with the Powerball, and Mega Millions draws that attract people from all over the country. To date, the Nebraska Lottery has raised almost a billion dollars for social programs in the state.
Is sports betting legal in Nebraska?
Right now, sports betting is not legal in Nebraska. Now, that really just means that there are no places legally accepting sports bets – between the local bookies and the unregulated-based online sportsbooks, there are many places that Nebraskans can make sports wagers. There has never been anyone prosecuted for making one of these bets, but there is some risk involved in an unregulated market and we do not recommend betting real money with any offshore sportsbook.
When will sports betting be legal in Nebraska?
At this point, we suspect that the wave of legalized sports betting crossing the United States will touch down in Nebraska in 2019. While we think there is a desire to get involved, there isn’t enough chatter out there right now to indicate any type of movement early in the next legislative session. We hope that we are wrong, but our best bet is that folks in Nebraska won’t see a sports betting bill passed before 2020.
What is the best online sportsbook for residents of Nebraska?
There is currently no sportsbook licensed in Nebraska and therefore residents of the state are out of luck when it comes to betting on sports online. Hopefully, it will change soon and the best online sportsbooks for anyone living in Nebraska will be those licensed in the state that focus on the sports that mean the most to the state – primarily football. Yes, all sportsbooks offer bets on many sports, but since football is such a huge source of pride in the state, we tend to recommend the sites that have the best promotions built around that sports. From leaderboards and handicapping contests for NFL and College Football to free bets being awarded to anyone who makes some football bets in a given period, there are lots of ways that Nebraska residents can maximize their betting with an online sportsbook.