Voters in the state of Nebraska will soon have to make a decision whether or not to permit commercial casino gaming, a step that could also lead to the legalization of sports betting.
A proposed amendment to the State Constitution called Nebraska Initiative 429 aims at officially allowing games of chance to be offered at licensed racetracks across the state. The amendment is now heading for a vote on the upcoming ballot, along with Initiative 430 and 431, under which a special regulatory body is set to be established for the sector, and tax on the newly legalized commercial gambling operators would be imposed. All three initiatives will have to get local voters’ approval in order for casino gambling to be allowed in Nebraska.
In case the majority of Nebraska voters give the green light to each of the three gaming measures on the upcoming ballot, the six horse racetracks that operate across the state will be able to start offering casino gambling. It still remains unclear whether the expansion will include sports betting but, in any case, it comes as a significant step forward for a state that has not been offering commercial casino gambling so far.
Sports Betting Is Not Officially Part of Constitution Amendment Initiatives
In case so-called games of chance, such as slot machines, roulette and craps, get the voters’ approval, Nevada-based horse racetracks will be able to offer them. A “No” vote would not only effectively eliminate the chance for commercial casino gambling to be held in the state, but would also make it impossible for sports betting to enter Nebraska in the near future.
US states have been able to individually decide whether to allow legal sportsbooks to start operation within their borders since the US Supreme Court decided that the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act of 1992 violated the country’s constitution and officially made sports betting legal in the country. Currently, Nebraska’s constitution does not allow sports betting services to be offered in the state and requires a voter referendum to take place in order for the activity to be permitted.
What puts sports betting under question, for the time being, is the fact that the proposed Initiative 429 only covers games of chance, while sports betting is usually considered a game of skill.
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) have not been technically approved by the state of Nebraska, either, although some operators such as market leaders FanDuel and DraftKings still accept players from Nevada.
It is still too early to say whether the measure that is set to be voted on the ballot would be enough to see sports betting finally enter the state. The measure has been opposed by the Nebraska Family Alliance, and a representative of the organization revealed for a local media that he was unsure if sports betting expansion would be covered by the referendum.
