The wait for a legal Nebraska mobile sports betting market could soon be over.

The Warhorse Casino is leading a signature-gathering effort around the state to put online sports betting on the ballot for November’s midterm elections. This is the first step towards creating a constitutional amendment that would allow voters to decide on the issue.

Last year, Nebraska lawmakers seemed to be on the verge of adding their own proposal to legalize an online market on the ballot, but failed to pass it before the session ended. Proponents had attempted to instill a sense of urgency by warning that commercial operators were running out of patience, and could take the decision out of their hands.

With the signature effort now underway, those warnings have proven true.

For the effort to succeed, the group of operators will need to collect signatures from at least 10% of the state’s population. The list will need to be submitted and verified at least four months before the election, giving the group about six months.

Nebraska legalized retail sports betting in 2020 through a public referendum.

Effort Will Face an Uphill Battle

While polls have found that public support for online sports betting is strong, that doesn’t guarantee the effort to legalize it will succeed.

Other states have seen similar attempts, with most failing. The ones that succeeded were in Colorado and Missouri, but by surprisingly narrow margins. Given the increase in betting scandals and problem gambling since then, winning voters over may prove even more difficult in Nebraska.

The timing of the effort also prevents a challenge. The political landscape in the US has been set ablaze over the last year, leading to deepening political divides. With many Americans fearing that the country's fate is on the line in November, the debate over online sports betting may not register. 

The good news for industry supporters is that the WarHorse Casino is part of the powerful Ho-Chunk Gaming group. The effort will also attract support from commercial sportsbooks looking to enter the state, helping secure crucial funding to support mobile betting. That will not only help win over voters but also put pressure on lawmakers to find a better solution.