Nebraska Special Session on Mobile Sports Betting and Proposed Bill
As we shared last week, the Nebraska legislature has been called to a special session today to discuss a proposed bill on mobile sports betting (retail betting is already legal in NE). The bill being considered is LB13_S1.
The impetus to holding a special session on the bill now is the Governor’s desire to offset property taxes in the state; 90% of the revenue would be directed to this. The bill leaves a lot to the regulator to determine; however, here are some top-level take-aways:
- would authorize up to 6 OSBs in the state (one skin per gaming facility)
- 20% tax rate
- permits wagering on in-state college teams (currently not permitted under law)
- maintains prohibition on in-state college player prop bets
The effort to authorize mobile sports betting is not without controversy, so there’s a chance the effort will die during a short special session. However, it does make it more likely to be something the legislature would consider at the start of the session next year.
We understand that a Fiscal Note, which is the official revenue projection, is forthcoming. Depending on its projection, it could have an impact on whether this bill can get pushed through.
John Pappas is monitoring developments in Nebraska and will provide updates for members as soon as more information is available.