Nebraska voters will decide the future of statewide online sports betting on November 3 after election officials finalized the ballot for the 2026 general election. Secretary of State Bob Evnen certified the candidates and ballot measures, clearing the way for two related sports wagering proposals to go before voters following a multimillion-dollar petition campaign. Nebraska already permits retail sports betting at casinos and racetracks, while statewide mobile wagering remains unavailable under the current framework.
Officials assigned numbers to the three citizen-initiated measures through a random drawing that began with #440. The first sports betting proposal, Initiative Measure #440, would authorize online sports wagering in Nebraska if voters approve it. Initiative Measure #441 addresses the accompanying statutory framework and would establish taxation provisions for online sports betting revenue. A separate proposal, Initiative Measure #442, concerns participation in youth sports. Nebraska’s election information confirms that Measures 440 and 441 cover online sports wagering authorization and regulation.
Sports Betting Campaign Moves to November Vote
The ballot certification marks the next stage of an effort that required supporters to collect enough valid signatures to place online sports wagering before voters. Tax Relief Nebraska led the campaign, while major sportsbook operators supplied more than $7 million toward the signature-gathering effort. The first general election campaign finance report for the group is due October 5.
The Nebraska Family Alliance has emerged as one of the prominent organizations opposing the sports betting proposal. At the time of the reports, the amount it might spend during the general election campaign remained unclear.
If voters approve the measures, Nebraska could permit as many as 12 statewide mobile sportsbooks. The proposed structure could provide two mobile sportsbook opportunities for each of Nebraska’s six gaming facilities, although the state would not necessarily fill every available position.
The potential licensing structure follows a petition effort that attracted financial backing from several large betting companies. FanDuel, DraftKings, Fanatics and BetMGM contributed to the signature campaign. Caesars already has a presence in Nebraska through a gaming facility and a branded retail sportsbook. The reports also identified bet365 and theScore Bet among possible future applicants, although their eventual participation remains uncertain.
Approval would expand Nebraska’s existing sports wagering system from retail betting to statewide mobile access. The reporting on the campaign stated that Nebraska would become the 33rd state to approve legal statewide mobile sports wagering if voters adopt the proposal on November 3.
College Betting Limits Would Remain
The proposed mobile betting framework would retain Nebraska’s existing restriction involving college teams based in the state. Online sportsbooks would remain unable to accept wagers on Nebraska college teams when those teams compete inside Nebraska. Retail sportsbooks already operate under the same restriction.
Under the current approach, wagers involving Nebraska college teams can take place when those teams compete outside the state. The restriction has particular relevance for programs including Nebraska Cornhuskers football and Creighton Blue Jays men’s basketball. Some state lawmakers and community leaders have argued that the limitation helps protect college athletes from harassment.
The sports betting campaign also arrives as sports-related prediction markets operate in Nebraska. DraftKings, FanDuel and Fanatics offer sports event contracts through prediction market platforms in the state. Critics of these products have argued that federally regulated prediction markets function similarly to sportsbooks while operating outside state gambling systems.
Nebraska’s attorney general’s office joined other states in an amicus brief supporting Nevada in litigation seeking to prohibit sports prediction markets. An appeals court ruled in Nevada’s favor, with the dispute potentially heading toward the U.S. Supreme Court.
Election Officials Prepare October Hearings
The Secretary of State’s office plans to conduct hearings on the ballot measures during October, as Nebraska law requires. Officials will hold hearings in each of the state’s three congressional districts and release additional details about those sessions.
The Elections Division will also prepare informational pamphlets for distribution during the hearings. Voters will be able to access those materials online and through county election offices.
Evnen credited election workers with completing the certification process despite issues encountered during the election cycle.
“County election offices and the Elections Division have done an excellent job verifying petitions and ensuring candidates were properly filed so that we could certify the general election ballot on time,” said Secretary Evnen. “We are confident that all the appropriate checks have been completed and confirmed despite the rather unusual number of issues we faced this year.”
With certification complete, the two online sports betting measures now move toward the November 3 statewide vote, while campaign finance filings and the scheduled October hearings will provide additional information ahead of Election Day.
Source:
Secretary of State certifies ballot for 2026 general election, ruralradio.com, September 14, 2026.
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