Nebraska Sports Betting Market May Loosen Restrictions on NCAA Events

The scope of Nebraska sports betting may expand in 2025. But not how you think.

Many are waiting for online sports betting in Nebraska to be legalized. As things stand, residents of The Cornhusker State must visit a physical location to place wagers. But while there is talk of Nebraska letting mobile betting sites into the market, the focus this year is apparently on college sports betting.

Overview of Current Nebraska Sports Betting Laws for College Events

Current laws do not allow customers to bet on college football, bet on college basketball or bet on any other collegiate event when these competitions take place in the state. However, they are free to place wagers when these events happen outside of the market.

For example, let’s say the University of Nebraska is facing the University of Michigan in a Division I college football showdown. If the meeting is scheduled on the Wolverines’ field, in Michigan, Nebraskans are allowed to bet on it. But if the game is taking place at the University of Nebraska, customers cannot place any bets on it. There are no exceptions. 

What’s more, the same rules apply when it comes to college prop betting. If teams are competing in a game taking place in Nebraska, prop wagers are off-limits. If the game is happening in another market, though, those college sports prop betting lines should be available.

These rules are not the standard throughout the industry. They are also not uncommon. Other states disallow residents from betting on in-market college games. 

The reasoning behind this isn’t exactly uniform. Or technically official. But this rule is likely in place for at least two reasons. First, it may help limit the amount of younger adults partaking in Nebraska sports betting in any given week. That is a fairly big deal, even if college students are of gambling age. Multiple studies have shown that gambling addiction among young adults is on the rise and can be particularly damaging.

Secondly, it is theoretically easier for in-state games to be manipulated. For instance, if bad-faith actors are looking to compensate student-athletes to throw a Nebraska football game, they will have an easier time accessing them inside The Cornhusker State.

College Sports Betting Rules in The Cornhusker State are Under Review

Regardless of why Nebraska sports betting limits wagering on in-market college games, the law itself is under review. As Legal Sports Report’s Pat Evans writes:

“Nebraska sports betting operators could soon offer wagers on in-state college teams. Sen. Tom Brandt introduced Legislative Bill 63 on Thursday, a bill that would amend Nebraska sports betting law to allow for betting on in-state college sports. The bill simply strips the prohibition from the law. The Nebraska legislative session began Wednesday and runs through June 9. While Gov. Jim Pillen voiced support last year for a priority bill to take sports betting online, lawmakers have not yet filed such a bill.”

It is not immediately clear how much support there is for Legislative Bill 63. There is obviously a good amount of interest, otherwise it would not be on the table. But that does not mean it will pass. 

Still, as Evans also notes, the amount of money on the table may be compelling. “Some experts have estimated that in-state college bans can reduce sportsbook revenue by 15 percent,” he writes. “That figure could be higher in a state like Nebraska, which does not have a professional sports team but does have a rabid college fanbase.”

A 15 percent dip is large enough for Nebraska sportsbooks to apply pressure on officials to reconsider the current law. And legislators may be motivated by ensuring the state gets its cut of the 15 percent.

To what degree this incentive should resonate is debatable. After all, residents can still bet on out-of-market games. Given that college basketball betting and college football betting are the bigger business drivers, we’re talking about fewer than 20 games’ worth of wagering per year. Is the upside of such a small sample really that big?

Where Does the Push for Nebraska Online Sports Betting Stand?

The previous question will be answered soon enough. We may have to wait longer for a Nebraska online sports betting resolution.

Amid the rapid rise of online sports betting across the United States, Nebraska legislators held an emergency session this past summer to discuss, among other things, potentially allowing mobile betting sites to enter the market. The meeting ended without any sort of agreement or real momentum. However, most assumed the discussion would be picked back up this year.

So far, this is not the case.

Legislative Bill 63 notably does not include anything about Nebraska online sports betting. And as of this writing, no other initiative is on the table. 

Now, this doesn’t mean one will not be added. Proposals are always tacked onto the agenda midstream. But as many will tell you, this is not exactly a good sign. If support for online sports betting in Nebraska was truly prevalent, another bill that legalizes it would probably already be on the table. The fact that one isn’t up for consideration seems to suggest mobile sports betting in Nebraska won’t get the stamp of approval this year.

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