The legislature adjourned sine die on Tuesday, Aug. 20, and did not address or vote on an online sports betting package for the state.
The special legislative session was called by Gov. Jim Pillen (R) to find solutions to the state s high property taxes.
Sen. Eliot Bostar (D-29) successfully moved a constitutional amendment out of committee last week to give voters a say on its legalization, but the package faced an uphill battle and likely would have had little impact on property tax relief.
Governor Supports Online Sports Betting
Despite the Nebraska legislature not addressing online sports betting during the special session, the topic will most likely be debated again in 2025.
Pillen has made no secret of his preference to legalize online sports betting. Earlier this year the governor revealed plans for a priority bill in 2025 to legalize the new form of gaming in Nebraska.
Fiscal estimates, he said, show Nebraska loses out on $32 million in tax revenue annually without legalized online sports betting. The state currently has legalized retail sports betting at its casinos.
Bostar his legislative package to the General Affairs committee earlier this month. Bostar’s legislation amended the Nebraska Racetrack Gaming Act to allow casinos to offer online sports betting, dedicating the majority of online sports betting tax revenues to property tax relief for state residents.
The proposed legislation dedicated 90% of online sports betting tax revenue to the Property Tax Credit Cash fund, which provides property tax relief for Nebraskans.
Currently, in-person sports betting is taxed at a rate of 20% of gross sports betting revenue and dedicates 70% of tax revenue to the property tax fund.
Despite part of his package being approved in committee, it was never discussed on the senate floor. Additionally, several Nebraska senators spoke out on the legislation earlier this week.
Not All Senators On Board
A coalition of 13 senators released an official statement earlier this week decrying the attempts to legalize online sports betting in the name of property tax relief.
“Any effort to to expand gambling further or legalize online sports betting, be it a Constitutional Amendment or a statutory end-run, is a poison pill and will lose our support for the bill,” the Senators wrote.
The following Nebraska Senators signed the statement against online sports betting:
Sen. John Lowe (R-37)
Sen. Ray Aguilar (R-35)
Sen. Joni Albrecht (R-17)
Sen. Robert Clements (R-2)
Sen. Robert Dover (R-19)
Sen. Steve Erdman (R-47)
Sen. Steve Halloran (R-33)
Sen. Brian Hardin (R-48)
Sen. Rick Holdcroft (R-36)
Sen. Loren Lippincott (R-34)
Sen. Dave Murman (R-38)
Sen. Rita Sanders (R-45)
Sen. Julie Slama (R-1)
Nebraska very recently legalized casinos largely on the promise of property tax relief that has failed to manifest itself. Expanding gambling further will inevitably lead expanding the associated addictions and adds to more suffering in our communities.
