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DraftKings and FanDuel have each contributed $3.5 million to a Nebraska ballot campaign that would legalize online sports betting, according to the latest campaign finance data released through Sept. 29 by the Nebraska Accountability and Disclosure Commission.
The two donations, made in late August, added a combined $7 million to the effort. With an additional $250,000 contribution from BetMGM on Sept. 18, total operator backing for the Nebraska legalization campaign now stands at more than $14 million.
Nebraska voters would need to pass two measures
Nebraska already has in-person sports betting, which has been live since June 2023 after voters approved retail wagering in 2020. Online betting, however, would still require voter approval this fall.
Two ballot measures would need to pass: a constitutional amendment and a separate initiative that sets the framework for mobile wagering. Under the proposal, the tax rate for online sports betting would be 20%, each approved facility could have up to two online betting partners, and the state gaming regulator would have to finalize rules by June 1, 2027.
Backers of the campaign, operating as Tax Relief Nebraska, say the plan would generate $166 million in property tax relief over 10 years. Opponents, including the Save Our Sports group, have argued the measures would amount to “putting a casino in every Nebraskan’s pocket” and have called the tax-relief pitch a “scam.”
Pennsylvania and Georgia also saw sports betting policy movement
The broader legislative roundup also highlighted a responsible-gambling proposal in Pennsylvania. Rep. Joe Webster is pushing for monthly financial statements for gamblers, citing an Australian study that he said “helped the most severe problem gamblers make a positive change in their behavior.” Webster also said calls to Pennsylvania’s problem gambling hotline related to online sports betting or gambling rose 300% between 2021 and 2024.
Pennsylvania’s legislative session runs through Nov. 30, and bills do not carry over from 2026 into 2027.
In Georgia, Rep. Matt Hatchett introduced a 2026 bill that would have legalized sports betting without a constitutional amendment. His proposal would have allowed as many as 18 online platforms, with a 25% tax on adjusted gross revenue, a $1.5 million annual licensing fee, and a $100,000 application fee.
For industry watchers, Nebraska is the clearest near-term story to monitor. The state is surrounded by border states that already offer some form of legal sports betting, and five of those states — Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, and Wyoming — have regulated mobile wagering.
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Source: As reported by Jill R. Dorson.
