Nebraska Governor Signs Gambling Bill Legalizing Casino Games and Retail Sports Betting

LB 561 was recently approved by the state legislature by a vote of 44-3 with Gov. Ricketts moving quickly to sign the bill into law despite his previous misgivings over casino gaming. In August 2020, Gov. Ricketts wrote a column warning against the social and financial dangers of gambling and praised the state’s efforts to keep Nebraska free of gambling activity.

In November 2020, voters approved three initiatives allowing for gaming expansion at the state’s six licensed racetracks. This included a change to the state constitution that would allow slot machines and table games to be installed at the tracks. Although the original bill failed to specifically mention Nebraska sports betting, lawmakers have since determined that the language can encompass retail sports betting outlets.

Image credit: Gage Skidmore / CC BY-SA 2.0

Thomas Nielsen

Gambling industry journalist with a background in online poker and trading. Covering the regulated U.S Sports industry and the exciting world of online poker.