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Nebraska voters will decide in about two weeks whether to allow online sports betting.
Initiatives 440 and 441 would move wagering from in-person kiosks to authorized internet-based platforms.
The Nebraska Secretary of State’s office held a public hearing on Thursday to inform voters about the measures and take testimony. Supporters made the case while a problem-gambling group raised resource concerns.
What the Nebraska Initiatives Would Do
Two amendments to the Nebraska Constitution on online sports betting will appear on the November ballot. Initiative 440 would allow people located in Nebraska to take part in online wagering.
Initiative 441 would set regulations for online sports wagering and let authorized gaming operators participate through internet-based platforms.
Under current Nebraska law, sports wagers must be placed in person at an approved wagering kiosk.
Who Spoke at the Hearing
Petition sponsor Jordan McGrain backed the measures.
“Initiatives 440 and 441 will give us an opportunity to bring mobile sports wagering into a state-regulated framework with licensed operators, enforceable rules and a dedicated source of new revenue,” he said. He added that regulated tax revenue could be used to lower property taxes in Nebraska.
Lincoln Zehr of the Lincoln Independent Business Association also supported the initiatives. “This has ceased to become a moral issue. It’s an economic issue; we are losing money,” he said. Zehr argued that Nebraskans already gamble by crossing state lines, sending tax revenue to other states.
Andrew Brock, another supporter, said Nebraska should look for ways to deliver more property tax relief without raising taxes on families.
Mike Sciandra of the Nebraska Council on Problem Gambling testified neutrally. “We are not anti-gambling, we are anti-gambling-related harm,” he said. He added that online sports wagering would stretch the council’s resources.
No opponents attended to speak against the initiatives, though the Secretary of State’s informational pamphlet summarizes their position. Opponents believe online sports wagering “turns every phone into a casino, every play into a wager, and every athlete into a target – sending hundreds of millions of dollars out of Nebraska to out-of-state gambling conglomerates.”
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Source: As reported by dailynebraskan.com.
