LEXINGTON, NE – Voters take to the polls next Tuesday, November 3rd, 2026, for the General Election and Nebraskans will be faced with ballot measures 440 and 441.
The two measures go hand-in-hand. Measure 440 is a proposed constitutional amendment authorizing online sports betting in the state. Measure 441 proposes authorizing the state gaming commission to adopt rules and regulations governing the gaming operators.
The state currently allows in-person sports betting at licensed racetrack casinos.
Supporters of the initiative contend that legalizing and regulating online sports wagering would create a new revenue stream for property tax relief.
According to taxreliefnebraska.com, the ballot initiative website 440 & 441, states that legalizing online sports betting could potentially deliver over $166 million to the Property Tax Credit Cash Fund over ten years.
We spoke with Lincoln Zehr, President and CEO of Lincoln Independent Business Association, who is a supporter of 440 & 441. He says, “Both Saturday and Sunday mornings, if you were to drive across the bridge to Council Bluffs (Iowa), you would see Nebraska license plate cars pulled over to the side of the road and their using their mobile phones and their placing bets because the GIS system (Mobile Geographic Information System) now allows them to place them because they are in Iowa.”
Zehr adds…
Taxreliefnebraska.com states, “Geolocation data shows at least 118,000 mobile sports betting accounts already exist in Nebraska and tens of thousands cross state borders to wager each year.”
Some of the supporters of the initiatives including Zehr are petition sponsor Jordan McGrain, WarHorse Casino CEO Lance Morgan, as well as 350,000 signatures submitted during the petition drive.
We spoke with Nate Grasz, Executive Director of Nebraska Family Alliance, who’s organization opposes 440 & 441. Grasz says, “these initiatives are quite literally written by and for out-of-state gambling companies who are trying to make a profit at the expense of Nebraska families, businesses, and student athletes.”
Grasz adds…
Nebraska Family Alliance contends that legalizing online sports betting won’t have as big of a positive impact on property tax relief that supporters are claiming.
Grasz comments on the study Tax Relief Nebraska supporters had done that showed a projected $166 million for property tax relief over a 10-year span…
Nebraska Family Alliance is also opposed to 440 & 441 because of the social costs that coincide with gambling like addiction, suicide, and broken homes.
Grasz says, “Online sports betting has been a massive public policy failure on every level. It’s hurting families, it is draining resources and savings, its reducing spending, its massively increasing addiction, and financial problems. So much so, that the Governor of Ohio came out and said that in his seven years as Governor, signing a bill to legalize online sports betting was his single biggest mistake.”
Nebraska Family Alliance recently announced that more than 40 Nebraska coaches and athletes have joined forces with “Save Nebraska Sports” and are speaking out against the initiatives. Of those join former Husker Football Coach Dr. Tom Osborne, longtime assistant football coach Ron Brown, head wrestling coach Mark Manning, former NFL running back Roy Helu Jr., former quarterback and college football coach Turner Gill, All-American volleyball player Gina (Mancuso) Prososki, and Nebraska baseball players Ryan Harahill, Will Jesske, Chase Olson, and Tucker Timmerman and others.
We asked Zehr what supporters stance was on opposing voices who have concerns of the impact legalizing online sports gambling in the state would have on gamblers and sports. Zehrs replied with:
We then asked Grasz if 440 & 441 are voted in favor by Nebraskan’s what regulations they would like to see. Grasz replied with:
You can listen to our interview with Zehr and Grasz below:
