- Nebraska’s voters voted for regulated online gambling in 2020.
- The state legislature is poised to restrict some aspects of sports betting.
- This could leave Nebraska Cornhuskers fans unable to bet on their favorite team.
LAS VEGAS - Nebraska’s voters gave the go ahead to regulate sports betting in the state in 2020, but the legislature has put some restrictions on it.
Senators in the Nebraska State Senate, in an effort to compromise and get a regulatory bill passed, agreed to restrict wagering on in-state collegiate athletics.
What this means is that bettors in Nebraska will be unable to bet on the Nebraska Cornhuskers.
The Huskers are the biggest team in the state, and losing out on potential revenue from home games could be a big deal.
State Senator Steve Lathrop was apologetic but firm in his support for the restrictions, and believes they were necessary to get the bill passed.
Lathrop, speaking to the AP, offered the following to those who were upset by the decision:
“You may not like it, but in the end, we need to get (the bill) across the finish line.”
Many states have similar restrictions, although the logical utility of them has been debated.
Proponents of these restrictions point to the potential for undue influence over unpaid college athletes as a reason to limit gambling on their games.
Opponents tend to point out that online gambling takes place already, just on websites that the state doesn’t get a cut of.
In Nebraska, it seems as though the former group of people won out, although the bill is still up in the air.
The amendment to limit wagering on collegiate athletics within Nebraska passed overwhelmingly, 31-4.
The bill has one more vote to go through before it gets sent to the desk of Governor Pete Ricketts, where it is expected to be signed into law.