Nebraska legislators will meet for a special session beginning Thursday as they tackle property tax reform. It’s possible that online sports betting legalization could be pushed forward as a way to generate tax revenue for property tax relief.

Governor Jim Pillen shared support for online sports betting legalization at a press conference last week, although Pillen suggested he’d put forward a priority bill in early 2025 rather than during the special session.

“Online sports betting is real, and it’s happening in the state,” Pillen said. “Whoever wants to do it is doing it, and we’re giving all the revenue to our neighbors.”

Several of Nebraska’s neighboring states, including Iowa, allow for legal sports betting apps.

It’s still possible, however, that Nebraska legislators speed up Pillen’s proposed timeline for online sports betting discussions. Gaming stakeholders in the state are hopeful for swift approval of online sports betting legalization.

“It’s additive. It’s not a tax shift,” Lance Morgan of Ho-Chunk Inc., which operates casinos across Nebraska, told KETV. “And so we think that’s a pretty viable option. And we’ve been proposing that to be part of this special session.”

The state currently allows legal retail sports betting.

If Nebraska legislators successfully approve online sports betting legalization in the coming days during the special session, the topic still needs to go to voters in November. If a referendum passes, then online sports betting can come to Nebraska.

While a potential timeline for Nebraska online sports betting legalization is murky, it’s clear the topic has the attention of legislators and the Governor.