Tom Osborne and 44 Huskers Urge Nebraska Voters to Reject Online Sports Betting

Tom Osborne, Nebraska's most famous football coach, and 44 current and former Huskers have urged voters to reject online sports betting on 3 November. Their letter, released on 21 October by the Save Nebraska Sports campaign, targets Initiatives 440 and 441, which would let Nebraska's racetrack casinos offer betting apps statewide.

It is a campaign letter, and its warnings are arguments, not findings. But in a state where Husker football is close to a civic religion, few voices carry more weight.

Who signed and what they say

Signers include Osborne, Ron Brown, Turner Gill, Mark Manning, Roy Helu Jr. and several current Nebraska baseball players. KLKN-TV counts 45 signers in total.

The letter argues that out-of-state gambling companies would profit at Nebraska's expense and that online betting would damage the integrity of college sports. It cites an FBI warning that criminals may target athletes facing financial or gambling problems. "When fans begin questioning whether the outcome of a game is determined by honest competition, the integrity of the entire sport is at risk," it says.

Osborne has opposed online betting for years; a statement from him was read at the Save Nebraska Sports launch on 10 September, where State Auditor Mike Foley and Treasurer Joey Spellerberg joined the campaign. Lawmakers have also resisted it before: state senators opposed mobile gambling legalization in 2024, and a separate bill sought to allow betting on college sports.

What voters are deciding

Nebraska already allows in-person sports betting at its licensed racetrack casinos. The two measures, sponsored by Tax Relief Nebraska, would add online betting:

The Secretary of State certified both in August, with 138,473 valid signatures for the amendment and 96,918 for the statute. The Lancaster County election commissioner raised fraud concerns about the petition drive; Tax Relief Nebraska disputes them.

Even a yes vote would not launch apps immediately: the commission would have to write rules and license platforms first.

The property tax promise

Supporters sell the measures as tax relief. Nebraska taxes racino slot and table revenue at 20% and sends 70% of that tax to the Property Tax Credit Cash Fund; the measures would steer sports betting tax to property tax credits too.

A study by Eilers & Krejcik Gaming, commissioned by Tax Relief Nebraska, estimates about $87 million in state tax revenue over five years, of which about $61 million would go to tax relief, assuming the same 70% share. The campaign's website cites $166 million over ten years.

Opponents call that a "false promise of property tax relief." Foley argues the money would be "pennies" compared with what operators such as FanDuel and DraftKings would collect. Both estimates are projections, not revenue already collected. For comparison, other states keep changing their sports betting tax rates: North Carolina plans to raise its rate to 23%.

The money behind the campaigns

The yes side has far more money. Between late July and late September, DraftKings and FanDuel each gave another $3.5 million, for about $7 million each in total; BetMGM added $250,000. Tax Relief Nebraska reported a war chest of about $14.65 million. On the other side, the Nebraska Family Alliance reported spending $2,109 in the period, mostly on postage for a voter guide.

What to watch

• 3 November: the vote on Initiatives 440 and 441.
• If both pass: rulemaking by the Racing and Gaming Commission, due by 1 June 2027, then licensing of up to 12 platforms.
• If they fail: in-person betting at racinos continues, and the question returns to the Legislature.

Nebraska joins a long list of states where expansion has been fought out at the ballot box or in the legislature, from Missouri's ballot fight over digital wagering to Maine's online casino launch.

Status reviewed on 23 October 2026. More sports betting news and North America coverage.