Sports betting is set to occur in Nebraska next month but a couple of issues had to be resolved before the launch could be announced.
The first issue that had to be addressed was creating a master list of sports that could be offered to customers. The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission (NRGC) approved a master list last week.
Called the “Sports Wagering Catalog,” the list includes popular professional sports such as the NFL, NBA, NHL, and MLB. College football and basketball were also on the list.
Some esoteric sports like college water polo, pro rodeo, and the World Surf League were also included.
Not only were sports put on the list but types of bets were also specified. For example, NFL preseason and the draft will be allowed. So will MLB spring training, All-Star Game, Home Run Derby and MVP awards.
Commission Chairman Dennis Lee told the Omaha World Herald this was crucial for sports betting.
“This is the last piece of the puzzle for the gaming operators to proceed with sports wagering,” he said.
One activity that was barred from the catalog was betting on a college event that takes place in the state. That means those looking on betting on Nebraska football home games or Creighton basketball games at home will have to go to another state where sports betting is legal to make those wagers. Betting on those teams when they play away games, however, is legal.
“The Legislature essentially tells us what authority we have and we don’t have, and right now we have no authority to permit a sports-wagering facility in Nebraska to accept wagers on any college sport when that college sport is played in Nebraska,” Lee told the World Herald.
State Senator Eliot Bostar is trying to rescind that regulation. He sponsored a bill that would remove that restriction. So far, however, it has not been passed.
Tom Sage, NRGC executive director, said the catalog is a work in progress and that they got information from other states.
“There’s lots of sports out there that people are betting on right now,” he said. “Here we felt it was better to start out slower with less wagering types, with less product to bet on.”
The one firm rule is that for any sport to get into the catalog it must have a regulatory body, such as the NCAA or NFL. Sportsbook operators will be allowed to request the commission to add sports.
The only betting that can take place in Nebraska is at a retail location, no online betting is permitted. One of the places wagers can be made is at a licensed racetrack.
There are two currently in the state, but another is set to join them. The NRGC approved a gaming license for a temporary casino at Ag Park last week.
Caesars Entertainment plans to build a 28,000-square-foot Harrah’s casino and sportsbook with more than 500 slot machines and 14 table games. It is scheduled to open June 12.
