Nebraska Online Gambling
The Nebraska online gambling market is limited due to broad but often ambiguous statutes and a state constitution that prohibits games of chance unless specifically authorized by voters.
As a result, Nebraska law expressly prohibits online casinos, online poker, and online sports betting. The state’s current online gambling options are limited to unregulated activities. Sweepstakes casinos, daily fantasy sports, online horse racing wagering, and third-party lottery courier apps are all available but unregulated in Nebraska.
Read on for a thorough but plain-English overview of your Nebraska online gambling options and what you should know before you play.
Legal Nebraska Gambling Sites
21+ and present in Nebraska. T&Cs apply. Gambling problem? 1-833-BETOVER or visit problemgambling.nebraska.gov.
Nebraska Online Gambling Overview
| Type of Gambling (minimum age) | Legal Status | Notes |
| Online Casinos (n/a) | Illegal | Prohibited under NE Code § 28-1101 et seq |
| Sweepstakes Casinos (18+) | Gray Area | Not explicitly authorized or prohibited; widely available |
| Online Poker (n/a) | Illegal | Treated the same as online casinos under NE gambling law |
| Online Sports Betting (n/a) | Illegal | Prohibited under NE Code § 9-1110, which limits sports wagers to “in person” only |
| Daily Fantasy Sports (19+) | Legal/Unregulated | Not explicitly authorized but widely available without state interference |
| Fantasy Pick’em Contests (19+) | Legal/Unregulated | Treated the same as standard DFS contests; not regulated but tolerated |
| Online Lottery Sales (19+) | Legal/Unregulated | State lottery does not sell online; third-party courier apps permitted |
| Online Horse Racing (18+) | Legal/Unregulated | Not explicitly authorized but major operators serve Nebraska without issue |
Nebraska Online Casinos
Online casinos are illegal in Nebraska.
State law defines gambling as betting something of value on an outcome determined by chance, and real-money online casinos clearly fall within this prohibition.
NE Code § 28-1101 through § 28-1117 establish Nebraska’s gambling framework, making it unlawful to operate or participate in unauthorized gambling activities.
Although all past enforcement efforts targeted operators rather than players, the law technically subjects participants to criminal penalties for gambling online in Nebraska.
Will Nebraska Legalize Online Casinos?
Nebraska is unlikely to legalize online casinos in the near term.
Currently, there is neither political nor popular momentum to legalize online casinos in Nebraska. Even if there were widespread demand for online gambling in Nebraska, lawmakers would face significant obstacles.
The Nebraska Constitution explicitly forbids the legislature from authorizing any “game of chance” without voter approval in a statewide referendum.
Therefore, the path to legalization would require a successful statewide ballot initiative to amend the constitution, a costly and challenging process with no guarantee of success.
Additionally, lawmakers, commercial casinos, and tribal casino operators would have to reach agreements on key issues like licensing conditions, who qualifies for online casino licenses, tax rates, and problem gambling safeguards.
Sweepstakes Casinos in Nebraska
Sweepstakes casinos operate in a legal gray area in Nebraska.
Nebraska law does not explicitly prohibit or authorize sweepstakes casinos, allowing them to operate by default. Nearly all mainstream sweepstakes casinos accept players from Nebraska, including:
Sweepstakes casinos leverage federal and state sweepstakes laws to distinguish themselves from illegal gambling. In short, they operate on a “no purchase necessary” model, offering free methods to obtain virtual currency that can be used to play casino-style games and potentially win cash prizes.
Legal and Regulatory Uncertainty
Although they remain accessible today, sweepstakes casino sites face potential regulatory challenges. In August 2025, Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers joined a bipartisan coalition of 50 attorneys general urging the US Department of Justice to intensify enforcement against “illegal offshore gaming.”
The letter primarily targeted offshore gambling sites, but the aggressive posture against unregulated online gambling could signal future enforcement risks for sweepstakes casinos operating in Nebraska. Regulators in other states have successfully challenged sweepstakes casinos whose products closely resemble traditional gambling.
Nebraska Online Poker
Online poker is illegal in Nebraska.
The same criminal gambling statutes that prohibit online casinos apply equally to online poker sites. Nebraska law makes no distinction between peer-to-peer poker games and house-banked casino games when determining what constitutes illegal gambling.
Currently, it’s unlikely that Nebraska will legalize online poker anytime soon. Unlike some states that have debated standalone poker bills, Nebraska lawmakers have not shown interest in authorizing internet poker even as a skill-based activity.
Until state law changes, sweepstakes poker remains the next-closest alternative. Sweeps poker sites operate on the same “no purchase necessary” model as their casino equivalents but offer game types like Texas Hold’em and Omaha cash games, multi-table tournaments, SNGs, and more.
Nebraska Online Sports Betting
Online sports betting is illegal in Nebraska.
Following voter approval of gambling expansion in 2020, the state legislature passed a bill in 2021 that authorized sports wagering but strictly limited it to in-person bets placed at licensed retail sportsbooks located within racetrack enclosures.
The controlling statute, NE Code § 9-1110, explicitly states that any sports wager must be placed “in person or at a wagering kiosk in the designated sports wagering area at the licensed racetrack enclosure”.
Initial drafts of the enabling legislation included provisions for online betting, but lawmakers removed all such language during compromise negotiations to secure yes votes.
Because the state constitution prohibits the legislature from independently expanding gambling, legalizing online sports betting requires another voter-approved constitutional amendment.
An effort is currently underway to place such an amendment on the 2026 general election ballot. The proposed amendment would authorize online sports betting in Nebraska if approved by a majority of voters in a statewide referendum.
Daily Fantasy Sports in Nebraska
Daily fantasy sports contests are legal but unregulated in Nebraska.
Nebraska law does not explicitly address daily fantasy sports, but all major DFS platforms operate freely in the state. DraftKings and FanDuel are the most prominent operators, alongside newer platforms like PrizePicks, Underdog Fantasy, and Sleeper.
DFS operators contend their contests are skill-based competitions rather than gambling, allowing them to operate without specific state authorization. Nebraska has never passed legislation to regulate, tax, or prohibit daily fantasy sports, making it de facto legal.
Fantasy Pick’em Contests in Nebraska
Fantasy pick’em contests are legal but unregulated in Nebraska.
Fantasy pick’em apps are the next-closest alternative to online sportsbooks in Nebraska because they allow fans to predict whether individual athletes will exceed projected stat totals (rushing yards, strikeouts, goals, etc.).
However, Nebraska does not regulate fantasy pick’em contests, so fans should use established and reputable operators only. Several of the most prominent pick’em-style apps available in Nebraska include:
Some states have banned or heavily regulated pick’em contests due to their similarity to sports betting proposition wagers. Nebraska regulators have taken no such actions to date, but
Nebraska Online Lottery Sales
Online lottery sales are available in Nebraska via legal lottery courier apps.
The Nebraska Lottery does not offer online ticket sales through its official website or mobile app. State law limits authorized lottery retailers to selling tickets on licensed premises and prohibits sales through technological means except as the Department of Revenue may authorize.
However, Nebraskans can buy lottery tickets online through Jackpocket, a third-party lottery courier service.
The Jackpocket app launched in Nebraska in June 2023 after determining that state law does not prohibit courier services from purchasing tickets on behalf of customers.
The Nebraska Lottery has not issued a formal public statement either endorsing or condemning courier apps like Jackpocket. However, their continued operation and the fact that Nebraska residents have successfully claimed large prizes won from tickets purchased through these apps suggest a level of tacit acceptance by state authorities.
How Lottery Couriers Work
Jackpocket and similar courier services operate by:
- Accepting customer orders through a mobile app or website
- Purchasing official lottery tickets from authorized retailers on behalf of customers
- Scanning and transmitting digital images of tickets to customers
- Notifying winners automatically and facilitating prize claims
Online Horse Racing Betting in Nebraska
Online horse racing betting is legal but unregulated in Nebraska.
All major advance deposit wagering platforms (ADWs) serve Nebraska residents, including:
Nebraska law, specifically NE Code § 2-1207, authorizes the pari-mutuel method of wagering on horse races but specifies that it must be conducted “within the enclosure of any racetrack”. The statute is silent on advance deposit wagering, leaving online racebooks like AmWager and TwinSpires in a legal gray area.
Key Information for Bettors
- Minimum Age: Operators typically require bettors to be 18 or older.
- No State Licensing: ADW platforms operate without Nebraska-issued licenses or regulatory oversight.
- Major Platforms Available: All mainstream ADWs accept Nebraska residents.
Nebraska ranks among the majority of US states where online racebooks operate freely despite the absence of specific state regulatory frameworks.
Nebraska Gambling Regulators
Nebraska’s gambling oversight is split across agencies, with racetrack casinos and sports wagering centralized under one commission, and lottery/charitable gaming managed by the Department of Revenue.
- Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission (NRGC): Licenses and regulates racetrack casinos and sports wagering; administers Title 296 rules (sports wagering, responsible gaming, exclusions, taxation).
- Nebraska Lottery (Department of Revenue): Operates the state lottery; maintains rules, retailer network, and responsible-play information. The official app is non-transactional.
- Department of Revenue – Charitable Gaming Division: Regulates charitable gaming (e.g., bingo, raffles, pickle cards) and enforces related statutes and tax provisions.
Responsible Gambling Resources in Nebraska
Nebraska funds a comprehensive problem gambling program and requires responsible gambling plans at racetrack casinos.
Because Nebraska does not regulate online gambling, the state lacks a statewide self-exclusion program covering activities like daily fantasy sports and online horse racing wagering. However, most reputable platforms offer individual self-exclusion programs.
Nebraska Self-Exclusion Resources
- NRGC Voluntary Self-Exclusion Program: Allows individuals to ban themselves from all state-licensed casinos and retail sportsbooks. Enrollment requires an in-person application at an NRGC office, a Nebraska Gambling Treatment Program agency, or any licensed casino or racetrack.
Responsible Gambling Organizations
- Nebraska Commission on Problem Gambling: Provides 24/7 problem gambling counseling for free, treatment referrals, and education. Call 1-833-BETOVER (238-6837).
- National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG): Operates a 24/7 national helpline. Call 1-800-GAMBLER, text 800GAM, and chat online.