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Read Full BioNebraska reported an all-time record-high month for sports betting in November, with revenue reaching $1.5 million. As the industry grows, the state is considering expanding to online sports betting next year.
The Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission reported the record figures, which were about 25% higher than the previous record of $1.2 million set in November 2024.
The WarHorse casinos in Omaha and Lincoln accounted for most of that revenue, about $1.2 million. Grand Island Casino Resort topped $200,000 in monthly sports betting revenue for the first time. This was 80% more than in November 2024. The casino opened a new full resort in April this year.
Vince Fiala, general manager of the Grand Island Casino Resort, said college football betting was a big driver of the revenue increase, with parlays in particular attracting hopeful bettors.
Fiala stated, “Here for us, the parlays are probably the biggest thing, when you bet two or three different things, because the odds of winning are a little bit higher, but the payouts are a lot higher, too.”
Casino Revenue Experiencing Record Year
Casino revenue also rose year-on-year, up to $24.1 million. This was the third-highest month ever, just behind October’s $24.6 million and May’s $24.2 million.
Overall, revenue for the year stands at $236 million and is expected to reach $260 million for 2025 after December’s numbers are added. This would mark an 80% increase from the $145.7 million in casino revenue for all of 2024.
The state now has five commercial casinos in operation, with the Warhorse Casino Omaha fully launching in April and Elite Casino Resorts opening in August.
In order to protect casino revenue, the state also moved to regulate skill games earlier this year. Nebraska now imposes a 5% tax on net revenue from the machines that appear at bars and convenience stores across the state. There are an estimated 5,500 skill game terminals across 1,600 locations.
Online Sports Betting Could Come In 2026
About $8.1 million of this year’s total gaming revenue has come from sports betting, up from $4.7 million in 2024. That figure could further increase if the state pushes forward with plans to legalize online sports betting next year.
Sen. Elliot Bostar introduced a bill to legalize online sports wagering in the state earlier this year. It gained some support, passing through the General Affairs Committee in a 27-16 vote in favor. However, Bostar believed it was too soon to make it into law and withdrew the legislation.
The matter will likely be revisited in 2026, which could see residents vote on whether to expand wagering online. In the meantime, Nebraskans can effectively wager on sports online through prediction markets.
