These on-reservation venues began to appear in the early 1990s following the passage of the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) in 1988, which codified Native American gaming rights on tribal land. Until very recently, the only casinos in Nebraska were a handful of relatively modest tribal gaming halls offering electronic bingo machines. The minimum gambling age in Nebraska is 18 for horse race betting and bingo, 19 for lottery games and keno, and 21 for casinos.Īll licensed gambling is regulated by the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission (NRGC).

and 2-1201 et seq and the Nebraska State Constitution Article III, Section 24. Most gambling-related matters are covered by Nebraska Revised Statutes, Section 28-1101 et seq. Class IV misdemeanors are punishable by a fine of up to $500.

The maximum punishment for a Class II misdemeanor is up to six months in jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both. Promoting gambling in the second degree is classified as a Class II misdemeanor, and promoting gambling in the third degree is a Class IV misdemeanor. Land-based sports betting was legalized in 2021.įive racinos under construction, tribal gamingĮxcept for limited parimutuel horse race bettingġ8 for horse race betting and bingo, 19 for lottery games and keno, and 21 for casinosĪccording to Nebraska Revised Statutes 28-1101, 'a person engages in gambling if he or she bets something of value upon the outcome of a future event, which outcome is determined by an element of chance, or upon the outcome of a game, contest, or election, or conducts or participates in any bingo, lottery by the sale of pickle cards, lottery, raffle, gift enterprise, or other scheme not authorized or conducted in accordance' with Nebraska law.Įngaging in any form of unlawful gambling is considered promoting gambling in the second degree if the amount of money wagered on any single day exceeds $300 or promoting gambling in the third degree if there is less money on the line. More recently, in 2020, voters authorized the establishment of full-fledged commercial casinos at racetracks, heralding a new era of liberalized gambling for the Cornhusker State. Around the same time, the state legislature established the Nebraska Lottery. Outside of the racetracks and keno parlors, opportunities for legal gambling remained scarce until the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (1988) paved the way for on-reservation tribal gaming in the early 1990s. But all forms of gambling were officially prohibited in Nebraska until 1934 when the state constitution was amended to allow parimutuel horse race betting at racetracks. It even went on to lend its name to a popular poker variation. was a notorious gambling town in the 19th century.

Age to gamble