Gambling Online in Nebraska
When it comes to early gambling history, Nebraska came out swinging in the 20th century. The Cornhusker State legalized pari-mutuel wagering back in 1934. But there were strings attached.
Betting on races, even to this day, is only allowed at six racecourses.
While there are tribal casinos, they don’t offer table games or even Vegas-style slots. When it comes to Nebraska online gambling, the choice is a little limited. Real money betting and gaming are available, though, and the best Nebraska gambling sites provide plenty of options.
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Bonuses
Maximize your bankroll with fantastic bonuses. Our recommended sites offer valuable bonuses with fair terms and conditions, including manageable wagering requirements.
Games & Betting
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Banking
Getting your money to and from your account shouldn’t be a hassle. We only recommend sites with a variety of convenient banking methods, including cryptocurrency and e-wallets.
Proposed bills for legalized sports betting, as well as daily fantasy sports and poker, are currently up for discussion and debate in Nebraska. Some legislators want to officially designate DFS and poker as games of skill, which would bring them into the mix.
For now, though, NE online gambling opportunities originate from outside of the state. Some operators licensed in jurisdictions outside the state now allow locals to register and bet through their web-based services.
While casino, sports betting, and poker websites welcome Nebraskans, identifying the reputable and trustworthy ones is another story. On this page, we’re going to get into the ins and outs of Nebraska online gambling and what you should look for when gambling online for real money.
Best Nebraska Gambling Sites
Your quest for the best Nebraska gambling sites doesn’t need to be a challenging one. That’s because we’ve already done most of the legwork to get the ball rolling.
Our team of experts has been reviewing, rating, and ranking gambling websites for several years. Even before diving into a new evaluation, though, we stay on top of the news, player feedback, and provider reputations, as they factor into the process.
It’s not enough to just find gambling sites that accept players from NE. You want a high-quality service with timely payouts, safe and fair gaming, and banking options that suit your personal banking needs. So, our list of recommended Nebraska online gambling sites isn’t just the result of a quick Google search. Instead, we thoroughly review every website, remove any subpar choices, then rank the ones left standing based on our overall ratings.
NE Online Gambling Reviews
You now know that we have a meticulous review process to eliminate less-than-reputable gambling sites and rank the best ones. However, if you’re not very familiar with online gambling services, then you may not know what the method entails.
Setting up a real money gambling account isn’t the same as walking into the Ohiya Casino and Resort to play some slots. Here, we’ll take you on a virtual walk through all of the aspects of the web-based service.
Individual Gambling Site Reviews
We start with a complete list of gambling sites that accept NE players. From there, each one has a separate review prepared.
One of the first things that we look at is the banking structure. Transferring money to a gambling site is one of the biggest hurdles Americans have to jump. That’s because US players don’t have access to a variety of alternative methods, as you’d find in Europe or other parts of the world.
E-wallets, like Skrill and Neteller, aren’t options, so debit and credit cards are first on the list. However, Bitcoin and other cryptocurrencies are the preferred methods if you’re looking for a slam dunk approval. There’s no financial institution providing oversight, so funds move on your say-so alone.
Beyond the acceptable methods, we also examine turnaround times and note transfer fees, if any are imposed.
Betting and Gaming Choices
Next up on the list are the actual gambling options. We navigate each site, looking for quality, quantity, and variety. Some providers stick with one form of gambling, like casino games for example, while others offer a full range of options including casino, sports betting, and poker.
If you’re looking for something specific then you might be more interested in our category pages instead of the complete list of recommendations.
Evaluating Everything
The site’s reputation, along with banking and gambling options, comprises an essential trio. If one of the three isn’t up to standards, it’s probably not going to make it onto our list. But there are some other parts of the service that we address as well.
Our reviews also include the following evaluations.
- Customer service
- Player feedback
- The site’s design and user-friendliness
- Mobile play
- Terms and conditions
- Bonuses and promotions
You can look through our recommended sites and go from there with your assessment. But if you’re looking for more information to help you make a decision, then all of our reviews are posted and easily accessible.
Gambling Laws in Nebraska
Every state has its unique position on gambling and the opportunities it offers to residents. These days, they divide into two categories.
- Land-based gambling
- Online gambling
Gambling Expansion in the 1900s
Nebraska has initially been at the forefront of legal gambling movements. Its pari-mutuel wagering program was approved back in 1934. From there, charity bingo came in the 1950s, followed by fundraising expansion into raffles and local lotteries in the ‘60s.
In the next decade, Nebraska gambling laws allowed more opportunities with scratch cards and keno games. But in 1993, the official Nebraska State Lottery was launched, and local lotteries were reduced to keno games only.
NE Betting Restrictions
Both the lottery and pari-mutuel betting has been restricted to land-based options, as you wouldn’t refer to NE as a particularly progressive state. That stance holds when it comes to casino gaming as well.
The Native American tribes wanted to open full-scale Vegas-style gambling after IGRA, but Nebraska dug its heels in and refuses to sign compacts. That leaves the four casino venues with nothing but bingo and machines that are more like electronic lottery instead of slots.
New Gambling Proposals
It wasn’t a lucrative position to take, though, as Nebraskans tend to cross state lines and take advantage of Iowa’s legal casinos and sports betting.
The tide may be turning, though, as new bills are on the legislative floor. One involves sports betting, while another wants to reclassify poker and daily fantasy sports as games of skill.
Regulated Nebraska Gambling Sites
Needless to say, there aren’t any state-sanctioned online gambling sites, at least not yet. But that doesn’t mean that Nebraskans aren’t gambling online for real money. Daily fantasy sports are in full swing, even though the state isn’t regulating it or taking a cut.
When it comes to online gambling, a number of providers allow Nebraska players to participate. That means casino games, sports betting, and poker play are all a few clicks away, but the operators are based outside of the state.
Nebraska’s Gambling Line-up
- Casinos: Tribal casinos host bingo and electronic lottery-types of machines (no Vegas-style gaming). There are four tribal casinos, including the Iron Horse Bar & Casino, Lucky 77, Native Star Casino, and Ohiya Casino.
- Sports Betting: Proposed, but not currently approved
- Poker: Proposed, but not currently approved for cash games
- Pari-Mutuel: Nebraska features four racetracks, including AgPark, Fonner Park Casino, Horseman’s Park, and Lincoln Race Track. All of these tracks offer simulcast wagering, which was legalized in 1988.
- Daily Fantasy Sports: Provided to Nebraskans without in-state regulation
- Lottery: Nebraska voters approved a state lottery in 1992, and tickets went on sale the following year. A mix of multi-state and in-state lottery games are offered, including Mega Millions, Powerball, 2by2, MyDay, Pick3, and Pick5. Nebraska is the only state that has a minimum age requirement of 19 for buying lottery tickets.
- Online Casino Gambling: Offered by out-of-state operators only
Why Gamble Online in Nebraska?
If you’re wondering why anyone should gamble online, the #1 answer is that it’s a matter of convenience, regardless of where you live.
It takes just a few seconds to grab your computer or smartphone and get things in motion. No commute is needed, and you can even play in your pajamas if you want!
The Only Game in Town
There’s another reason that applies to Nebraskans, though. The state doesn’t have any Vegas-style casino gambling available. Tribal gaming consists of high-stakes bingo and machines that aren’t traditional slots. There are no sanctioned table games anywhere in the Cornhusker State.
If you’re looking to play some slots or you enjoy blackjack, craps, or any of the popular casino games, heading to Iowa or another state that has Vegas-style gaming is your only land-based option.
These days, real money gambling sites have more accountability. They’ve been around for a few decades now, so it’s no longer a free-for-all. It’s a little easier to know which providers are reputable and which ones they should avoid.
We share that information throughout the best online gambling sites, along with complete reviews and all of the specifics you need to narrow down your choices.
Where Can I Gamble in Nebraska?
Summary
Even though Nebraska got an early jump on some forms of legal gambling, things have slowed down considerably since the early 1900s.
Today, residents can play the lottery, travel to a racetrack to make a pari-mutuel bet or head to one of four tribal venues for bingo and some basic electronic gaming. For a complete menu of Vegas-style games, though, Nebraskans either have to head over to Iowa or choose to gamble online.
With newly proposed sports betting legislation, real money gambling options in the Cornhusker State could expand soon. But for now, the best Nebraska gambling sites can meet most people’s needs.