November 3 vote drives $22M in Nebraska, blocks Indiana casino

Voters in Nebraska, Indiana and Virginia went to the polls on 3 November 2026 to decide several gaming measures. In Nebraska, the Tax Relief Nebraska campaign raised approximately $22 million to support Initiatives 440 and 441 to authorize mobile sports betting; DraftKings and FanDuel each contributed about $10.4 million. In Indiana, Steuben County voters rejected a casino proposal by 58.66% to 41.34%, preventing promoters from competing for that county’s license.

Nebraska: funding and key points of the initiatives

Initiatives 440 and 441 would legalise mobile sports betting and set a tax rate of 20% on gross gaming revenue. The Tax Relief Nebraska campaign raised about $22 million in contributions: DraftKings and FanDuel roughly $10.4 million each; Fanatics gave $600,000 and BetMGM $500,000. The ballot language would allow racetrack casinos with licences to offer online sports betting through approved platforms.

Nebraska currently accepts in-person wagers at five racetrack casinos; last year those venues generated about $9.3 million in sports-betting revenue and under $2 million in state taxes from that line of business. Under the initiatives, the state would direct 70% of tax revenue to property-tax relief. Both measures require voter approval: one as a constitutional amendment and the other as enabling legislation under the authority of the Nebraska Racing and Gaming Commission.

Under the proposed measures, bettors and betting servers would have to remain physically inside Nebraska, and existing restrictions on wagering on Nebraska teams while they play in-state would stay in place. Opposition groups Save Nebraska Sports and Nebraska Family Alliance warned of gambling addiction risks and harm to athletes. Former Nebraska football coach Tom Osborne said:

“Nebraskans support, embrace, and protect our athletes. Legalizing online sports gambling does none of those things.”

A small Kalshi market prediction had favoured passage before the vote, but polling data were limited.

Indiana: Steuben rejection and the licensing timeline

The casino proposal under House Enrolled Act 1038 suffered a setback when Steuben County voted no by 58.66%. Allen and DeKalb counties also voted on whether to permit developments; the law passed by the legislature in 2026 authorises one of the three counties to compete for a new inland casino licence.

The rules require a minimum developer outlay of $500 million, which must include investments in non-gaming facilities. The successful bidder would face a licence fee of $100 million and an additional $50 million payment to support communities affected by casino closures. Construction requirements state the developer must complete 60% of the investment within two years of licence approval and finish the entire project within five years after opening.

County applications from eligible counties are due on December 1, 2026, and the Indiana Gaming Commission is scheduled to make a decision on April 15, 2027. A prior regulatory study estimated a casino in Allen County could generate $204 million in annual revenue and $61 million in state gaming taxes.

Virginia: local votes on historical-racing terminals

Virginia held local referendums in Amherst County and the town of Pulaski to decide whether to permit pari‑mutuel facilities based on historical horse racing. Approval would open the door for Churchill Downs Incorporated, operator of Rosie’s Gaming Emporium, to apply for historical-horse-racing centres at both sites. Those terminals let players wager on past races via electronic machines. Amherst County previously rejected a similar proposal in 2021. Any approved measure would still require regulatory sign-off before moving forward.