Nebraska Bishops Reject Sports Gambling Expansion
They warn the promised tax relief would require Nebraskans to lose about $800 million to the house.
On Tuesday, October 27, the three Catholic bishops of Nebraska issued a joint statement calling on the faithful and all citizens of the state to reject two ballot measures that would open the door to expanded online sports gambling.
Archbishop Michael G. McGovern of Omaha, Bishop James D. Conley of Lincoln, and Bishop Joseph G. Hanefeldt of Grand Island urged a vote “Against” Initiatives 440 and 441. The initiatives, which appear on the November 3 ballot as early voting is already underway, would amend the Nebraska Constitution to expand online sports betting across the state.
“We urge Nebraskans, especially Catholics, to vote ‘Against’ Initiatives 440 and 441. These measures would expand predatory online sports gambling in our state. False promises of small property tax relief do not outweigh the serious social problems these initiatives would cause Nebraskans,” the bishops said.
Vulnerable Lives and the House That Always Wins
In their statement, the bishops warned that online sports gambling targets vulnerable people, especially young men and teenagers. The consequences they named are concrete: family problems, debt, bankruptcy, homelessness, and mental health issues that follow continuous, phone-based wagering.
“Online sports gambling isn’t a harmless wager among friends. It turns every part of a game – play call, free throw, serve, or a pitch – into a bet where the house always wins, which harms sports and student-athletes. Let’s not turn every phone into a casino,” they wrote.
The bishops’ opposition is shared by the Nebraska Catholic Conference, which has also called on voters to defeat the measures. Backers of the initiatives have held out the prospect of about $166 million in property tax relief. Reaching that figure, however, would require Nebraskans to lose some $800 million to online gambling — losses the bishops say far outweigh any promised tax benefit.
A Clear Call Before Election Day
With ballots already in the hands of early voters, the bishops framed the choice in moral as well as civic terms. Expanding sports betting on every smartphone, they argued, would normalize a predatory industry that profits when families lose, and would further commercialize sports by turning every play into a wagering opportunity that harms student-athletes.
The Nebraska Catholic Conference is offering voters further information on the content and consequences of Initiatives 440 and 441 as the November 3 election approaches. The bishops’ joint appeal leaves little ambiguity: Catholics in Nebraska are being asked to stand against the expansion of online sports gambling and to vote “Against” both measures.