Casinos on the Ballot: Where Midterm Voters Have a Say

^{Voters will soon head to the polls for the Nov. 3 midterms, where gambling questions are on the ballot in Nebraska and Indiana. (Photo: Patti McConville / Alamy)}

American voters will head to the polls across the country on Tuesday, Nov. 3, for the 2026 midterm elections, with the balance of power in Congress – along with countless state and municipal races – hanging in the balance. Along with voting for candidates, some citizens will also be asked to consider gambling-related initiatives on casinos and other topics.

While there aren’t as many gambling questions being asked across the country as we’ve seen in recent election years, there are still a few key votes on the ballot this November, with online gambling and casino approvals leading the way.

Nebraska Weights Online Sports Betting Legalization

The only notable statewide gambling question being put before voters on Tuesday comes from Nebraska, which could become the latest state to regulate online sports betting. Initiative Measure 440 asks voters if they want to amend the state constitution in order to authorize online sports wagering, while a companion – Initiative Measure 441 – would create statutes that allow and regulate online betting.

The proposal has attracted heavy lobbying on both sides, with campaign finance disclosures showing more than $21 million in campaign contributions related to the question. That’s been led by FanDuel and DraftKings, who have each pitched in more than $10 million, while Fanatics and BetMGM have also paid hundreds of thousands of dollars each. That money has been directed through an organization known as Tax Relief Nebraska, which has argued that Nebraskans aren’t getting the financial benefits of betting that’s already taking place.

“Without legalizing and regulating the marketplace, we just get the status quo, which not only provides none of these protections but sees millions of dollars in revenue going across state lines,” Jordan McGrain, managing director of Riverfront Strategy Group, said via the Nebraska Examiner.

Opposition has come from Save Nebraska Sports, with many Nebraska Cornhuskers coaches and athletes coming out against the proposal.

“Husker athletics is about teamwork, discipline, competition and pride in our state,” a group of 45 current and former Cornhuskers said in a letter. “We cannot allow it to be used as a vehicle to enrich out-of-state gaming interests at the expense of Nebraska families.”

Early signs suggest that the pro-sports-betting coalition has the edge on Tuesday. While there hasn’t been recent polling on the issue, an April 2026 survey from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Bureau of Sociological Research found that 58% of likely voters supported legalized sports betting, while 31% opposed it.

Northeast Indiana Decide Casino's Fate

In Indiana, voters in Allen, DeKalb, and Steuben counties will have the opportunity to choose whether to permit gambling within their borders. The votes follow legislation approved earlier this year that has authorized a license for an inland casino in one of the three counties in question. If a county approves casino gambling, developers can submit applications to the Indiana Gaming Commission by Dec. 1 for a chance to be awarded the license.

“The biggest misconception right now for these counties is, if you vote yes, we’re getting a casino,” Allen County Commissioner Ron Turpin told WOWO. “That’s not the case.”

The stakes are high regardless of outcome. Under the law, a county that rejects the casino question cannot put the same question to voters again. And if a license is awarded, the developer must invest at least $500 million in the casino and other amenities, and pay $100 million in licensing fees and another $50 million to former host communities harmed by the closure of previous casinos.

As is often the case, the debate in these counties has centered on whether the revenue from casinos will outweigh the societal harms that can come from legalized gambling.

“While many enjoy gambling as entertainment, several of our neighbors will eventually fall victim to the proposed casino as it seeks to generate profit off the backs of hard-working Hoosiers,” Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Indiana) said in a statement. “Business development is a top priority of mine, but gambling is the opposite.”

But even some non-gamblers say casino revenue could make a huge difference for local communities.

“I’m not here to say [opponents] are right or wrong,” said Tom Borne of the Yes for Allen campaign. “I’m not a person that goes to casinos, but I am a person who likes to see growth, and I’m a person who likes to see jobs.”

Midterms Could Reshape Prediction Markets

Gambling has traditionally been divided more on geographic lines than ideological ones. There are both conservative and liberal proponents for gambling, while both religious and social justice organizations have strong objections to the industry. But the midterm elections could have an impact on the future of prediction markets at the federal level.

While the legal fight between prediction markets and state regulators continues to play out, Congress has also expressed concern about the proliferation of sports-event contracts. That sentiment looked to cross party lines during congressional hearings, a Democratic-led House and Senate may be more willing to take on an industry with strong ties to the Trump administration.

Whether or not any action would actually be taken to rein in prediction markets or their offerings is a separate question. But America may well find out. On Kalshi, the Democratic Party is currently being given a 71% chance to take control of the Senate and a 93% chance of holding a majority in the House.

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