Iowa sits five minutes east of Omaha across the Missouri River — and it has had legal mobile sports betting since 2019. Most Omaha-area bettors maintain Iowa-registered accounts on DraftKings, FanDuel or BetMGM and fund them only when physically in Iowa. This single comparison drives more lost handle from Nebraska than any other state.
| Metric | Nebraska | Iowa |
|---|---|---|
| Legal Status | Retail-only since 2023 | Retail + mobile since 2019 |
| Mobile Betting | Not legal | Legal statewide |
| Number of Sportsbooks | 4 retail | ~18 mobile + multiple retail |
| Tax Rate | 20% of AGR | 6.75% of AGR |
| In-State College Bets | Banned (Cornhuskers, Bluejays) | Allowed (Hawkeyes, Cyclones) |
| Min. Age | 21+ | 21+ |
| Border Distance from Omaha | N/A | ~5 minutes to Council Bluffs |
Crossing the river into Council Bluffs takes about five minutes from downtown Omaha. Once geolocated in Iowa, a bettor can use any of roughly 18 legal mobile sportsbooks — DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, Caesars and others — to place wagers their phone would refuse to take in Nebraska. The proximity makes Iowa effectively Omaha's shadow mobile market.
Iowa allows wagers on the Iowa Hawkeyes and Iowa State Cyclones. Nebraska bans wagers on the Cornhuskers and Bluejays. This means an Omaha bettor who wants Husker action has to cross into Iowa to legally bet on them — a regulatory inversion that frustrates Nebraska legislators and customers alike.
Iowa's 6.75% tax on adjusted gross revenue is one of the lowest in the country, which translates to better odds and more aggressive promotions. Nebraska's 20% rate is on the higher end. If Nebraska's 2026 ballot initiative passes, the implementing legislation could set a competitive mobile tax — but it would have to clear the same legislators who already favor higher rates.