California Sports Betting Prop 27 Receives Pushback from Leading Lawmakers

• Leaders from CA’s Senate and Assembly Just Came Out Against Prop 27
• Two Sports Betting Proposals Are on California’s November Ballot
• CA Gamblers Hope to Join the Over Thirty US States with Legal Sports Betting

The leadup to the November vote in California on how the inevitable sports betting market will look continues to fire up, as we’ve reported, with two clear sides forming in this legislative battle – one that backs the native tribes and the other that allows participation by outside operators.

Now even the leaders of the California Democratic and Republicans in both the Senate and the Assembly are uniting in their opposition to Prop 27 due to their concern over how it might benefit those outside operators at the expense of the tribal citizens of the state.

Earlier this week, these four notable CA legislators announced their anti-Prop 27 stance:

• Senate President Pro Tempore Toni Atkins, D-San Diego
• Senate Minority Leader Scott Wilk, R-Santa Clarita
• Assembly Speaker Anthony Rendon, D-Lakewood
• Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher, R-Yuba City

Senator Wilk wants to leave CA gambling up to the tribes, saying:

Prop 27 eliminates the sovereign right of California tribes to operate gaming in California. They have proven to be excellent stewards of this responsibility.

Senator Atkins agrees, telling the press:

California’s tribes have proven to be safe and responsible operators of gaming in California, providing benefits to their communities and to their members.

It will come down to California voters deciding on one of two proposals – Props 26 & 27.

Two Sports Betting Proposals Are on California’s November Ballot

The two sports betting proposals that voters will get to decide on at the end of the year are called Proposition 26, which is backed by a coalition of California tribes, and Prop 27, backed by the outside sportsbook operators who hope to get a piece of the multi-billion dollar handle there.

Prop 27 would legalize mobile sports betting which would theoretically benefit the outside operators who would be running the sportsbooks as well as put underage residents at risk for potential addictions to gambling, all valid arguments for safeguarding that particular option.

Some smaller tribes are also pro Prop 27 since they believe it would benefit those native groups not located near big cities with casinos, with Jose “Moke” Simon, chairman of the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians and a member of the Yes on 27 campaign, telling the media:

The measure puts tribes firmly in control of online sports betting in California.That decision will be left up to the California voters at the November ballot.

CA Gamblers Hope to Join the Over Thirty US States with Legal Sports Betting

What California lawmakers and residents are beginning to realize is that they are missing out on a multi-billion dollar chance to bring in a new tax revenue stream into their state that would benefit those who might not get financial attention otherwise.

Two main recipients due to benefit from that new sports betting tax revenue that’s coming to CA are state homelessness programs and the nonparticipating tribes, all part of the bargaining chips used by both sides to convince voters their proposal would do better in those ways.

Expect more back and forth attacks in the upcoming months as both sides bunker down and prepare for a serious battle over the billion-dollar industry that over thirty other US states and D.C. have already become a part of, so keep checking back for all the latest news and updates.