Two California Sports Betting Ballot Initiatives Submitted to Attorney General

California (November 2, 2023) — The California Attorney General’s Office is reviewing two proposed ballot initiatives related to sports betting in the state, but it seems that the California tribes are not in support of these initiatives. The California Nations Indian Gaming Association expressed disappointment that the sponsors of the initiatives did not consult or engage with them before publishing the proposals. They believe that decisions regarding tribal governments should be made by tribal governments themselves and encourage the sponsors to seek input from Indian Country.

Victor Rocha of the Pechanga Band of Indians and conference chairman of the Indian Gaming Association criticized the initiatives and referred to the sponsors as “morons.”

The specific sponsors of the initiatives, Ryan Tyler Walz and Reeve Collins, are not well-known figures in the online sports betting industry. It appears that there is a lack of clarity regarding their background and involvement in the industry.

These initiatives aim to grant tribes exclusive rights to operate both retail and online sports betting in California. However, the tight timeline for gathering the required number of signatures for the 2024 ballot and the absence of clear financial backing from the tribes, online sports betting companies, or cardrooms make it a challenging proposition. Experts suggest that it is a long shot for these initiatives to succeed.

California is considered a potentially lucrative market for sports betting, but the lack of support from major stakeholders and the compressed timeline for gathering signatures pose significant obstacles to these proposed initiatives.

SOURCE: LI Contributor.