A recent survey revealed well less than half of California voters supported the legalization of sports betting in the Golden State. Let’s review how this process has unfolded so far and see how much it may impact the offshore sportsbooks industry.
Not Much Has Changed
A survey conducted by FM3 Research on behalf of the state’s tribal gaming nations revealed there was just a scant increase in support of sports betting from this year to last. According to a survey polling 837 likely voters, only 30% voiced support for legalizing sports betting which is slightly up from 28% a year ago.
The study also showed that 46% voiced strong objections which was down from 49% last year, which means California voters are hardly ready to welcome sports betting into the market despite a new measure being put forward to do just that.
“This survey finds California voters continue to oppose online and mobile sports wagering just as they did in November 2022, when Proposition 27 was overwhelmingly defeated,” FM3’s polling memo stated. “These survey results suggest voters in November 2024 are likely to overwhelmingly reject any ballot initiative that seeks to allow in-person and online sports wagering in the state.”
More in Store in ‘24
Proposition 26 and 27, both sports betting measures, were ultimately sunk last year with the tribal nations committing nearly $250 million in opposition advertising. The gaming tribes have had a monopoly on casino gambling in the state and would welcome sports betting if it was on their terms and protected the monopoly they currently enjoy.
But this year there is another push to bring sports betting to the California masses and it is from an outside concern led by businessman Kasey Thompson. In order to get the bill on the ballot, Thompson would need at least 874,641 signatures from California registered voters.
Thompson’s group is willing to spend $25 million to get the measure in front of voters but has repeatedly stated he would not advance this bill without the support of the majority of the tribes. Thompson said he and his colleagues have taken note of the tribes’ objections to their initial proposal and have made the necessary adjustments to assuage the tribal leaders to back the proposal. “The tribes have been very diligent about sending some [amendments] over and we’re trying to incorporate all of those,” Thompson said.
“The path forward is simple,” he added. “I committed from the beginning to not move forward without majority tribal support. And I stand by that.”
Resounding Rejection
The comments came after the California Nations Indian Gaming Association’s (CNIGA) board voted 18-0 to formally reject Thompson’s sports betting initiatives and were put off by the way in which his group went about trying to force the issue without consulting tribal leaders.
CNIGA chairman James Siva did not mince words when commenting on Thompson’s recent attempt to bring a sports betting proposal back from the dead.
“The entire effort surrounding these initiatives was handled abhorrently by the initiative sponsors,” Siva said.
“It is hard not to be offended when listening to these individuals speak. This is another example of outside influences trying to divide and conquer Indian tribes. We will not let history repeat itself. … Now that the sponsors have heard directly from tribes that their efforts are not supported, we call on them to drop the initiatives as they have pledged to do if tribes were to oppose them. Our opposition could not be more clear and is irrevocable.”
Bookmakers Review will continue to monitor this story and update our readers as events unfold.
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