The fate of sports betting in California will all be decided in a matter of under 100 days. There have been quite a few disagreements on both sides, but now the next biggest issue involves betting advertisements.
What’s the Rift Between the Mobile Sportsbook Operators and the Tribes?
California is home to nearly 40 million, which means the Golden State could become the most lucrative market in the industry if sports wagering becomes legal. Voters will see both Proposition 26 and 27 on the ballot in the upcoming election.
Proposition 26 is mainly supported by the Tribes as it would give the major Tribes the ability to monopolize the market. California Democrats have expressed support for the Tribe’s initiative. If Proposition 26 gets the most votes, then mobile sports betting would remain illegal, but potential bettors can place wagers at the state’s 66 tribal casinos and four thoroughbred racetracks.
On the other side, Proposition 27 has also gained a lot of support through its marketing push. The
initiative would legalize online sports betting across the state, which would allow operators like FanDuel and DraftKings to partner with tribal casinos to offer these mobile platforms.
Proposition 27 would also strike to counter homelessness in the state. This would also benefit the smaller tribes that aren’t participating in the sports betting operation.
The Smaller Tribes in California are Fully Supporting the Mobile Bookmakers
The mobile sportsbooks that are trying to conduct business in California have gained more support as a coalition of smaller tribes have aired a TV advertisement targeting the wealthy casino tribes.
The short 30-second advertisement starts with a voiceover stating that non-gaming tribes are struggling with poverty. This coalition is aiming the wealthy tribal casinos looking to reap all the benefits by taking full control of the potential sports betting market. Part of the ad states, “want all the money for themselves.”, implying that the bigger casinos don’t care about the smaller tribes.
The tribes that oppose the bookmakers have aired an ad showing their distrust in Proposition 27 as they want voters to select “no” on the ballot. They argue that 90 percent of the profits made would go to “out-of-state corporations.” FanDuel is based in New York, while DraftKings is based in Boston.
All the Power Goes to the Voters of California
Both sides of the battle have spent millions of dollars to get their point across to garner as much support as possible. Voters across the Golden State will have several options to choose from on Election Day.
Voters can select yes and no on one initiative. Voters can also select both yes or no to both as well. If the results are too close to call, the court may be able to decide which side controls the market moving forward.
Daily Fantasy sports are already available in California, which involves money when playing most of the pools. California’s neighboring states like Arizona, Nevada, and Oregon also have a sports betting market. Both sides will most likely not give an edge to one another until Election Day rolls around.
