Proposition 26 and 27 were voted down by a large margin in California, as both initiatives will have another shot in 2024. Clearly, sports betting wasn’t a top priority for those residing in the Golden State.
This Can be Seen as a Major Defeat for Both Sides
In terms of political support, Prop 26 had the major advantage as it would allow sports wagering at the tribal casinos and the four racetracks it owns. On the other hand, leagues like the MLB sided with Prop 27, as it would permit mobile sports betting across the state.
When one breaks down the argument, the tribes wanted the money to stay in the state. Many supporters of Prop 26 believed that the money generated from mobile sportsbooks would mostly go outside of the state as FanDuel and DraftKings are based in Boston and New York.
At the moment, all animosity is settled. However, Prop 26 fared much better than the opposition, as the numbers were finalized last week. Prop 26 received 32 percent of the vote, while Prop 27 only received 17 percent of the vote.
In order for one of these initiatives to be considered, one of the measures needed to attain 51 percent of the vote. With both initiatives failing, both sides will have more time to work on marketing tactics and other ways to persuade more voters.
Why Was This Election a Major Letdown for Mobile Sports Betting?
Prop 27 suffered a major loss during the Midterm Election as Californians had to decide on 1,291 ballot measures since 1910. Prop 27 was only in the 0.4th percentile in terms of its performance on any given ballot in the state.
According to Rob Pyers, who is a resident of West Hollywood, tweeted this statement. It stated,
“California’s Prop 27 is hovering around 84% No, which would rank it as the sixth-worst blowout for a ballot question out of over a century’s worth of initiatives.”
The measure also needed 1.6 million signatures throughout the state to appear on the ballot. It means that potential voters either changed their minds or didn’t turn out to vote as the sportsbooks had hoped.
As of Tuesday morning, the initiative only received 1.4 million votes, which is less than what it needed to appear on the ballot. Both sides also spent a record amount of money to get voters to support their cause. In the end, the push was deemed futile.
The Tribes May Have the Advantage in the Next Election Cycle
Prop 27 did better than at least five measures, which isn’t a good sign moving forward. California is the most populous state in the nation, which potentially could make it the most lucrative market in 2024.
Untimely, potential bettors have a few options. They could either use offshore sportsbooks or go to other nearby states like Arizona or Nevada. Californians can use DFS sites and apps as they await the 2024 election, where sports betting may gain more support as states like Arizona and Nevada take the next leap.
