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On the West Coast of the U.S.A., California offers a variety of ways for players to wager, however, sports betting is not yet one of them. In 2022 a ballot initiative called Proposition 27 was put forward, however, it failed, due to lack of voter backing and limited tribal support. The initiative proposed the legalization of sports betting in California, but 82% of residents voted against it. If passed, the proposition would have legalized betting on sports in California, both inside tribal land and outside of tribal land.
While sports betting remains illegal in California for now, residents and visitors are able to wager in different ways. There are physical casinos on Native American Tribal lands, card rooms, the California State Lottery, and charitable gaming. Online casino-style gaming is not yet allowed, along with the before-mentioned sports betting. Because of this, many players in California opt to wager on offshore international sites in order to bypass tough local restrictions. Players looking to wager on casino games can find slots, table games, and crash gambling sites online. Nick Pappas notes that most offshore crash gambling platforms accept crypto. Crypto betting gives players extra benefits like increased privacy, fast transactions, and lower fees. Similarly, there are also international sportsbooks available for California bettors looking to wager on their favorite sports, teams, and games.
While some bettors are turning to offshore sites to place their wagers, the tribes in California are starting to work with big gaming companies in a new approach to legalize sports betting in the state in an effort to keep wagering local. There are over 100 Native American tribes in California and they are now joining forces with gaming companies, which is the polar opposite of past approaches, where tribes and gaming companies went head to head on the same topic.
Big gaming companies are coming to the table and recognizing their past mistakes. For example, the CEO of FanDuel, Amy Howe, shared thoughts on the topic during the recent panel discussion at the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention. Amy noted that for all future attempts at legalizing sports betting in the state, tribal partnerships will be a top priority.
Tribal leaders were also in attendance at the Indian Gaming Tradeshow & Convention. Tribal leaders in attendance included James Siva, who is the chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, and Jacob Mejia who works as the director of public affairs with the Pechenga Development Corporation. Amy Howe, with tribal leaders in attendance, reflected on the past approaches to legalizing sports betting and the errors that had been made, further emphasizing how working with the tribes in California was a necessity for future attempts at legalizing sports betting.
It seems that the tribes are on the same page and open to working with big gaming companies in order to legalize sports betting in the state. However, this time around, the tribes are being very clear about who is responsible for what part of sports betting in the state, if it is finally legalized. Siva explained the roles they see each group filling, by saying: “Expansion of gaming is going to happen. It’s a matter of when, not if. But when that does happen, tribes are going to remain in control. We will partner with companies, we will utilize products. But tribes are the operators in California, period. That’s it,”.
The tribes in California clearly want to lead the way on this initiative, and big-name gaming company FanDuel is okay with that. In fact, they’ve started to work with experienced tribal gambling industry professionals in an effort to foster understanding. By working with tribal leaders who have experience in the gambling industry, FanDuel hopes to gain unique perspectives and foster a long-lasting relationship with the tribes in the state.
Now that the tribes in California are open to working with gaming companies in order to finally get sports betting legalized in the state, voters may see yet another proposition within the next few years. This time around, the new legislation will have the backing of the tribes in the state and will be more likely to pass.
This is all good news for residents of California who would like to have more wagering options, and for sports fans who want to place bets on their favorite teams. Similarly, if sports betting is made legal, the state could also see increased tax revenue, meaning extra funds flowing into community initiatives, programs supporting Native tribes, and development.