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Native American Backing Could Finally Lead To Sports Betting In California

The state of California has been pushing to get sports betting legalized for quite some time now. And it appears like the time may finally be here, thanks to the state’s Native American tribes.

A group of influential Native American tribes put forth a ballot measure this week for the 2020 election to get sports betting legalized in The Golden State. Although the plan doesn’t have mobile betting attached to it, this is still a positive sign going forward.

Tribal gaming has constitutional protection in the state of California, and that has been quite successful, with a total of $8 billion annually. Now that this newest proposal has been put forward, experts believe this is the most realistic shot the state has ever had to finally get legalization nailed down.

According to terms in this proposal, California’s Native American tribal casinos and racetracks would be eligible to be homes for legalized sports betting. However, the only drawback is that collegiate games involving California schools would be not be authorized for wagering.

All In Favor

As reported by a recent press release, there are 18 separate tribes that are in favor of legalizing sports betting. Mark Macarro, chairman of the Pechanga Band of Luiseno Indians, weighed in on the matter at hand.

“Californians should have the choice to participate in sports wagering at highly regulated, safe, and experienced gaming locations,” said Macarro. “We are very proud to see tribes from across California come together for this effort, which represents an incremental but important step toward giving Californians the freedom to participate in this new activity in a responsible manner.”

Chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, Steve Stallings, also had some thoughts.

“The tribally-sponsored initiative filed today to amend California’s Constitution so as to authorize and regulate sports wagering is the best example of well-written and responsible sports betting policy presented to date,” explained Stallings. “A strong, well-regulated gaming industry is of utmost importance to California’s tribal governments and the public. This initiative allows sports wagering in a responsible manner and provides for transparency and strict regulation.”

While the matter at hand is sure to face opposition, just as it does in nearly every state, California’s big moment could come in a legislative hearing that was initially scheduled for Nov. 20. However, that date has since been delayed until another time. Nonetheless, it’s evident that the state’s tribal groups will have their chance to be heard.

Still Need Mobile

Unfortunately, that lack of mobile betting is something that will keep the state’s profits down a bit, though the hope is that California’s massive population will be enough to keep the retail locations booming and busy. Nonetheless, it’s impossible to overlook the fact that the same massive number of Californians would essentially make mobile betting one of the state’s most lucrative business propositions.

All in all, these tribal groups have a ton of influence within the state, and that should get things moving in the right direction. Fear not, Californians. Your time is coming soon.

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