Push For California Sports Betting In Question Due To Outbreak

Add the state of California as the latest to stop making progress of the legalization of sports betting. This recent outbreak of the COVID-19 virus is putting all of us in awkward situations we never thought we’d face. With that, there is plenty of reason for skepticism on just about everything moving forward.
“Because the health and well being of Californians is foremost, we paused paid signature-gathering efforts for the time being,” said Jacob Mejia, a spokesperson for the California initiative effort. “Tribal leadership remains committed to bringing this proposal to voters in November and are monitoring developments closely and assessing all options.”
Now, the required number of signatures by the April 21 deadline doesn’t seem like it will happen. California is now under a shelter-in-place order that Governor Gavin Newsom said could last up to eight weeks.
“We are just shy of one million signatures and would have reached our goal well ahead of the deadline before the unprecedented orders around COVID-19,” said Mejia.
The only way the bill would be able to pass is if there’s an extension on the signature deadline. For that to happen, it would take quick legislation or an executive order from the governor. Changing the number of signatures needed to make the ballot would require a constitutional amendment.
Newsom did say that companies that are paid to collect signatures have already asked him to extend the deadlines for submitting those signatures. At this time, he wouldn’t commit to that happening just yet, and the health of California residents is a much more pressing matter.
Opponents Of Sports Betting
While The Golden State is excited to get sports betting up and running, there are people that would like to see it not get legalized. State cardrooms are strongly against having legalized sports betting come to California. There are seven different entities that have ponied up $7 million to the No on the Gambling Power Grab.
“Seven million is just a down payment is just the down payment,” said Steven Maviglio, a spokesman representing the side that doesn’t want legalized sports betting in California. “There’s a lot more where that came from. Their business is, at stake, their employees are at stake, and a lot of tax money is at stake.”
At the end of the day, the California tribes are a big threat to local businesses within the state.
“There’s no stake through the heart yet,” Maviglio said. “The tribes are trying a number of things to make the card clubs not be able to exist, destroy local city budgets, and cause thousands of people to permanently lose their jobs. “We’re going to have an aggressive campaign to make sure it doesn’t pass, and that means putting in money now.”
The entire sports landscape is in an eerie standstill right now on when to resume play. Unfortunately, the most frustrating part about trying to pinpoint a start date (with, or without fans in the stands) is that it’s the COVID-19 virus dictating the timetable on events. One thing is for sure; we’ll all be incredibly happy to see these games get going once again.