Californian tribes determined to stop sports betting ballots

Florida has made headway recently, launching sports wagering in limited form – for now, and precisely with the help of Native American tribes, but it’s a different matter on the Pacific Coast with the Californian Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) voting late last week to oppose any sports betting ballot initiatives.

CNIGA representatives tried to thrash out the details with the backers of two recently proposed sports wagering initiatives, but reportedly no consensus was reached, as the organization’s members voted to unanimously opposed the matter on the following day. This means that although there is going to be a strong momentum for legalizing sports wagering in 2024, it would lack the crucial support of tribal operators.

CNIGA Chairman James Siva has spared the sponsors of the initiatives no criticism, arguing that they had handled the details "abhorrently" limiting the chances of the proposals to pass. Siva similarly reminded the sponsors to consider dropping their ballot measures, as any initiative would lack the support of tribes in their current form.

The measures are backed by gambling industry veteran Kasey Thompson and blockchain pioneer and entrepreneur Reeve Collins, who have been keen to see sports wagering take off in California. The new proposals also come shortly after a pair of other measures failed to make the cut.

Siva described the approach by the ballot sponsors as wrong, as it sought to force the tribes’ hand into acquiescing quickly to the terms rather than broach a discussion. Thompson and Collins disagree, however.

For one, Thompson believes that tribes have much to gain by agreeing to the terms of his ballot. The offshore market continues to be a persistent issue for local companies, and through the legalization of sports gambling, the reach of the black market would be limited, whereas tribes would enjoy a solid financial windfall.

The offer is "irresistible" to the tribes, Thompson believes, but Siva hardly agrees. "If you come in and you disrespect tribes, you disrespect tribal leaders, you come in with this sort of air of you know what’s best for Indian country, you’re done before you even started," Siva explained. Seeing the two ballots shot down recently.

Meanwhile, it’s not just private initiatives that have been known to come a cropper in The Golden State. In 2022, tribes spent $460m trying to raise awareness and push for sports gambling, only to fail. Sports gambling legalization remains a complicated matter in California, but it needs to happen – sooner or later.

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