California voters reject sports betting proposals
Both proposals to legalise sports betting in California failed at the polls.
US.- Voters in California rejected proposals to legalise sports betting in California on November 8’s ballot. Both tribal-backed Proposition 26 and commercial-supported Proposition 27 failed to pass.
Some $500m is reported to have been spent on the campaigns for proposals to open a market in the US’s most populous state, making it the most expensive campaign yet.
Proposition 26, backed by California’s Native American tribal governments, would have legalised sports betting at tribal casinos, while allowing them also to offer craps and roulette. It was opposed by operators of card rooms, who worried about a provision allowing individuals to bring civil lawsuits against the card clubs over disputes in state gaming law.
Proposition 27 would have legalised online and mobile sports betting. It was put on the ballot by sports betting companies such as DraftKings and FanDuel, major players in the US market since the Supreme Court overturned a federal ban on sports wagering in 2018. The proposition was opposed by Native American tribes and by California Governor Gavin Newsom, who said it was “bad for California.”
In August, the Republican Party joined the Democratic Party in opposing Proposition 27. Major League Baseball (MLB) had shown support for the initiative.
