Executives at the companies behind 2022’s failed Prop 27 have acknowledged that any path forward should be led by the tribes, at least according to a new national gaming update. Three years ago, California’s powerful tribes poured more than $200 million into defeating Prop 27, an initiative from DraftKings and FanDuel that would have legalized online sports betting in the state. Tempers appear to be cooling from that bitter fight over who gets to determine the future of gaming and betting in California – so much so that the companies and tribes are actively talking about collaborating, per the Politico report. However, trribal leaders are making it clear that an agreement on a framework for sportrs betting in California, including a guturer statewide ballot initiative to establish it, is far from settled.
In this article, SBS will be going over the latest gaming news and updates coming from the Golden State, along with some additional notes and thoughts regarding California gaming.
Per the same article, DraftKings CEO Jason Robins and FanDuel President Christian Genetski were on hand for a discussion on “The Power of Partnerships” at the annual Indian Gaming Tradeshow and Convention last week. In their on-stage conversation with Indian Gaming Association Conference Chair Victor Rocha, both executives repeatedly acknowledged they accepted what tribal leaders were saying loud and clear in the 2022 ballot fight: That any path forward for online sports betting in California needs to be led by the tribes.
“I’m not going to sit here and say we don’t make mistakes – we’ve made many mistakes,” Robins said in the report. “But I think those who partner with us, and those like you who’ve gotten to know us, understand we really do care and we want to do it the right way … Having tribal relationships and partnerships is absolutely essential – there’s no other way to do it there.”
The Sports Betting Alliance’s members – including DraftKings and FanDuel as well as Fanatics and BetMGM – found themselves at odds with the tribes when they qualified Prop 27, to legalize online sports betting for the 2022 ballot. The tribes pushed their own concurrent measure, Prop 26, which would have legalized in-person sports betting on tribal lands. Both measures failed overwhelmingly, with more than 80 percent of voters rejecting corporate-driven Prop 27.
“It was a well-intentioned but uninformed and misguided attempt,” FanDuel chief Genetski said in a self-flagellating appearance at the Western Indian Gaming Conference last February.” (The initiative) was definitely a spectacular failure on our part. It wasn’t the right plan or the right time. So we looked in the mirror and said, ‘It was a failure, what will we do?’”
The current reconciliation between the one-time antagonists goes beyond just a well-staged panel discussion at an industry trade show. The Sports Betting Alliance has established a tribal advisory board and had top executives meet with tribal leaders during last week’s conference in San Diego to discuss potential frameworks for collaboration. Any significant breakthrough would require a return to the ballot. (Prop 1A, passed in 2000, amended the constitution to legalize gambling but only through compacts with Native American tribes.) One possibility now being floated by the sports betting operators: The creation of a single entity containing all 109 recognized tribes, which would then contract with operators to offer online betting platforms. The operators would, in that scenario, foot the bill for a future statewide initiative as early as next year.
However, tribal leaders are making it clear they won’t rush into anything with their one-time adversaries. The California Nations Indian Gaming Association pushed back on a since-updated media report that an agreement between the two sides had been reached. The meeting was “productive in some ways,” the CNIGA statement said, but cautioned that any suggestion of a confirmed agreement is “simply false.”
“Further discussions among tribal governments are expected to take place in the coming weeks and months,” the statement said in the same Politico report. “Let there be no false illusion: establishing an acceptable framework and governance model will take time.”
Sports betting expert John Holden, a professor at Indiana University’s Kelley School of Business, told Playbook he estimates an official announcement could be “months, if not years, away” because each of the tribes will have to approve any agreement before it can move forward. “You’re dealing with 109 governments… and government doesn’t move quickly,” he said. “There may have been some good things talked about, but getting a consensus on board with a plan is going to take time. It’s not, ‘Yes, we have sat down at the table, and this is all worked out.’ It needs approval.”
Once you are all up to date on the latest gaming news coming from the Golden State, make sure to also peruse the excellent array of info for you only at SBS. Of course, for even more helpful insights into the topic, the sports betting in California guide is a helpful resource for eligible customers looking to learn more about gaming in the area. Moreover, for those looking to maximize their wagers, look no further than the best bonus betting sites rundown. On this page, you can learn more about the latest and greatest welcome bonus offers and see if you qualify. Finally, for those on the go and who are eligible, the best mobile betting sites breakdown is a must-read page to stay on top of the action.
About the Author
As a devout aficionado of sports, Chris Boline has carved a career within the athletic realm. A skilled scribe, he boasts a decade-long portfolio that encompasses coverage of the NBA G League, the Los Angeles Chargers, football and basketball across the country. Beyond his professional pursuits, Chris is deeply invested in his community and dedicates his leisure hours to serving on boards, collaborating with community organizations, and cherishing the company of loved ones. CURRENTLY Business Development and freelance sports writing RESIDES IN Reno, NV EDUCATION University of Nevada BS and MBA EXPERTISE -Sports writing proficiency in: NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and some motor sports -Topical news -Promotional and marketing ideas/updates -Business development Summary Chris Boline serves in a business development sales capacity as his day job. He has previously held sales/marketing positions with The Applied Companies (TAC), KTVN 2 News and the NBA G League’s Reno Bighorns, affiliate of the Sacramento Kings. He is a Reno native and is a member of various community boards including the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET and the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA). Chris graduated from the University of Nevada in 2015 with a bachelors in management and economics and also earned his MBA from Nevada in 2023. More about Chris: Past president of the College of Business Alumni Association (COBAA) 2022-23 Two-time honoree for University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year (Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, 2017 & COBAA, 2021) 2021 NCET award for Professional Services Organization of the Year with TAC Northern Nevada Human Resources Association 2020 Best Places to Work-Northern Nevada, Second Place with TAC 2016-17 Reno Bighorns MVP from the Sacramento Kings The Nevada Sagebrush editor-in-chief 2013-15 Associated Collegiate Press 2015 Four-year Non-daily Newspaper Pacemaker honoree University of Nevada, Reno College of Business Dean's List honoree (5x) from 2011-2015 Nevada Press Association award for Best Sports Column – Community in 2015 Education
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