After what was a highly-contested and pricey battle regarding sports gambling legalization in California last year, some sources think national gaming operators could pass on a similar effort in 2024. Per one report, some key California tribal strategists at a recent conference wondered if national sportsbook operators would make another attempt at legalization soon. This comes following the resounding defeat of both gaming legalization bills in 2022. One tribal attorney, Scott Crowell, who represented the Rincon Tribe in 2022 said that “we beat them so badly in 2022, that they might not even pursue an effort in 2024.” However, he said that if it does happen, 2026 would be the next opportunity for a similar battle.
In this article, SBS will be going over what to look for from the latest news coming out of California and some more thoughts about wagering in the Silver State.
According to one report regarding why national sportsbook providers are going to stay out of California in 2024, tribal representatives said they should think twice about going all in so soon. Prop 27’s historically poor performance at the ballot box showed tribes and current operators in California it is not hard to defeat a Calif. sports betting ballot measure. Even though FanDuel CEO Amy Howe said “they would live to fight another day” and hoped to “get there in ‘24” it is unclear if that will be the case due to such a poor showing last year. One representative, Jacob Mejia from Pechanga Development Corporation, said it will not take as much ($220 million) to defeat an online sports betting measure in 2024.
The article also posted a handful of other reasons why sportsbook operators may decide not to put another Calif. online sports betting measure on the 2024 ballot. The first reason was the massive defeat of Prop 27 which showed voters are skeptical of online sports betting. Moreover, the anti-sports betting rhetoric of the 2022 campaign is still fresh on voters’ minds. That also being said, it will take some time for operators to also mend some fences with CA tribes too. On a final note, the 2022 election cycle also illustrated that any attempt at sports betting in the Golden State will need to go through the tribes who still are unfamiliar with online gaming.
The same representative from Pechanga, Mejia, provided a succinct recap of what happened to the online sports betting proposal on the November ballot in one article. The vice president of public and external affairs for Pechanga said that “basically, some guys made a really bad mistake and filed something called Prop 27 and got historically smashed.” He described the election as among the top 1% worst defeats in the history of California ballot measures. Moreover, Tim Evans, the deputy general counsel for San Manuel, said voters sided with tribes over the corporate operators because of the time and investment tribes have spent integrating into the communities.
However, Crowell did admit in the report that online sportsbook operators have had success lobbying for sports betting nationally. He did point out though that this does come at the expense of tribes. Given the great significance of controlling the modernization of the gaming industry to the future of California tribes, the group sees great significance in taking down corporate invaders.
Once you are all set regarding getting up to speed on the latest news from California, SBS has your back when it comes to all kinds of gaming information. Regarding news from the Golden State, our California sports betting rundown has you covered with all types of information from the world of California sports wagering and the current state of affairs. Moreover, if you are looking to get the most out of your wagers right now across other states with more widespread gaming, make sure to check out the SBS best bonus betting sites breakdown which covers the latest and greatest welcome bonuses out there. This also features a catalog of the best bonus offers as well. Finally, if you are someone that is always on the go, our best betting apps guide is a great place to familiarize yourself with regarding mobile betting.
About the Author
Chris Boline is a Reno-based business development professional and freelance sports writer with over a decade of experience covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, and national football and basketball. His expertise spans the NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and motorsports, along with topical news, marketing, and promotional content. A proud University of Nevada graduate, Chris earned both his BS in Management & Economics (2015) and MBA (2023). He is active in the Reno community, serving on boards such as the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET, and the College of Business Alumni Association, where he was past president (2022–23). Notable honors include: - Two-time University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year honoree (2017, 2021) - 2021 NCET Professional Services Organization of the Year (with TAC) - 2016–17 Reno Bighorns MVP, awarded by the Sacramento Kings - Nevada Press Association Award for Best Sports Column (2015) - Former Editor-in-Chief of The Nevada Sagebrush Chris blends his passion for sports with a strong background in sales, marketing, and community engagement.
Read Chris's ProfileAsk Chris about this guide:
