It’s fair to say that if most Californians had their way, they would be wagering dollars well into their millions across sporting events. And this very much presents an opportunity for growth thanks to the upcoming ballot, if gaming sites and online sportsbooks get involved in the action.
At the time of writing, experts are already predicting that this will undoubtedly be one of the most, if not the most, expensive campaign season California has ever seen. And it’s a fair shout when you consider that there are measures ready for the ballot and others in the process of being on the launchpad.
Ideally, what is needed are major players to come to the table, as they’re likely to have a significant influence on proceedings, which could eventually lead to sports betting and online gaming being fully legalised in the state. Entain, who have a partnership deal in place with BetMGM, and own sportsbook brand bwin, are one of those major players who could benefit from a favourable outcome by throwing their weight behind the vote.
So, what’s the current situation, you may ask? Well, there is a threshold of 997,139 votes needed from valid people for initiatives such as the one set up by a collective of online platforms for it to appear on the ballot. However, it’s a time-limited scenario, as all the votes must be in and verified by May 3.
If the result goes the way many expect it will, it will likely see Californians being permitted to use devices such as desktop, mobile and tablet to place bets or enjoy forms of other online gambling. It’s also worth noting that it is also likely that punters must be at least twenty-one years old as per state laws to engage in these activities.
Those preparing to go to the ballot have decided to act after 2018 saw the US Supreme Court declare the then active Sports Protection act as unconstitutional. Following that, sports betting became legal in multiple areas, including Delaware, Mississippi, New Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island and West Virginia.
California, as a state, has made moves to legalise online gambling previously, with Sen. Bill Dodd, Adam Gray, D-Merced and D-Napa, co-authoring a bill that was presented to voters in 2020. However, their attempts were unsuccessful, and this has led to what are described as gaming tribes building their own initiatives to see the project through.
California, which is said to generate close to $900 million a year in revenue from gambling from card rooms alone, reportedly makes in the region of $8 billion in total from all current casinos in the state combined. And, if online sports betting and gaming get the thumbs up at the ballot, it will therefore see coffers swell further, which can only be a good thing for residents, with many likely to be reinvested.