By Bloodhorse.com
SACRAMENTO, Calif. (Nov. 15, 2019) — A coalition of Native American tribes throughout California has proposed a constitutional amendment for the November 2020 statewide ballot that would allow sports wagering in the state at both licensed racetracks and American Indian gaming casinos.
BloodHorse was not immediately able to reach representatives from the California tracks for comment on the proposal. A Nov. 13 news release was signed by a number of Native American tribes in the state, but no tracks signed the release.
The release from the coalition said sports wagering would be limited to the bricks and mortar locations of the tracks and Indian casinos, would not allow wagering on college events involving California teams, and would impose a 10% tax on gross gaming revenues from sports wagering, with that money committed to “public safety, mental health programs, education, and regulatory costs.”
“Californians should have the choice to participate in sports wagering at highly regulated, safe, and experienced gaming locations,” said tribal chairman Mark Macarro of the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. “We are very proud to see tribes from across California come together for this effort, which represents an incremental but important step toward giving Californians the freedom to participate in this new activity in a responsible manner.”
Tribal chairman Anthony Roberts of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation said adding sports wagering at Indian casinos and tracks would be a responsible expansion of gaming in the state.
“We have historically been opposed to the expansion of gaming in California beyond the current scope,” said tribal chairman Anthony Roberts of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. “This initiative represents a viable and measured path that provides Californians with the opportunity to wager on sports in a manner that is responsible and provides for real enforcement penalties for unlawful gambling in the state.”
In a column that said the proposal could have legs, Legal Sports Report‘s managing editor, Adam Candee, noted the plan would leave out the state’s card rooms, which he said could be a sticking point.
“The exclusion of card rooms will create a divide that may create bitterness over legalization,” Candee said. “Add in the sports leagues, who have their own agenda, and the path to California sports betting seems extremely complicated. Still, legislative efforts for legalization are far better than if they didn’t exist at all. But there is still a lot of space between this ballot measure and legal betting.”