California tribal casinos put millions on the table for November ballot measure on sports, other betting

California tribal casinos put millions on the table for November ballot measure on sports, other betting

Article brief provided by North Bay Business Journal
  • Kathryn Reed, North Bay Business Journal
March 9, 2022 7:52 PM
  • Kathryn Reed, North Bay Business Journal

Indian tribes in California are gambling big money to legalize sports betting in the state, but they are not in lockstep with what they are supporting.

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Analysts are predicting more than $200 million will be spent to sway the public to allow sports betting in some form.

To date, only the initiative backed by the Federated Indians of Graton Rancheria, which owns Graton Resort & Casino in Sonoma County, has made the Nov. 8 ballot. In addition to sports betting, it would allow dice games like craps as well as roulette.

Voters may be confused if the three other proposed measures make the ballot. Differences include which tribes could offer sports betting, if card rooms would be able to, if online betting is an option, as well as if outside entities like DraftKings and FanDuel could be partners.