The legalization of domestic sports betting has drawn mixed reactions from people across the political spectrum.
Given the significant socio-economic impact of such a final gambling laws, there is a lot to consider. At the same time, every year, with delays, money is pouring down the drain.
Sports betting is pushing to California
Although more than 30 legal sports betting states have successfully launched their online and retail platforms since 2018, many US citizens are unsure whether to embrace this industry with open arms.
Legal sports betting in California continues to be at the forefront of those discussions as the midterm elections will decide whether the state starts betting in 2023.
With national gambling companies targeting such big players, state legislators are getting smarter and urging their constituents to bet on a better deal.
The state’s Democratic leaders have already been vocal in their disapproval of Prop 27, an online betting measure. But on Friday, the California GOP surprised residents by joining the left in their opposition.
Legislators agree to object
Republican Chairwoman Jessica Millan Patterson elaborated further on the issue, defending the state’s tribes. She said,
“Prop 27 breaks the promise made to the Native American tribes of California to grant them the sovereign right to gamble in California to improve the lives of their communities across the state.”
While it’s not uncommon for lawmakers to cross party lines on important social issues, the prospect of legal mobile sports betting apps brought Republicans and Democrats to an agreement.
However, the California GOP took the sports betting opposition even a step further by voting no on Prop 26 as well.
Proposition 26 and 27 offer very different legalization options for sports betting. The former focuses on maintaining tribal sovereignty over California gambling through retail wagering. The latter urges voters to allow access to online gambling services such as DraftKings.
High expenses for legalization
Between the two legalization options, nearly $400 million was spent campaigning. But despite all the money being spent on such efforts, these groups only plan to reimburse the state for 10-15% of their sports betting revenue.
Some analysts have suggested that at these rates annually Government revenue from sports betting could exceed $500 million. But others are not so sure.
Either way, many California voters feel their hands are tied. While the rush to catch up with the rest of the country seems to be the main reason behind these proposals, some believe they could negotiate a more valuable deal.
State-licensed sportsbooks will eventually make their way to California. As home to one of the country’s most popular gambling hotspots, it only makes sense that betting is the next step.
But for bettors who aren’t yet convinced by Props 26 and 27, there are still plenty of options available. Offshore sports betting sites have been catering to the needs of US based gamblers for decades and will continue to do so once America is fully legalized.
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Source: Merkur News