California voters are preparing for a sports betting ballot this November. But, several tribal casino operators in the state are petitioning for their proposal to be added to the 2024 ballot. Prop 27 has seven major differences between this fall's ballot and the language that is likely to be used on the 2024 ballot.
The Sports Gambling Petition Is Set for Inspection
California tribal casinos have kicked off a two fronts campaign on sports gambling. One front is for Californians to pick no on Prop 27, and the other one is for their initiative to be on the 2024 ballot.
PlayCalifornia confirmed on Monday that the Rincon, Wilton Rancheria, San Manuel, and Graton Rancheria tribal nation leaders presented the petition on the 2024 ballot with Shirley Weber, California Secretary of State's office.
The casino operators are proposing to amend the state's constitution in the Age-Verified Tribal On-Line and In-Person Sports Wagering and Homelessness Solutions Act.
The law gives local officials 30 days from the filing to randomly sample signatures. Workers should ascertain 110 percent of the sample for the operators' petition to get on the ballot. Also, at least 997,139 registered voters in the state must sign.
Even so, if the workers don't verify 95 percent of the signatures, the proposal will fail. But, if the verification ranges between 95 percent and 110 percent, California will have to verify each signature.
Californians need to know before the end of august if the Act will qualify automatically, need further verification or fail. The Prop 27 vote will be interesting if California will certify the operators' petition.
Are Californians Voting on the Same Petition This Year?
The 2024 ballot measure will be pointless if voters approve Prop 27 this year. Instead, their initiative on the 2024 ballot will be more crucial for tribal casino operators.
The control of online sports betting in California is the major distinction between the 2024 ballot measure and Prop 27. Prop 27's language incorporates tribal casinos in the ecosystem, while the 2024 ballot measure will make them the center of the ecosystem. Even so, the two measures will allow online sports gambling in a large part of the state.
Leading online bookmakers like DraftKings and BetMGM will have to collaborate with local tribal casinos. Also, the two measures will allocate sports betting revenue to social causes such as non-gaming tribal groups and housing in the state.
The measures have several funding differences. For example, the 2024 ballot measure will allocate 10 percent of sports betting gross revenue to housing, while Prop 27 will allocate 85 percent of its 10 percent revenue share to the cause.
Competing Laws Will Increase Attorney Billable Hours
Courts might be arbitrators if one measure overrides another one. This might be a result of long battles as the tribal casino operators will have to add the federal government to their gaming compacts.
Tribal casino operators can prevent the 2024 ballot measure from being implemented if voters pass Prop 27 this year. Besides, it is uncertain how long negotiations for other tribal gaming amendments will take before the U.S. Department of the Interior approves them.
