HomeNewsCalifornia’s Sports Betting Hopes Fade as Tribes Shift Focus to 2028

California’s Sports Betting Hopes Fade as Tribes Shift Focus to 2028

Any momentum California had toward legalizing sports betting in 2026 has come to a screeching halt. Despite the massive revenue potential, the state’s most influential gaming entities — its Native American tribes — have made it clear they won’t be rushing into another costly ballot battle.

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Instead, tribal leaders are looking ahead to 2028, emphasizing the need for a unified front among all 100-plus tribes before moving forward.

“The data is telling us that the time is not right,”

said Catalina Chacon, a council member of the Pechanga Band of Mission Indians.

“Definitely not 2026; we’re looking more like 2028, but it has to include all tribal communities in California.”

Tribal Leaders Pump the Brakes on 2026 Initiative

The hesitation stems from the fallout of the 2022 election, when two competing CA sports betting propositions — one backed by the tribes and another by commercial operators — failed spectacularly. Proposition 26, which would have allowed in-person betting at tribal casinos, received less than 30% of the vote. Proposition 27, a push for online betting led by commercial sportsbooks, fared even worse, garnering just 16%.

The defeat cost both sides a combined $400 million in campaign spending, and tribal leaders are unwilling to risk another expensive failure without widespread support.

“We have come too far to rush into this to potentially damage the foundation that we have built,”

said California Nations Indian Gaming Association chairman James Siva.

Legal Battles with Cardrooms Complicate Negotiations

Another major hurdle in California’s sports betting debate is the ongoing legal war between tribes and private card rooms. Just days into 2024, seven casino-owning tribes filed lawsuits against dozens of card rooms, alleging they are illegally offering table games like blackjack and pai gow poker — games that tribes claim should be exclusive to their casinos.

“Defendants brazenly profit from illegal gambling,”

the tribes stated in their lawsuit.

This lawsuit is the latest escalation in a decades-long battle between tribes and card rooms over gaming rights. While Gov. Gavin Newsom’s approval of Senate Bill 549 gave tribes a legal avenue to challenge their competitors, the outcome could have widespread financial consequences. Cities like San Jose, Commerce, and Hawaiian Gardens rely heavily on card room tax revenue, with some municipalities receiving up to half their budgets from these establishments.

The deep-seated mistrust between tribes and private operators has been a recurring obstacle in sports betting negotiations. Even during the failed 2022 initiative, tribes accused commercial operators of misleading voters by falsely claiming tribal support. This rift remains a key reason why tribes are reluctant to allow card rooms and racetracks into any future sports betting framework.

Adding further urgency to the debate is the rise of unregulated sweepstakes casinos, which have been aggressively advertising in California.

“Sweepstakes casinos are just not what they say they are,”

Chacon said.

“It is a violation of both our exclusivity and infringing on our sovereignty.”

While sports betting could eventually become a reality in California, the road to legalization remains riddled with obstacles. Between the need for tribal consensus, legal disputes with card rooms, and political infighting, any meaningful progress appears at least four years away.

For more info on the legalization of sportsbooks in California, check us out at CA Sports Betting Sites.