Sports have been a tradition among humans for thousands of years. Regardless of the sport, people are prone to be emotionally invested in the games, but what happens if they become financially supported? Propositions 26 and 27 offer a potential solution.

Indian gaming in the United States are gambling locations/businesses that are owned by federally known Native American tribes, operating on tribal lands. Originally, the first Indian casino was built in 1979 by the Seminole tribe. Their success spurred a glut of casino development on reservations nationwide.  Now more than 150 tribes are operating casinos.

Sports betting, in simple terms, is when people place wagers on the outcome of a sports event, gaining  more or losing money. The activity has been widespread across the world, becoming legal in 30 U.S. States. However, among these states, California is not one of them.

On the November ballot, California citizens will have the choice to vote yes or no on Props 26 and 27 to legalize sports betting. 

Prop 26 would allow citizens over 21 to participate in sports betting at in-person tribal casinos, privately owned racing tracks, cardrooms, and state lotteries. Additionally, casinos would be allowed to offer other gambling-related games that are currently illegal, such as roulette, craps, and more. Proposition 26 would generate an estimated $107 million annually for the state’s general fund. Prop 26 is also supported by numerous Native American Tribes because it generates more revenue for their tribes.

Prop 27, on the other hand, would allow sports betting to be done online, essentially turning any phone into a gambling device. These online sites would allow currently popular out-of-state sports betting companies to partner with Native American tribes to offer mobile sports gambling. Additionally, Prop 27 promises to donate 10% of its revenue to California’s homelessness crisis. However, the rest of the profits would most likely go towards out-of-state corporations, essentially generating no revenue for California’s state tax. Many large gaming companies and homelessness groups support Prop 27 because it could create millions of dollars in revenue to help their businesses and homelessness and mental health issues. However, numerous Native American tribes are against it because it gives more income to out-of-state corporations, hurting their business.

These propositions hold two out of seven total November 2022 ballots. Many citizens are debating which propositions to vote for. If both Propositions 26 and 27 were to pass, conflicts would arise between their conditions, resulting in further investigation and decisions. If both propositions were rejected, then sports betting would remain illegal in California.Prop 26 v. Prop 27