California Sports Betting: Who Funds the Groups Behind the $400M Battle?

The stakes persist in to rear inward the political fight to curb sports betting in California. The quartet committees established to either bread and butter or contradict the deuce constitutional amendments have at present raised more than $400 1000000 'tween them.

And come 55 years from now, when Calif. voters finally move to the polls, both Proposition 26 and Proposition 27 testament potential move mastered in defeat. There’s also a littler chance, but ane not to follow discounted, that voters O.K. both measures. That could head to the matter sledding through and through the state’s court of justice system, resulting in millions more being spent past stakeholders. Those will live discussions for another day.

For now, get hold of a look looking at at the main players involved in the political fight and how much apiece has contributed to their side’s do célèbre.

According to information from Cal-Access, a database maintained by the Calif. Secretary of State’s office, the groups – “Coalition for Safe, Responsible Gaming;” “Taxpayers Against Special Interest Monopolies;” “Californians for Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support;” and “Californians for Tribal Sovereignty and Safe Gaming” – have amassed state of war chests totaling nearly $411.5 trillion through Wednesday. That is by far the to the highest degree raised for California ballot measures.

Find more well-nigh Prop 26 and Prop 27 here.

Coalition for Safe, Responsible Gaming

Total Raised: $109.5 million

Stance: Pro Prop 26 would allow retail sportsbooks at tribal casinos and land racetracks. The measure would take into account tribal casinos to offer dice-based tabular array games and toothed wheel and appropriate individuals and entities to follow up on effectual activity against operators allegedly violating country gaming laws. The coalition is also anti Prop 27, which would legitimatize online sports betting with proceeds for mental health services, programs to bread and butter the homeless, and some tribal economic development initiatives.

Top Contributors: Federated Band of Graton Rancheria ($30.2 million), Pechanga Band of Indians ($25.2 million), Yocha Dehe Wintun Carry Nation ($20.2 million), Barona Band of Mission Indians ($10.3 million), and Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians ($10.3 million).

Rationale: Tribal gaming operators say limiting sports betting to brick-and-mortar sportsbooks helps ensure underage individuals won’t be able to wager. They also say Prop 26 helps tribal nations remain self-sustaining and provides an opportunity to turn after illegal gaming operators. The radical argues that Prop 27 would not ply passable funding for homelessness programs since out-of-state operators would keep 90% of the profits.

Taxpayers Against Special Interest Monopolies

Total Raised: $41.9 million

Stance: Anti Prop 26

Top Contributors: Calif. Commerce Club ($10.1 million), Hawaiian Gardens Casino ($10.1 million), Knighted Ventures ($4.1 million), Park Rebecca West Casinos ($2.1 million), and The Bicycle Hotel and Casino ($2.1 million).

Rationale: Cardroom gambling casino operators and their supporters, which include metropolis governments and municipal worker unions, say Prop 26 would further beef up wealthy tribal gaming operators by giving them a nigh monopoly on gaming. Cardrooms also dread they testament be targets under the supply to proceed after alleged illegal operators. This could trail to cities losing millions in taxation revenue if cardrooms were forced to close.

Californians for Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support

Total Raised: $169.2 million

Stance: Pro Prop 27

Top Contributors: FanDuel ($35 million), DraftKings ($34.2 million), BetMGM ($25 million), Barstool Sportsbook ($25 million), and Fanatics ($25 million).

Rationale: Proponents say the bar would generate hundreds of millions of dollars inward revenue enhancement revenue yearly to aid fund programs for the homeless person and sustenance those with mental health needs. It also requires commercial message operators to partner with tribal nations to get under one's skin a license, allowing tribal entities to take part on their own, if they wish. The proposal also provides a funding chemical mechanism for littler tribes non involved in sports betting.

Californians for Tribal Sovereignty and Safe Gaming

Total Raised: $91.2 million

Stance: Anti Prop 27

Top Contributors: San Manuel Band of Mission Indians ($78.1 million), Rincon Band of Luiseno Mission Indians ($10 million), and Pala Casino Resort Spa ($3 million).

Rationale: Tribal gaming operators say online sports betting would threaten millions inwards revenues their casinos generate for nation and local governments. They also say the online sports betting measure includes loopholes allowing those operators to come down their assess liabilities and bring home the bacon to a lesser extent funding for the social services programs online sports betting companies lay claim their step will support.