One of California's most outspoken tribal leaders, Indian Gaming Association Conference Chairman Victor Rocha, said Wednesday that he feared a new ballot initiative seeking to legalize sports wagering in the state was “destined to fail” and could further “damage the brand” of mobile sports betting apps in the wake of a historic 2022 thumping at the polls.
“The reality is you have to get the California voters to approve it, and if they’re not ready to support any initiative, don’t move forward with a bad one,” added James Siva, chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA). “It’s going to make it so much more complicated and expensive when tribes do come back and want to push something on sports betting.”
Rocha hosted a livestreamed conversation with Siva that focused on a a pair of initiatives put forth by Kasey Thompson, aiming to legalize a tribal-controlled mobile and retail sports betting apparatus. In order to qualify for November's ballot, Thompson and his cohorts must collect 874,641 valid signatures by June and must do so without the support of the vast majority of California's tribes, who remain upset that Thompson didn't consult them prior to going public with his effort.
“'Follow me, we'll take you to the promised land' doesn't really work on so many levels,” Rocha said.
The tribes have also voiced their distaste for a provision in Thompson's initiative that would, as Rocha put it, “cleanse a lot of offshore guys” who could then legally participate in California's sports betting marketplace.
“Tribal gaming is the most well-regulated in the country,” Siva stated. “Why would we put that at risk?”
Albert Einstein said insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. I say when greed is involved, it's just stupid. This will fail too. There is no time. There is no will. This clown car has no wheels. https://t.co/EMGhl7ZyNU