Chris Boline
From the feel of things in terms of California sports betting for the future, it feels like positive changes could be on the way. People remain miffed that things are still illegal, but folks are hopeful that it will be flipped down the road. With that, the latest poll shows big support for California sports betting. More specifically, it shows support for one of the main initiatives that could land on the November ballot.
This initiative is the one that is being backed by FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, WynnBET, Bally Bet, Barstool Sportsbook, and Fanatics. For a while now, this initiative has made plenty of headlines, as it would not only open the door for sports betting to be made legal but it would also set the Homelessness and Mental Health Support Act.
With this, millions and millions of dollars would be presented each year to the state to help tackle the homelessness and mental health issues that are facing Californians. It’s no secret that this has been an ongoing issue for the state, but this act would help provide an insane amount of aid. With this, it has people on board.
Per covers.com, a poll took place recently where nearly 60 percent of people who were polled said they’d vote yes to push things over the line for this initiative. This is obviously huge news for the major sportsbooks that are taking the charge for this particular idea. Now, we must wait and see if things move forward the way people think it will.
A new poll shows that 59% of likely voters in California would vote for a measure allowing commercial sports betting operators to offer mobile apps in the state.
More details coming soon at @Casino_Org
— Steve Bittenbender (@CasinoOrgSteveB) April 29, 2022
California sports betting initiative very well could be on the ballot
Right now, fingers are crossed that the California sports betting initiative very well could be on the ballot once November rolls around. The one that has been presented by the sportsbooks is picking up more and more momentum as time passes on. This latest poll is also providing people with plenty of hope that things will change soon. Will it? That remains to be seen.
Come 2023, there’s a great chance that sports betting will arrive to California. People are ready to be able to check out the different sports betting odds and place bets with confidence. As things stand, people are doing so out of state and planning their vacations around that. This really should be the case for a state as big and popular sports-wise as California. Major sports teams are featured all over the place.
Right now, people should be able to check out the NBA Finals odds and make their wagers. The NBA postseason is also going to be a fun time to try and win some money off your favorite teams. However, this simply is not an option yet in California because officials have been sitting on their hands and haven’t moved forward with the legalization. This has led to plenty of frustration for people.
There’s been more positive feedback on the proposals, but it will be meaningless unless it makes its way to the ballot. People are ready to vote on this, with the early signs showing that it could potentially go through. If it does, then this will 100 percent become a movement that would be worth billions and billions of dollars. It simply makes no sense for California not to move forward.
Here's 'What's On Tap,' a lookahead at the coming week in sports betting, from @MattRybaltowski
– Lightning begin pursuit of rare Stanley Cup three-peat
– California ballot initiative deadline
– Epicenter top choice in Kentucky Derby
– More!https://t.co/HIoz3xXH2U— Sports Handle (@sports_handle) May 2, 2022
A California move would benefit Texas as well
One thing to keep in mind here is that a California move would benefit Texas as well, as the Lone Star State is yet to push forward to legal sports betting as well. Texas is hopeful that something can change by 2023 or 2024 too, and California making a change here would be something that the Texan officials would surely be monitoring as well. Think about things for a second.
Let’s say California does have this initiative go on the ballot, and it goes through. Then, the state sees the benefits of the revenue coming in, coupled with the help for mental health and homelessness. With all of that happening, how in the heck could Texas not try and make things change. Jerry Jones, Mark Cuban, and even Beto O’Rourke have voiced their support for legal sports betting.
Despite that, lawmakers are hesitant to switch things up in this case. It’s something that people all over Texas can’t believe. They, just like the folks in California, are waiting for some sort of a new update to arrive. Both states have issues with illegal gambling rings, but having regulated gambling would benefit not only sports fans but the government as well. That’s why this kind of change is needed.
California feels closer to legalization than Texas, but things really could end up being hand in hand here. For Cali, there really does feel like this is being made a priority. If things cross the line for the west coast state, then it wouldn’t be a surprise at all to see Texas follow suit. This is something to monitor closely, for sure.
