Chris Boline
When will sports betting become legal in California? That’s the question everyone is waiting to have answered, though it’s looking more and more likely that things are going to go through here in the near future. Well, multiple California mayors show support for sports betting and this is just another strong win for the state as a whole. It feels like we’re getting closer and closer to a big-time resolution.
This month, Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia, Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf and Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg all came out and said they’re on board with things moving forward. This list is only expected to grow in the near future. As things stand, more than half of the states in the USA have been given the green light for legal sports betting.
The fact that California still hasn’t moved forward with this is beyond astonishing. With that said, countless officials across the state understand just how important it could be from a financial perspective down the road. It’s going to create plenty of jobs and also bring in plenty of business for local companies. It really feels like a win-win for everyone. So, why would anyone be against it?
Having said that, we could see things passed as early as November of 2022. That’s when things will be presented for the next state-wide ballot. Once that happens, people will be able to vote on whether or not they’re on board for legal sports betting or not. The belief is that the vote will go through, especially with the different initiatives that have been put in place to help out. This could prove to be a game-changer.
Mayors of Sacramento, Oakland, Long Beach and Fresno back a measure to legalize online sports betting and direct the resulting tax revenue toward homeless services/housing https://t.co/JNBo6bH16o
— Ned Resnikoff (@resnikoff) October 19, 2021
California Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support Act making a difference
As you might have been able to guess, the California Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support Act making a difference has come as no shock. Earlier this year, major sportsbooks teamed up for this plan, which will bring in $100 million for California to tackle not only its issue with homelessness, but also mental health battles for its citizens. This was a big update and folks loved it.
Among the backers were DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM and others. Essentially, with sports betting being made legal in California, these companies would team up with one another and make sure $100 million goes to different resources to help California help those without homes and mental health issues that have a negative impact on their lives. The mayors mentioned above are all for this plan.
Think of all the different communities in California who have seen these two specific issues really take over their cities and towns. Now, these betting giants are ready to make an impact and put forth a giant chunk of change to help out. Of course, this is a two-sided affair, as it will only be put into place if sports betting does go through. With that said, this has only increased positive thoughts from politicians.
“If we permit and regulate online sports betting, California residents should benefit from it,” All Home founder Tomiquia Moss told Legal Sports report this month. “Twenty-one other states have already made this decision, our state should be next. The funding this measure provides would provide a huge lift for efforts to deliver housing and support to people experiencing homelessness and make us all better off.”
Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia has joined a group of California mayors who support a measure that would use tax revenue compiled from online sports betting to fund homeless services.https://t.co/X2ipAakAaU
— KFI AM 640 (@KFIAM640) October 21, 2021
When will California sports betting be made legal?
Of course, everyone wants to know when will California sports betting be made legal? That’s something we still need to wait on. As we mentioned above, though, things really are looking promising for November of 2022. We just need to wait and see what happens with the ballot. On top of that, though, there could be other hurdles in the way. This is something that’s a concern for so many folks.
The Indian tribes in California of course want sports betting to be made legal, but they of course want to have a big say in how things are operated. The last thing anyone wants to see is if the tribes band together and try and go up against Gavin Newsom and California when it comes to legalizing sports betting. That’d be a major bummer for everyone involved here. That would be a huge hurdle for the state.
With that said, everyone needs to band together. While there is some opposition to sports betting made legal, the belief is that the majority of citizens in California are for it going through. A recent research study showed overwhelming support for California sports betting, with the homelessness and mental health initiative really sending things over the top. This was nothing short of a brilliant play.
Come November of 2022, people will be sitting on pins and needles to see the results of the ballot. From our chair, it’d be a no-brainer for the citizens of California to move forward with this. It’d be a historic decision by the good people of the state. Regulated betting is needed, as so much illegal activity is still going on. This would put an end to things once and for all. Only time will tell if this happens.
