Should the people get what the people want? If so, California sports betting could become a real thing! The University of California’s Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies recently collaborated with the Los Angeles Times to find out what citizens really wanted when it comes to betting on sports. The results? Nearly half support it’s regulation int he state!
This latest poll of voters in California found a full 45% in favor of legalization, while 22% are still trying to make up their minds on the issue. That leaves about one third of state residents opposed to the idea, which is actually not too bad considering some attitudes toward gambling these days.
Of course, this poll did not have any consideration for just how California sports betting would be regulated. And that has the potential to be a very sticky issue. Politics usually complicate issues such as this, and California is particularly difficult with competing interests from Tribal Gaming, card rooms, and race tracks at play.
Additionally, there are players like DraftKings and FanDuel getting involved. Plus, the card rooms have found allies in the form of mayors for the cities of San Jose, Inglewood, Colma, and Gardena. But with the possibility of so much money from California sports betting at stake, politics will make strange bedfellow once again.
This fall, state residents may be asked to decide between as many as four measures on the issue, with each offering separate models. The Survey Director at the Institute, Mark DiCamillo, summed it up by saying “It’s just anybody’s guess right now how an initiative might fare.”