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State of Play’s TL;DR
- A new California poll suggests voters are more open to sports betting at tribal casinos than they were in 2022.
- Online sports gambling still faces more resistance.
California voters appear more open to legal sports betting at tribal casinos than they were during the failed 2022 ballot fight, according to a new Citrin-POLITICO poll.
But support for online sports gambling remains notably weaker, underscoring the challenge tribes may face as they work toward a new 2028 ballot measure.
Half of registered voters surveyed said they would favor legal sports betting at tribal casinos. Support for online sports gambling was lower: 37% backed legalization, while 50% opposed it.
Poll points to a shift since 2022
The new survey suggests attitudes have moved since California voters rejected both major sports betting proposals in 2022. According to the poll summary, 67% rejected sports wagering on tribal lands that year, while 82% opposed online betting.
The poll was conducted online in English and Spanish from Oct. 9 to 14 among 1,149 registered voters, including 909 likely voters. The margin of error was plus or minus 3.2% for registered voters and plus or minus 3.6% for likely voters.
James Siva, chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, said tribes have continued working on sports betting since the 2022 losses. He also said the rise of prediction markets has helped unify tribal efforts around what sports betting could look like in California.
Tribes target 2028, with control still central
The report says California tribes plan to pursue a 2028 ballot measure that would legalize sports betting under tribal control, both online and at tribal casinos. Siva said tribes are still working through whether there could be partnership or service-provider arrangements with online platforms, but he stressed that tribes would remain the operators.
That issue matters because FanDuel and DraftKings have already launched prediction markets in California, allowing users to bet on sports outcomes while the broader legalization debate remains unsettled.
DraftKings said it wants to work collaboratively with tribal groups on a framework for legal online sports betting that creates benefits for tribes and their communities.
Based on reporting by Lindsey Holden for Politico.
