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The chief of the group representing California horse homeowners mentioned the group was “upset however not stunned” to see voters reject a poll measure permitting racetracks within the state to host sportsbooks.
Gary Fenton, chairman of the Thoroughbred House owners of California, issued the assertion on Thursday afternoon, two days after the final election that included Proposition 26. That constitutional modification, proposed by tribal gaming nations, sought to increase gaming at their casinos. It additionally included a sports activities betting measure permitting in-person wagering at tribal casinos and the 4 state-licensed tracks – Del Mar Thoroughbred Membership, Golden Gate Fields, Los Alamitos Race Course, and Santa Anita Park.
Nonetheless, whereas California tribes raised greater than $237 million on this election cycle, they centered almost all their efforts on defeating Proposition 27, an modification proposed by nationwide sports activities betting operators that might have legalized on-line wagering statewide.
Each Props Soundly Defeated
Vote counts weren’t full by Friday afternoon. California mails ballots to residents and so long as they’re postmarked on Election Day, they’ll be counted so long as they arrive to county election officers inside every week after the election. Nonetheless, the outcomes thus far present each sports activities betting measures had been en path to dropping by very substantial margins.
In response to outcomes posted by The New York Instances, 70.1% of voters have forged “No” votes on the measure. That’s out of almost 6.1 million ballots counted, or 60% of the anticipated vote.
However voters are much more against Prop 27. With 61% of the vote – almost 6.2 million ballots – counted, No leads Sure by a 5-to-1 margin. In response to the Instances outcomes, solely one in all California’s 58 counties did Prop 27 have greater than 20% help. That’s Imperial County, the place voters there have rejected it 77-23, with 48% of the vote counted.
Horsemen ‘Extremely Motivated’
In his assertion, Fenton expressed hope {that a} resolution could possibly be discovered inside the subsequent couple of years.
We’re upset however not stunned that Prop 26 didn’t go and can do our half to discover a constructive end result that may channel sports activities gaming demand responsibly to return most profit to the State in addition to present a top-quality buyer expertise at our well-established and controlled racetracks in California within the subsequent election cycle in 2024,” he mentioned. “The California racing trade stays extremely motivated to pursue this initiative, working collaboratively with key companions, to hitch the record of 35 states that presently provide authorized sports activities wagering.”
California’s racing group needed sportsbooks at tracks as a result of horsemen noticed it as a much-needed new income stream. In lots of states, horse racing purses are supplemented by different types of gaming. That isn’t the case in California.
Tribes Say They’re in Management
However given the present voting totals, a sports activities betting measure on the 2024 California poll might not go. And tribal leaders, who possible maintain all or a lot of the playing cards, have made it clear the place they stand.
In an Election Night time assertion launched by “Californians for Tribal Sovereignty and Protected Gaming,” the tribal-backed anti-Prop 27 group, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Chief Intergovernmental Affairs Officer Dan Little mentioned voters made it clear that tribal nations – not out-of-state firms – have the unique proper to function on line casino gaming.
“These firms ought to be conscious that California Tribes will at all times shield their individuals and their sovereignty, in addition to work with the individuals of California to enhance our collective well-being, now and into the longer term.”
Pechanga Band of Indians Chairman Mark Macarro made comparable feedback in an announcement supplied by the Coalition for Protected, Accountable Gaming, a tribal-backed committee that supported Prop 26 and opposed Prop 27.
“It’s clear voters don’t need a large enlargement of on-line sports activities betting, they usually belief Indian tribes on the subject of accountable gaming,” Macarro mentioned. “As tribes, we are going to analyze these outcomes and collectively have discussions about what the way forward for sports activities wagering would possibly appear to be in California.”