California tribes granted extension on sports betting

California tribes will have 90 more days to gather enough signatures to get their sports betting measure on the ballot in 2022 after a court granted an extension to the deadline by which it must secure sufficient public support. The California Sports Wagering Regulation and Unlawful Gambling Enforcement Act – put forward by a coalition of 18 California-based Native American tribes – would amend the state constitution to legalize sports betting at locations including tribal casinos and licensed racetracks, with a 10% GGR tax. The measure needed to receive 997,139 valid signatures by 21 June in order to appear on the November 2020 ballot, but due to time taken by the signature verification process, the initial list of signatures needed to be submitted to counties by 21 April. By mid-March, the measure appeared well on its way to securing enough signatures, having received 971,373 signatures. However, individual counties, and later the whole state, soon began to issue shelter-in-place orders in an effort to limit the spread of novel coronavirus (Covid-19). Read more on iGB North America.