Tribal ballot proposal could boost California revenue – but increase costs

Should a ballot measure to allow sports betting at California’s tribal casinos and racetracks be adopted, the state stands to generate “tens of millions” in new revenue, but face higher regulatory and enforcement costs, a new report says. The analysis of the ballot proposal put forward by a coalition of 18 Native American tribes in November last year was carried out by the Legislative Analyst’s Office (LAO) and offered a mixed picture of its potential impact. According to the LAO, if the state were permit such an expansion, its unclear as to how much more would be spent on gambling, but spending could reach tens of millions of dollars each year from sports betting. The proposal would not only allow sports betting at tribal casinos and state racetracks, but also give tribal operators the right to offer roulette and dice games. At present, tribal casinos are only permitted to offer slot machines, lottery games and banking and percentage card games. Read the full story on iGB North America.