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At $300 Million, This is Expected to be California’s Most Expensive Ballot Fight Ever. And it Just Got More Intense
In a sign of the bruising, expensive fight to come, two Native American tribes are coming out in support of a newly qualified ballot measure to allow online sports gambling — instead of a separate gaming measure backed by dozens of other tribes.
On Wednesday, two tribes — the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians and the Big Valley Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians — will announce their support for the online gaming measure that proponents call the Californians for Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support Act.
Backed by commercial operators including FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetMGM, the measure would legalize online sports betting in California, with 85% of the revenue going toward housing for the homeless and mental health services. The rest would go to the Indian tribes that will be partnering with major gaming operators in running the operation.
On Tuesday, Secretary of State Shirley Weber announced that the measure had gathered enough valid petition signatures to be eligible for the ballot in November. A report from the state’s nonpartisan Legislative Analyst’s Office said new tax revenue from the proposal “could reach the mid-hundreds of millions of dollars annually.”
“We’re supporting the Solutions Act because it gives us an opportunity to protect our sovereignty and also create opportunities for economic wealth for the next seven generations for our tribe,” Jose “Moke” Simon, chair of the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians, said.
“It also helps the state of California deal with some of the biggest problems that it has here, that is affecting every community, which is homelessness and mental health issues,” said Simon, who stars in a new online ad for the proposal.
It is a sign that what’s expected to be California’s most expensive ballot measure battle ever is heating up. Analysts have predicted that more than $300 million could be spent between the warring parties. That’s far more than the $224 million spent by both sides over 2020’s Proposition 22, which asked voters to decide whether app-based transportation and delivery drivers should be classified as independent contractors.
Both sides believe that the jackpot that awaits is worth it: California’s estimated sports gaming market is estimated to be around $3 billion. At least.
A proposal supporters call the Tribal Sports Wagering Act, which is backed by dozens of Native American tribes, already qualified to go before voters in November. It would allow only in-person sports betting to occur only at tribal casinos and qualified horse racetracks. Proponents say they have secured the endorsement of roughly one-third of California’s 109 Native tribes.
Kathy Fairbanks, a spokesperson for the Tribal Act, said that measure represents a more responsible approach.
“It’s allows sports betting to patrons over 21 and older. You have to be there in person, show your ID, people can look you in the eye and make sure that you match the ID in front of you,” Fairbanks said.
The decision for voters, said industry analyst Brandt Iden, is “retail-only sports betting versus mobile.”
“That’s what this is going to come down to do for consumers,” said Iden, a former Republican Michigan state representative who is now head of government affairs at Sportradar, a sports technology company that provides data and content to the betting industry. “Do I need to walk into a sports book to place a wager, or can I do it from a mobile device anywhere in the state?”
Proponents of the online-only measure touted Wednesday’s endorsement from two smaller tribes as a sign that all of California’s Native tribes aren’t fully on board with the in-person-only measure.
Simon, from the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians, which operates the Twin Pine Casino and Hotel in Middletown (Lake County), said the online proposal helps smaller tribes that are far from major population centers. If sports betting were confined to only in-person betting at tribal casinos and racetracks, casinos like the one his tribe operates wouldn’t see much uptick in foot traffic.
“We are looking to obviously move into e-commerce, and this gives us an opportunity to do that,” said Simon, who is also a Lake County supervisor.
But Fairbanks, who represents the in-person proposal, discounted the impact of a few tribes supporting the online proposal, noting that more than 60 tribes oppose it.
“The vast, vast majority are opposed to the (online) measure, and we will make sure that voters are aware of that,” Fairbanks said.
Iden, of Sportradar, said it “isn’t surprising” that some smaller tribes are partnering with the commercial operators. He has seen that happen in other states, including Michigan, where he served. The California online gaming proposal requires a commercial operator to be paired with a Native tribe to be able to enter the market.
Iden said that sort of partnership model has been used in other states “where commercial operators enter the market through a tribal brick-and-mortar operation. Traditionally, smaller tribes really benefit from that because of the money that’s involved.”
The larger question will be whether Californians — particularly the younger generation of digital natives who grew up doing many of life’s activities online — will support a measure that would force them to travel to a casino or racetrack to legally bet on a sporting event.
“That is a huge challenge because everything is really online these days,” said Geoff Zochodne, who covers the gaming industry for Covers, an online site. “That’s where the customer is increasingly located for all businesses.”
Fairbanks didn’t dismiss the tribes pursuing online gaming in the future but said that the current online measure isn’t the way to go “at this point in time.”
“Maybe technology will change. But right now, there’s no 100% foolproof way to ensure that kids under 21 aren’t gambling,” she said.
Iden said the real challenge will be for voters, who will see a blizzard of competing ads. Some ads opposing the online-only proposal have been running for weeks online and on TV — even before the measure officially qualified for the ballot.
“The real question becomes how much confusion is created by these two initiatives,” Iden said. “If you’ve got lengthy ballot proposals that you have to sit there and read, you sort of question whether or not people just get confused and they vote no on both.”
Adam Greenblatt
BetMGM Wins Sports Betting Operator and Employer of the Year at EGR North America Awards 2024
BetMGM, a leading iGaming and sports betting operator, was recognized as Sports Betting Operator of the Year and Employer of the Year at the EGR North America Awards 2024. The EGR North America Awards, hosted in New York City on June 27, celebrate excellence in the North American online gaming industry and are considered the premier gaming awards.
“Winning two EGR North America Awards is a tremendous honor. We have a passionate team at BetMGM dedicated to delivering best-in-class betting experiences which saw exponential leaps in capability this year with unparalleled omnichannel opportunities, enhanced user interface and increased brand visibility. These awards are a tribute to all the hard work and the strong culture that we are building at BetMGM,” Adam Greenblatt, Chief Executive Officer of BetMGM, said.
Sports Betting Operator of the Year is awarded to the operator that brought innovation to the sports betting sector, provided a high-quality player experience and showed evidence of real growth via mobile and web. BetMGM was acknowledged for its ability to innovate and differentiate in a crowded industry, successfully forming strategic partnerships with X and Marriott Bonvoy and capitalizing upon its unique omnichannel advantage in Las Vegas during Super Bowl LVIII. BetMGM parent company Entain’s acquisition of sports pricing and analytics firm Angstrom in 2023 fueled the expansion of BetMGM’s betting library, allowing the operator to produce a broader and more exciting product for the customer.
The Employer of the Year award recognizes the operator or affiliate that demonstrated its commitment to organizational performance improvement through investment in the recruitment, personal and skills development, and motivation of every employee. On the heels of being recognized as a one of this year’s Best Workplaces in New York by Great Place To Work and Fortune, BetMGM once again proved it is building a workplace to attract and retain top talent in the rapidly growing iGaming and sports betting industry. BetMGM prides itself on being an inclusive, value-driven organization that prioritizes true transparency and two-way communication with weekly, virtual all-hands forums and active employee resource groups. In 2023, BetMGM optimized onboarding, enhanced training programs, continued diversity and inclusion learning, and focused on career development and strategic in-sourcing.
The wins mark the first time that BetMGM received EGR North America Awards for Sports Betting Operator and Employer of the Year. The company was previously awarded Casino Operator of the Year in 2022 and 2023.
Bragg Gaming Group has announced the launch of its newest games and Remote Game Server (RGS) technology with BetMGM in Pennsylvania.
This marks the third state in which Bragg content is live with BetMGM, following earlier launches including in Michigan in 2022 and New Jersey in 2023 respectively. BetMGM players in Pennsylvania can now enjoy popular titles such as “Egyptian Magic” and “Fairy Dust” from Bragg’s Atomic Slot Lab proprietary content studio with further titles set to follow.
Players will soon gain access to content from Bragg’s Las Vegas-based proprietary content studio Wild Streak Gaming, as well as titles from multiple exclusive content partners under the Powered By Bragg program including King Show Games and Sega Sammy Creation.
This expansion underscores Bragg’s commitment to delivering innovative and engaging content to players across North America. All online casino games delivered on Bragg’s new RGS technology come with the Company’s Fuze promotional tools, which offer player engagement features on games such as free rounds, tournaments, and quests.
H2 Gambling Capital projects Gross Win of over $2.5 billion for the regulated online casino market in Pennsylvania in 2024, illustrating the tremendous growth potential in the region.
Garrick Morris, Senior Vice President, Commercial for the US and Canada, at Bragg Gaming Group commented: “We’re delighted to strengthen our existing collaboration with BetMGM to a third U.S. state, as part of our ongoing drive to provide the highest quality content to players in the U.S. iGaming market.
In developing high-quality engaging content, we want to contribute to the long-term success of our partners, and importantly provide a gaming experience which is exceptional for players.”
Oliver Bartlett, Vice President, Gaming, Product & Casino at BetMGM commented: “Bragg has been a great partner for BetMGM in Michigan and New Jersey, and it’s exciting to now be able to expand that relationship to Pennsylvania.
We’re confident that players in Pennsylvania will embrace this new online casino content which has proven to be popular in other regulated markets, with players already familiar with these titles from the land-based sector.”
BetMGM, a leading sports betting and iGaming operator, announced an exclusive partnership with Brian Christopher Slots that will make Brian Christopher, the top social media influencer for slots and casinos, a BetMGM brand ambassador. BetMGM will showcase Brian Christopher in live streams across social media channels featuring its online casino platforms as well as in future marketing campaigns.
“Brian Christopher Slots’ influence extends far beyond captivating videos. This partnership allows Brian to showcase his personality and enthusiasm for our industry while engaging interested players into BetMGM’s wide variety of casino games,” Oliver Bartlett, VP of Gaming Product & Content at BetMGM, said.
“BetMGM is the ultimate real money gaming destination for us true slots lovers. Partnering with the King of Casinos means I get to bring the top platform with the newest and greatest games to the BCSlots universe. I cannot wait for our fans and players to see what we are building together,” Brian Christopher said.
The partnership between Brian Christopher Slots and BetMGM highlights the strength of both brands. The partnership elements are scheduled to include:
- Live streams: Streams across both @BCSlots and @BCSlots2 on YouTube, as well as @BCSlots on Facebook and Kick, will showcase Brian Christopher’s signature style along with BetMGM.
- Exclusive experiences: Brian Christopher will interact with players and offer insightful commentary across a variety of platforms including live streams, social media, slot tours, in-person meet-and-greets, virtual player events, and more.
- Responsible Gaming commitment: BetMGM and Brian Christopher believe gambling should be a fun activity and enjoyed as a form of entertainment.
- Brian Christopher will highlight BetMGM’s various responsible gaming tools and resources, while continuing to drive messages about setting limits and playing within a budget.
Brian Christopher Slots’ award-winning content boasts a loyal following through brands such as BCSlots.com, BCSlots YouTube channel, FlipTheSwitch.com, BCSlots Cruises, and Rudies Fan Club. Brian Christopher Slots’ social media channels reach 8 million monthly unique viewers, 1.8 million subscribers, and recently set a new casino gaming record of 1 billion video views. In 2023, Brian Christopher Slots was named Streamer of the Year and Slot Collaboration of the Year at the CasinoBeats Game Developer Awards presented by SBC.
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