California sports-betting propositions voted down

Two propositions in California on Tuesday’s ballot that would have allowed sports betting were resoundingly shot down by voters.

Prop 26, which was supported by the racing industry and Indian tribes, was defeated at a roughly 70-30 split, in line with polls conducted prior to voting. The proposal would have allowed in-person sports betting at Del Mar, Golden Gate Fields, Los Alamitos and Santa Anita as well as Native American casinos.

Prop 27, which was supported by sports-betting companies, was defeated by a margin of 83-17. It would have allowed Native American tribes and gambling companies to offer online betting. Because Indian tribes favored Prop 26 over Prop 27, they financed a massive advertising campaign to generate opposition to the measure.

Racetracks and horsemen had supported prop 26 as a way to diversify their revenue sources, and some of the revenue from sports betting would have gone to prop up purses at California tracks. Unlike a majority of states or provinces in North America, California does not have an alternative form of gaming to fund purses, relying solely on pari-mutuel handle.

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