California Tribes Aiming for 2028 Referendum on Sports Betting
Mike Goodpaster Published 20/07/2026
California tribal leaders are aiming for the 2028 election to get a statewide referendum on the legalization of sports betting on the ballot. Representatives from several of California's 109 federally-registered tribes met to discuss the matter during the recent National Council of Legislators from Gaming States' Summer Meeting in San Diego.
Tribal leaders want to make use of the next two years to fortify their position and to build a consensus on a sports betting plan that would be of benefit to all of the state's 109 tribes. They also want to see polling indicating that the majority of California voters will support the initiative.
California tribal leaders want to form a unified front
Tribal leaders in California remain confident that the future of sports betting in California will be headed up by the state's tribes. Those tribal leaders met to discuss exactly that late last week. Their objective is to get a statewide referendum organized on the ballot in time for the November 2028 elections. Through this ballot initiative, they want to ensure that they are preserving tribal sovereignty over all gambling in the state.
Further to this matter, the state's tribes spoke about unifying in pursuit of getting a measure on the legalization of sports betting in the Golden State. The objective is to line up all 109 federally recognized tribes in California in lockstep in their support of the initiative.
"We're still very much looking at 2028 as a date that tribes are preparing to move forward with a tribally led initiative for an online sports betting market," said James Siva, chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA).
It is a requirement of California law that the legalization of any new form of gambling requires a voter-approved ballot measure.
Tribes control the majority of gambling in California
Currently, there is very limited gambling available in California. The majority of what is legal and regulated that is offered in California is operated by the state's tribes. They run all of California's land-based casinos. There is no access to legal and regulated online casino gambling or sports betting of any kind in the state.
Not only do the tribes want to maintain that status quo, but they also want every state tribe to be welcomed into the tent. That would include the 73 California tribes that don't currently have any form of gaming operation or have extremely limited gaming options. Their approach is that if the sports betting setup isn't beneficial for all tribes, then it simply isn't going to fly.
California's tribal leaders are studying how sports betting works in some states that have already legalized. The objective is to see which models are most beneficial to that state's tribes. They also want to see which models are ones that they should avoid seeking to emulate.
"We've definitely looked at what's transpired in other states," Siva said. "We've really focused on equity amongst tribes. We're trying to make sure that no tribe gets left behind as we expand gaming."
It's for that season that they are playing the long game. They're not trying to rush through an initiative in time for the November 2026 midterms. The tribes are patiently working toward the 2028 deadline.
A previous referendum failed in California
They are also seeking to take lessons from the failures of 2022. They want to be certain that another failure isn't in the offing.
Proposition 27 was on the ballot in California that year. It was a referendum on whether the state should legalize sports betting.
The measure was resoundingly defeated. The results saw 82.18% vote against it. Just 17.72% cast their ballots in favor of Proposition 27. That resulted in one of the largest defeats ever for any proposition in US election history.
Up To $1500 in Bonus Bets Paid Back if your First Bet Does Not Win
+9
- 20+ sports available for wagering
- Pre-match and in-play betting
- Unique features like live streaming and boosted odds
Bet $10 Get $150 in Bonus Bets
Find out more on bet365's website
- Over 20 sports
- Extensive betting markets
- Live betting feature
New Users – Bet $5 Get $200 in Bet Reset Tokens for 5 Days
+6
- Deep market coverage across major U.S. sports and leagues
- Same Game Parlay builder is fast and easy to use
- Live betting interface updates quickly with real-time odds