According to a new poll published in the Los Angeles Times, Californians remain divided over the future of legal sports betting in the most populous state in the US.
Around half of Californian voters support legal sports betting, while one in five remain undecided.
The Golden State remains one of the last states to remain out the sports betting race, with 33 states currently allowing betting on college and professional sporting events. This includes all those states that border California, meaning that many of its residents can easily cross the border to bet on sports. California loses millions of gambling dollars each year because of this.
Proponents of groups that are pushing to legalize sports betting in California are worried that there is no overwhelming support for the idea, as was the case in other states. They fear that the tens of millions of dollars that they are investing in pushing legislation could be wasted in a state that is so divided in its opinions.
This November, groups on both sides of the argument are gearing up for a massive – and expensive battle – as Californians go to the polls to vote on the issue. It’s expected that there will be at least four propositions relating to gambling on the November ballots. It is still unclear which way the votes will go, however.
