Going for the gold in California; Vegas tops sin survey

It’s not quite as pre-apocalyptic as dogs and cats living together but California Native American tribes are joining with private-sector racetracks to push for sports betting in the Golden State, surely the ripest market in the U.S. The coalition wants to put the California Sports Wagering Regulation & Unlawful Gambling Enforcement Act on next year’s election ballot. Setting the betting age at 21, the Act would enable sports betting at tracks and tribal casinos, with collegiate and professional games eligible for wagering. High-school-sports betting would be out of bounds. Wagering on California collegiate games would also be verboten. Revenues would be taxed at 10% with some of the proceeds funding mental health programs. (So far, so good.)

Mobile wagering is neither explicitly authorized—and yet not explicitly prohibited. Concealed way down at the bottom of the tribal wish list is a provision that would legalize craps and roulette at Native American casinos. This could be a sticking point. California card rooms (flush with over $5 billion in economic impact) may well object, having long been at daggers drawn with aboriginal casinos. And Unite-Here may play the spoilsport, having been thwarted from organizing at the tribal gaming houses. Eighteen tribes are behind the push, including all of the biggies. Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation Chairman Anthony Roberts said that “We have historically been opposed to the expansion of gaming in California beyond the current scope.” However, “This initiative represents a viable and measured path that provides Californians with the opportunity to wager on sports in a manner that is responsible and provides for real enforcement penalties for unlawful gambling in the state.” Let’s hope so.

As for the card rooms, California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) Executive Director Susan Jensen sniped, “The biggest comment is no matter the economic impact, they’re generated by illegal gaming and so they are ill-gotten gains—similar to someone paying a certain percentage on illegal drug trade. It’s still illegal and there is no reason to allow this illegal activity to continue.” When card rooms and tribes have a kumbayah moment the Apocalypse will truly be at hand.

* “In 14 months, New Jersey has overtaken Las Vegas as the No. 1 sports betting destination, and a lot of it has to with the success of Atlantic City and online,” complained Boardwalk Mayor Marty Small (D), calling the status quo “unacceptable.” Small’s big idea is to tax sports betting and use the revenues on property tax relief in Atlantic City. The casinos already pay a 1.25% levy on sports bets to the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority. That’s not good enough for Mayor Small. “My first, and foremost goal, as it was as council president and will continue to be as mayor, is more ratables for the city and more revenue streams to offset our taxes,” he told a civic forum. Still, Spectrum Gaming Group Manager Michael Pollock showed a genius for understatement when he said to Global Gaming Business, “There has never been a great deal of confidence in the municipal government of Atlantic City to effectively manage its finances.” Do tell.

* WalletHub has gotten into trying to quantify intangibles, which is how Las Vegas was ranked as America‘s “Most Sinful City.” (Hey, how do you think we got our nickname?) Yet WalletHub ranks Vegas only 34th in “Excesses and Vices,” when it rightly ought to lead that category. Sin City is just 22nd for “Anger & Hatred,” 13th for “Jealousy” and ninth for “Greed” and “Lust.” I think that “Greed” spot should be much higher—at least until resort fees are repealed. Las Vegas got WalletHub’s dubious honorific without scoring the top spot in a single category. The highest ratings were for “Laziness” (fifth) and “Vanity” (fourth). I guess we’ve got to work on that.

Jottings: The corner-cutting for which Donald Trump‘s casinos were notorious has now pervaded his Chicago hotel. But even the Trump family is smart enough not to apply for that ridiculous Windy City casino license, which Mayor Lori Lightfoot (D) can’t give away … Congratulations to casino-friendly Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards (D) on his re-election. Now maybe he can get behind sports betting … Ceelo Green begins a limited run at the Flamingo Las Vegas March 24. His show is entitled Man in the Mirror. Strange that Green would market himself under a Michael Jackson reference … It continues to be  a waiting game in Tokyo, where Gov. Yuriko Koike refuses to take a position until the July 2020 elections … Steve Wynn claims the Nevada Gaming Control Board can’t discipline him because he no longer holds a gaming license and has recused himself from the casino industry. He always thought he was special. Can we hold you to that, Steve? … The Eldorado Resorts takeover of Caesars Entertainment was approved “overwhelmingly” by shareholders of both companies. No surprise there … Happy birthday, Mickey Mouse, who turns 91 today.