AFSCME Opposes Sports Betting in Tribal Casinos

The American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) District Council 36 in California has opposed Proposition 26. The latter is a measure that would legalize sports betting at California’s tribal casinos.

Proposition 26 Would Legalize Sports Betting at Tribal Casinos

The tribal measure has become a controversial topic in the regulated gambling industry. Many tribal bodies have thrown their support behind Proposition 26 but commercial operators are wary of it. To go into further detail, commercial companies fear that the measure would give tribal operators a monopoly.

In addition, some worry that the proposed law amendment will cause California’s cardrooms and commercial gaming businesses to go bankrupt. To top it off, the measure would provide tribal operators with the ability to sue their commercial counterparts. To elaborate, Proposition 26 would introduce changes to the Private Attorneys General Act and allow Indian-owned casinos to hire private lawyers to gain an edge in court.

Because of the dangers Proposition 26 poses to the commercial gambling industry, many companies have wasted no efforts in opposing the measure. The AFSCME has now joined this fight.

The Measure Might Leave Tens of Thousands of People without Jobs

The AFSCME District Council 36 is worried about the devastating effects the tribal measure could potentially have. According to the body, thousands of people’s jobs will be jeopardized since Proposition 26 will also provide tribal operators with other monopolies. As per the proposition, tribal casinos would gain monopolies over casino games such as roulette and craps.

According to AFSCME’s estimates, as many as 32,000 people may lose their jobs. This, in turn, would have a devastating effect on the economy and will hurt gambling workers from minority groups.

In addition, the AFSCME worries that tribal operators will not think twice before leveraging the legal amendments and using the Private Attorneys General Act to sue their competitors.

Shavon Moore-Cage, member of the AFSCME, added that Proposition 26 puts $500 million in local tax revenue at risk. Moore-Cage called the proposition a dangerous “poison pill” that would hurt employees and destroy community cardrooms. She admitted she fears this would leave thousands of employees, including her, without a job.  

Moore-Cage said that she already lost a job when one of the local cardrooms had to shut down during the pandemic. Because of this, she asserted that rather than being hypothetical, her claims are based on her own experience.

California’s online sports betting bill fell short of reaching the support it needed, despite huge investments from commercial juggernauts. This left Proposition 26 without a competitor for the November ballot.