James Siva, chair of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, has set 2028 as the target for a tribal-backed initiative to legalize online sports betting in California. He outlined the plan during an appearance on the New Normal podcast hosted by Indian Gaming Association Conference Chair Victor Rocha and Executive Director Jason Giles.
The proposal would come six years after the defeat of competing measures in 2022. Tribes backed Proposition 26, which would have allowed retail sports betting at tribal casinos and horse tracks, while commercial sportsbooks supported Proposition 27, which sought online wagering. Both campaigns failed after hundreds of millions of dollars were spent on advertising, leaving tribal leaders to reassess how they would approach a future statewide vote.
Tribes Prepare a New Ballot Strategy
Siva said tribal polling has continued, including work conducted in June, as leaders assess how Californians view online wagering. He pointed to the 83% opposition to Proposition 27 as evidence that voters rejected the commercial approach.
“We’re trying to do something that’s data driven,” Siva said. “Prop 27 had 83% no. But in a lot of ways tribes take pride in that number. We’re the ones who opposed that corporate bill. We had to sacrifice our tribal bill to make sure the corporate bill went down.”
He said CNIGA provides a forum for tribes to communicate and address disagreements that commercial operators can exploit. Siva also argued that tribal gaming has established public support through regulated operations and community contributions.
“I will say it verbatim – 2028 is the goal,” Siva said.
Prediction Markets Reshape the Debate
The proposed campaign now faces a different environment, with prediction-market platforms offering event contracts to Californians. Rocha said the growth of those markets has become a major issue for tribes, particularly as legal disputes continue elsewhere in the country.
Siva said tribes would emphasize age verification for customers aged 21 and older, along with California regulation and taxation. He contrasted that framework with prediction markets, questioning who operates them and where their proceeds go.
The changing market has also affected public perceptions. Siva said recent polling found that 60% of Californians believe online sports betting is already legal, compared with a figure in the 20s only a few years ago. He attributed the shift partly to widespread advertising.
California users can encounter prediction-market offerings from Kalshi, Polymarket and Robinhood, while established sportsbooks DraftKings and FanDuel also operate in the wider debate. Siva said roughly 60% of people betting on Kalshi come from California and Texas, the two largest states without online sports betting. He also acknowledged that prediction markets have changed the political and regulatory landscape that tribes must address before seeking voter approval.
He argued that a regulated California market could draw activity away from prediction markets and strengthen the tribes’ position. Rocha said the opposition has organized quickly in Congress and the courts, adding, “The more I think about it, the more I like our odds,” while acknowledging that significant developments could occur before a 2028 vote.
Source:
“California tribal leader outlines goal for 2028 sports betting ballot”, cdcgaming.com, July 29, 2026
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