Polls show California’s two sports betting props likely to fail
"Yes on 27," the measure that would allow online and mobile sports wagering, raised nearly $170 million this year before the end of September. A recent UC Berkeley Institute of Governmental Studies poll found it had just 27 percent support.
"Yes on 26, No on 27," the measure that would have allowed in-person sports wagering on tribal lands and some horse racing tracks had over 110 million in support by the end of September.
The same poll shows it with just 31 percent support.
"Well, it looks like both proposition 26 and proposition 27 will fail," said Kathy Fairbanks, spokesperson for "Yes on 26, No on 27".
So months of ads on the props may be coming to a close even before election day. News Channel 3 confirming, ad buys are being pulled on stations.
"The tribe's number one priority has always been to defeat proposition 27, so on that count, this is a win," Fairbanks said.
Meanwhile, Fairbanks is ready to all but concede on the in-person "Prop 26."
"Well, in the case of prop 26, it's very difficult to dig out of a hole when you're so far behind," Fairbanks said.
On the question of why they may be failing, Fairbanks says the online gaming interests confused everyone with their ads muddying the waters.
"They just promoted it as a solution to homelessness, didn't even say online gaming, just will help tribes," Fairbanks said.
If both do fail, as Fairbanks believes will happen, what's next? Will these measures, or versions of them, and the hundreds of millions in support for their competing interests be back in two years?
"2024 is not a set thing. Not even close. 2026 may not even be close. We just don't know there are a lot of, there are a lot of components to this," Fairbanks said.
News Channel 3 have been reaching out to the "Yes on 27" campaign over the past couple of days, trying to get their take on the recent polling and ad buys being pulled ahead of the election. They have not returned our requests for an interview this week.
Stay with news channel 3 for complete election coverage.
