It looks like California residents will have a choice of measures to consider on the November 2022 ballot to potentially legalize sports betting in the Golden State. One measure, backed by a group of California’s Indian tribes, would authorize sports betting only on a retail (i.e., brick-and-mortar) basis at a selection of tribal casinos and racetracks in the state. A second measure, backed by a group of companies that operate online sports wagering in other states, would legalize both retail and online sports wagering, would require any operator of online sports betting to partner with a tribal casino, and would direct 15 percent of proceeds to non-participating tribes and the remaining 85 percent of the tax revenues to support services for the state’s homeless and those with mental health needs.

The coalition of companies promoting the second measure under the banner “Californians for Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support” announced on Tuesday that they had collected 1.6 million signatures in support of their initiative, which is more than the just under 1.1 million needed to qualify for the ballot. Those signatures need to be verified by the California Secretary of State before June 30 for the initiative to be officially listed on the ballot. If one or both measures pass in November, legal sports betting in California will likely begin sometime in 2023.