It’s a tease, but it’s not out of the realm of possibility. And if it happens even if only in the form of a physical sportsbook and a kiosk at first the nation’s most populated state could become the country’s largest sports betting market. Online gambling is still forbidden in California. Several California groups, however, established a procedure in 2020 to obtain paperwork that would allow them to participate in the process.

A collection of California tribes began the process last year of getting a referendum on the November 2020 ballot that would legalize in-person sports betting at the state’s 69 tribal casinos and four racetracks. The organizers of the document gathered 2.1 million signatures across the state and will find out whether the signatures are valid by next year. And according to institutions, a total of 1.5 million valid subscriptions are necessary.

The final authentication after registrars in Los Angeles and San Diego counties filed a complaint against the Secretary of State asking for an extension. A judge recently extended the time for counties to authenticate signatures on two referendums, along with the tribal sports gambling measure. Even if the signatures are legitimate, allowing sports betting in California will require a series of political challenges. The state is hosting an election in November, and bettors may or may not face extra challenges if the governor of the state changes.

Even when sports began to resurface, the beginning of a new era was signaled by empty stadiums and social isolation measures. We continue to live in a different atmosphere than we are accustomed to. Despite the pandemic, it is feasible to say that the sports betting sector was able to recover and expand its activities. Of course, California’s tribes could choose not to be on the ballot in 2021. Experts predict that two sports betting referendums will emerge on the ballot in 2022, splitting the vote. The tribes would have a difficult time advocating and publicizing their amendment to voters, but not a commercial one. Commercial operators and teams would face the same issues. In essence, both parties would be undermining the message of legalized sports betting and risk losing money.