California Pulls Sports Betting Bill After Tribal Opposition (2)

California Senator Bill Dodd, a sponsor of the legislation that would legalize sports betting in the nation’s most-populous state, said he was pulling the bill because of opposition from tribal-casino operators.

The law would have allowed sports betting in the state’s tribal casinos and racetracks, but not in card rooms, which offer poker and other games. Tribes opposed the bill because it also created a constitutional right for card rooms to offer games such as blackjack.

“We have significantly diverse stakeholders that really want to be in here,” Dodd said in an interview. “Tribes, county fairs, horse racing, card ...