NO ON Prop 26
Stop Special Interest Monopolies
When special interests game the system in Sacramento, ALL Californians lose big.
Five California tribal casinos sponsoring Prop 26 have become some of the wealthiest and most powerful special interests in the state. Now they are pushing Prop 26 to guarantee themselves a virtual monopoly on all gaming in California by giving private trial lawyers the powers of the Attorney General to bury their licensed cardroom competitors with frivolous lawsuits.
Prop 26 opens the door to a massive expansion of gambling—allowing its sponsors to add exclusivity over roulette, dice and sports wagering to their current monopoly on slot machines.
Prop 26 will EXPAND their monopoly over gaming, NOT require them to pay their fair share, and NOT require them to abide by the state’s worker protection laws.
Read Why Prop 26 is a BAD DEAL for Californians
The tribal casinos behind Prop 26 have made billions from their slot machine monopoly, and they pass out millions in campaign contributions every election to protect their winnings.
Prop 26’s proponents are changing state law so they can hire private lawyers and give them the powers of the Attorney General to sue their competition–swamping small businesses with frivolous lawsuits to put them out of business and destroying the jobs they provide.
Prop 26 will force cardrooms out of business and result in a loss of $500 million in local tax revenue statewide and 32,000 good-paying jobs. The lost jobs and tax revenue from cardrooms closing will disproportionately hurt communities of color who will be left with less funding for public health, homelessness services, senior centers, and after-school programs.
Despite staying open during the statewide COVID-19 lockdowns, the sponsors of Prop 26 took millions of dollars in Federal CARE Act funding meant for struggling small businesses that were forced to close during the pandemic. Those same tribal casinos operated day and night during the worst of the pandemic, subjecting their workers and patrons to a much higher risk of infection, illness and hospitalization.
In exchange for a monopoly on slot machines, the sponsors of Prop 26 promised to abide by California’s strong worker protection regulations. But the tribal casinos behind Prop 26 have refused to be subject to the state’s benefits, family leave or sexual harassment laws, and have fired employees for speaking out for worker rights and even for turning in underage gamblers. One of the sponsors of Prop 26 even claimed they were not required to pay minimum wage! This measure does nothing to give tribal casino workers the protection they need.
“Voters should reject Proposition 26, which would expand onsite tribal casino gambling to allow sports wagering, roulette and dice games such as craps and would also allow sports betting at horserace tracks.”
“Backers of Prop. 26 aren’t satisfied with the new wealth their measure would bring tribes; they also planted a litigation provision in the measure that competing cardrooms fear could put them out of business.”
“This is a raw money grab and has nothing to do with ‘self-reliance’ and ‘responsible’ gaming. We strongly support legalizing sports betting, but not by letting tribes crush their old and new competitors alike. We urge a no vote on Prop. 26.”
“Prop. 26 is an audaciously cynical measure – an effort by tribes to give themselves virtual monopoly control of sports betting in what is likely to be the nation’s largest sports-betting market.”
“Although Proposition 26 aligns with California voters’ past support for allowing gambling on tribal land, the measure amounts to a toxic brew of industry interests designed not only to enrich the funders but also to push away their competitors. If California ever decides to embrace sports betting, it should be with a framework that is as evenhanded as possible, and not one that so blatantly picks winners and losers.”
The Latest News And Updates
California doesn’t need more gambling, vote no on Props. 26, 27
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No on California Proposition 26: Poison pill provision will harm communities and workers
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What Elected Officials are saying about prop 26
“Prop 26 leaves workers unprotected from California’s worker safety, wage-and-hour, harassment, and anti-discrimination laws and regulations. Please join us in voting NO on Prop 26”
- Shavon Moore - Cage Member, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees Local 36 Management Chapter
“We support the rights of Native Americans to be self-sufficient, but we oppose Prop 26 because it will devastate other communities of color in California.“
- Julian Canete, President and CEO, California Hispanic Chambers of Commerce
“Under Prop 26, California stands to lose 32,000 good paying jobs and $500 million in tax revenue to support public services. Prop 26 will deprive hardworking community members the ability to take care of their families and sustain economic stability and growth for cities like mine.”
-Emma Sharif, Mayor, City of Compton
Join the coalition
NO ON PROP 26