California and Texas have provided a considerable number of athletes for Team USA’s gold medal push at the Paris Olympics, but sports fans in those jurisdictions will not be able to bet on the games.
The two most populous states in the US have an existing sports betting ban, despite 38 other states and Washington DC having access to staking a few dollars on their chosen sport.
The two huge states have a combined population of around 70 million, more than 20% of the total headcount across the nation. The figures and the involvement of several prominent stars from California and Texas in the US delegation raise an interesting angle for the gambling lobby seeking to deliver change.
The US men’s basketball team can call upon LeBron James and Anthony Davis of the LA Lakers, and Stephen Curry of the Golden State Warriors. The University of Southern California is represented by 66 athletes, the most of any US university.
Gymnastics icon Simone Biles is a proud Texan, while Kevin Durant of the Phoenix Suns played college for the University of Texas Longhorns. He is another elite-level operator for the men’s basketball team.
There is no option to have a bet on the Paris games – which did not have a video game release – but the question will not go away, especially ahead of the next Summer Olympics in Los Angeles in 2028. Incidentally, the 2026 Winter Olympics will be held in northern Italy.
It is a difficult situation with competing interests clouding the vista but gaming analyst Steve Ruddock envisages the possibility of sports betting getting the green light in tribal casinos by 2026, with online access to follow for 2028.
That is a possible path, but one that would require compromise and a lot of will, if it is to materialize. Previous diaogue between betting operators and rights holders in the California tribes have resulted in a frosty relationship and no consensus.
There is also legislative opposition to proposals for the introduction of sports gambling as previous attempts to have it enacted have been rebuffed. A combination of laemakers, religious groups, and other campaigners have joined forces to thwart the plans for limited commercial casinos and sports betting.
Efforts to deliver change will be renewed but it is unclear yet if there is enough desire for sports betting to be supported and legalized in California and Texas.
Image credit: Olympics/X
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