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Long Beach Mayor Robert Garcia has now joined a group of California mayors who support a measure that would use tax revenue compiled from online sports betting to fund homeless services.
Fresno Mayor Jerry Dyer, Sacramento Mayor Darrell Steinberg, and Oakland Mayor Libby Schaaf have all supported this measure. The measure would need one million signatures to qualify for the ballot.
The measure that is called, "The California Sports Wagering and Consumer Protection Act" was first proposed in August and immediately caught a lot of support across California. This measure would use tax revenue that is compiled from online sports betting to fund housing options and shelter for the homeless, as well as help with health and addiction services.
If this measure gets approved, online betting could become legal in California by 2023.
A lobbyist, Chris Micheli, told CBS Sacramento that if passed this measure could generate up to $3 billion annually. He said:
“Anywhere from $1 billion in revenue to the state annually in sports wagering,”
He continued by saying:
“Up to $3 billion in potential revenue if it’s fully online sports wagering.”