→ Prop 27 would legalize online sports betting in California.

The proponents of this campaign are costuming the ballot measure as an effort to fund homelessness and mental health services. In their campaign ads, and in their messaging, they cleverly named their ballot measure the “California Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support Act.” So it’s important that we call them out, and call out what this ballot measure is really about: making even more money for the big corporations.

The truth is that sports betting could generate billions of dollars in profits for these companies. That’s why the battle between Prop 26 & Prop 27 has become the most expensive ballot fight in California history. (And given how historically expensive these ballot measures have been in recent memory, that’s saying something.) The big companies behind this measure—Bally, MGM, Draft Kings, BetMGM—are betting big because they have a lot to gain. What’s more, the ballot language is written in such a way that elbows out smaller competition, ensuring that only the giant, well-established betting companies stand to benefit. It’s a classic example of the house rigging the rules.

It’s morally egregious that these companies would exploit our very real and urgent need for housing and mental health support systems. But this isn’t a real solution—it’s a Trojan Horse stuffed with corporate profits. With Prop 27, It’s clear that the bottom line, is their bottom line. And at most, our communities will just get a trickle.