BetMGM to Fund Homelessness, Mental Health Initiatives in Push for Online Betting in California

BetMGM is part of a group proposing new online sports betting legislation in the state of California that would fund homelessness and mental health efforts.

The California Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support Act is scheduled to be filed with the state’s attorney general’s office on Tuesday, Politico reported. It is backed by several sports betting entities, including BetMGM, and includes funding of $100 million for the efforts to combat homelessness and mental health.

The new push comes three years after the U.S. Supreme Court reversed a 26-year-old federal law that prohibited sports betting in most states. Entering the 2021 NFL season, 21 states plus Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico now allow online betting. California, however, would be the first state to allocate betting to initiatives for homelessness and mental health.

Further, additional revenue from the measure will be dedicated to one or multiple California gambling tribes, who are supporting a separate sports-betting proposal scheduled to hit the ballot in 2022, said Dana Williamson, the campaign manager for the group behind the California Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support Act.

The initiative, which already has the backing of Sacramento mayor Darrell Steinberg, would also allow the California Department of Justice to regulate online sports betting to “ensure there is no corruption or illegal activity in the market,” Politico reported. 

As BetMGM continues to expand its sports betting platforms to new states, responsible gaming education remains a key focus. BetMGM is proud to provide resources to help customers play responsibly. For more information on BetMGM, follow @BetMGM on Twitter.