By Rick L. Callender, ESQ. CA/HI NAACP President

February 18, 2022

California – Hawaii State Conference NAACP Supports In-Person Tribal Sports Wagering Measure and Opposition to the Corporate Online Gambling Proposition 

As the nation’s largest and most revered civil rights organization, the NAACP has long been a steadfast ally in the fight for justice, self-sufficiency and sovereignty for Indigenous people. For far too long have the tribes been excluded from the table of creating economic  self-sufficiency.  The California – Hawaii NAACP has stood with California Indian tribes in their fight to establish and protect gaming on their own tribal lands. Our support of the Tribal Sports Wagering Act – which authorizes regulated sports wagering, in person at Tribal Casinos — is consistent with that long-standing position for disenfranchised communities of color to become self-sufficient.

At the same time, the CA/HI NAACP has grave concerns about the impacts that a massive expansion of online and mobile gambling would have on problem gambling in California—particularly among youth and communities of color.  Additionally, not one penny raised from this effort has been dedicated towards direct reparations, or educational support, for African Americans and other people of color—which is why we unanimously voted to oppose the Corporate Online Gambling Proposition.

Rick L. Callender, ESQ.
CA/HI NAACP
President

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