A strong majority of Californians believes Indian tribes that own casinos should pay more of their gambling revenue to the state, and does not want card rooms and horse tracks to gain slot machines, a Los Angeles Times poll shows.
And regardless of political party affiliation, age, gender or churchgoing habits, California residents have a favorable view of tribes that have casinos and continue to approve of gambling on tribal land. A sizable minority -- 40% -- said they or a family member had visited an Indian casino in the past year.
The findings come four years after voters overwhelmingly approved gambling on Indian reservations. Now, gambling interests are preparing for an initiative war that could break the tribes' monopoly on Nevada-style casinos. In addition, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is negotiating with tribes to get heftier payments for the state in exchange for the right to obtain more slot machines.
Registered voters polled April 17 to 21 said they supported Schwarzenegger's effort 63% to 29%. They oppose, by 59% to 33%, allowing slot machines at card rooms and racetracks.
Currently, slot machines -- the most profitable game for casino owners -- are legal in California only in Indian casinos. Each tribe may have 2,000 slots under the terms of compacts between the tribes and the state.
Fifty-three of the state's 107 tribes have licenses to operate 62,000 slot machines. Those with large casinos are required to pay roughly $130 million a year into two funds to aid tribes that have small gambling operations or none, and to ease local effects of their casinos.
Card rooms and racetracks are pushing an initiative for the November ballot that would require tribes to pay 25% of their gambling profits -- $1 billion or more a year -- to state and local governments. The initiative also says that if any single tribe refused to abide by its terms, 11 existing card rooms and five racetracks would divide 30,000 slot machines.
In exchange, those businesses would pay 33% of their casino profits, or an estimated $1 billion annually, to state and local governments, with the bulk of it earmarked for police and fire services and education-related programs.
In their first television ads, airing now and featuring the image of a Monopoly-like game board, the racetracks and card rooms don't mention their initiative. Nor do they say they are seeking slot machines.
