California cardrooms invested over $3 million in political campaigns targeting lawmakers who supported Senate Bill 549, which grants tribal casinos the right to legally challenge cardroom gaming operations.

SB 549, effective January 1, enables tribes to contest whether cardrooms can legally operate games like blackjack and pai gow poker. The tribes maintain that California voters granted them exclusive rights to these games.

The law impacts California's 84 licensed cardrooms, which currently operate modified versions of casino games by taking a rake and using third-party companies as dealers. Industry advocates warn the bill could jeopardize 32,000 jobs and significantly impact city budgets that rely on cardroom tax revenue.

Key targets of the cardrooms' political spending included:

• Sen. Josh Newman (D-Fullerton): Lost to Republican Steven Choi after $900,000 in opposition spending
• Assemblymember Evan Low (D-Cupertino): Lost congressional bid following $500,000 in attacks
• Assemblymember Brian Maienschein (D): Lost San Diego city attorney race after $443,000 opposition campaign
• Laurie Davies (R-Oceanside): Won reelection despite $1.3 million in opposition spending

This political spending appears to be retaliatory, as tribes have historically dominated political donations in California, contributing $23.5 million to candidates over the past decade. Governor Newsom alone received $7.1 million from tribes compared to $252,400 from cardrooms since 2017.

Former Democratic Assemblymember Mike Gatto noted that such "vengeance spending" typically influences lawmakers' future decisions, though bill author Newman questioned the logic of post-legislative political spending.

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