1. California Online Sports Betting
2. California Online Sports Betting Laws
3. California Sports Betting News
4. Online Sports Betting For Us Players

More and more states are legalizing sports betting, and the pace just keeps getting faster. But one state is lagging significantly behind the national trend: California.

Now, California lawmakers will need to review the 1.4 million signatures and verify 997,139 of them if tribal casinos and racetracks want a shot at sports betting being on the 2022 election ballot. California’s counties will first review the signatures before all of the verified ones are submitted to the California State Legislature. Certain forms of gambling are legal in California. These include Native American casinos, cardrooms, the California State Lottery, and parimutuel horse race gambling. Residents of California can also legally enjoy online betting sites. Charitable gambling is also explicitly legal in California.

Legally speaking, California is not a particularly gambling-friendly state. This trend continues today, as multiple pushes for sports betting legalization have stalled due to political infighting between tribal casinos and other political blocs.

Below, we’ll break down everything you need to know about California sports betting and whether you can expect the situation to change in the near future.

Latest In California Sports Betting

The story of California sports betting and attempts for legalization is mired in political drama.

Background

In brief, California gambling activities are largely in the hands of tribal casinos. California card rooms, which operate on state soil, are allowed to offer certain types of card-based gambling activities. However, there’s no denying that tribal casinos have almost a complete monopoly on gambling within the state.

This has led to attempts by groups or individuals outside the tribal casino leadership to legalize sports betting. But they’ve hit several roadblocks.

Previous Sports Betting Legalization Attempts

Twice previously, sports betting proposals in 2016 and 2017 (an assembly bill and a constitutional amendment) were shot down by the California legislature. Similarly, a group called Californians for Sports Betting attempted to push ballot initiatives through that would repeal certain constitutional language from earlier in the millennium.

These attempts were meant to allow other operators to offer sports betting, which would dissolve any tribal casino monopoly. However, because tribal casinos have significant political power in California, all of these attempts at sports betting legalization were stifled just as they were gaining steam in 2018.

More recently, the Democratic Assemblyman Adam Gray introduced ACA 16: a constitutional amendment that would give the California legislature the power to regulate and authorize any sports betting activities in the state instead of tribal casino political blocs.

However, passing an amendment is difficult as it requires passage in both the Senate and the Assembly by a margin of two thirds. Then, it has to be signed by the governor (currently Gavin Newsom). Even after that, the amendment still has to be voted on by the public, where it needs to win by a simple majority.

Meanwhile, State Senator Bill Dodd filed a similar measure for passage by the Senate that did not reach the critical mass necessary to move further down the political process. It met significant resistance from tribal lobbyists and other groups in the state legislature.

Tribal Sports Betting Legalization Attempt

In response, California tribes filed a sports betting initiative of their own creation on November 13, 2019. This eventually came to be called the California Sports Wagering and Unlawful Gambling Enforcement Act.

In a nutshell, it would give tribal gaming casinos and licensed racetracks the ability to offer sports wagering instead of opening up the opportunity to other groups and operators. Furthermore, it would allow wagers on professional, college, and amateur sports, although no California college teams would be included with the sports betting markets. Even worse, mobile and online gambling provisions are markedly absent from the proposed Act.

This Act may have much better chances than either of the above other sports betting pushes. In order to be put on the 2020 ballot, the Act needed approximately 100,000 verified signatures by June 25. The tribes did not reach this goal, but they successfully lobbied for an extension, arguing that coronavirus-related social distancing measures were responsible for the lack of signature collection.

Now the deadline for the 2020 ballot is October 12. It’s still unlikely that the tribes will be able to collect enough signatures given this short extension. However, the tribes could easily file the same Act with slightly modified language and attempt to have it placed on the 2022 ballot.

At the time of this writing, this Act is the most straightforward chance Californians have to enjoy sports betting in any way.

Best Options For Sports Wagering In California

Given the fact that legal sports betting in California is at least several years away, sports wagering enthusiasts will need to turn to other options. Aside from visiting other states that have already legalized in-person and online sports betting, daily fantasy sports represent an opportunity to scratch the same kind of itch.

Why is daily fantasy sports legal but sports betting is not? In California, daily fantasy sports occupy a great legal area where the activity is neither explicitly legal nor illegal since it’s not fairly or thoroughly defined in any state legislation.

As a result, big operators like DraftKings and FanDuel do offer daily fantasy sports at this time even though the California legislature could theoretically make DFS illegal later.

Daily fantasy sports is technically classified as a game of skill instead of chance, so it skirts under the radar of most Californian anti-gambling legislation. Here’s a quick look at some of the best DFS operators Californians can enjoy.

DraftKings

DraftKings is huge in the DFS scene, and it offers a generous welcome bonus of $20 in site credit when you create a new account and deposit five dollars. You can also benefit from a deposit match of up to $500.

Special promotions appear on the platform frequently, and most of these are based on the current sports season. A robust rewards program is also in place for frequent players. Most impressive is the wide range of DFS markets available, ranging from staple professional sports, like football, all the way to niche markets, like esports’ League of Legends.

FanDuel

California Online Sports Betting

FanDuel is another extremely popular DFS mobile app and desktop platform. The first opening bonus includes $5 for free play. The second is another $5 on first deposit. This is enough entice someone to make an account, even just to check things out over the short term.

Special beginner contests and a simplistic loyalty program make FanDuel’s DFS platform well worth your while. Frequent players will be able to redeem points for entry into contests and special prizes. Innovative features like the ability to edit your lineups after you enter DFS contests means that it’s a perfect DFS platform for finicky or indecisive players.

Other DFS Sites

Alongside the above two daily fantasy sports giants, there are new “prop fantasy sports” sites that have recently come onto the scene.

Monkey Knife Fight

Monkey Knife Fight only launched in 2018 and it’s now the third biggest DFS platform in North America. It makes enjoying DFS incredibly easy for new players. The 100% deposit match bonus worth up to $50 is a great attraction.

Creating a Monkey Knife Fight account is quick and easy, and you only need to be 18 to start playing. Monkey Knife Fight also differs from other DFS operators in that it focuses on letting you place bets on set amounts of money instead of picking players that will achieve specific results.

For instance, Monkey Knife Fight might offer you the following wager: will Player A score above or below 12 points? You, the player, choose over or under and wins based on the result. This makes DFS quick and easy for newcomers and the mechanics are incredibly intuitive. You can make deposits with credit and debit cards, plus make withdrawals the same way or via PayPal.

PrizePicks

The other new DFS platform is called PrizePicks. Like Monkey Knife Fight, PrizePicks has you focus more on predictions with individual athletes instead of looking at team statistics.

They offer a deposit bonus of $25 right off the bat, plus a deposit match bonus of up to $1000. This is quite impressive since most DFS operators don’t go this high with their opening bonuses.

Ultimately, both fast-paced DFS sites are good choices if you’re in the mood for something new and innovative.

California Sports Betting Apps & Sites

If California was to legalize sports betting we would expect the following sportsbooks to launch.

• Caesars Sportsbook
• BetMGM Sportsbook
• BetRivers Sportsbook

How Big The California Sports Betting Market Would Be

If, and when, California finally legalizes sports betting, it’ll be walking into among the most profitable markets in the country.

In short, California has the most professional sports teams. It also has the largest population out of any other state in the country. As a result, one would expect it to also enjoy higher sports betting engagement.

Chris Grove, of research firm Eilers and Krejcik Gaming, estimates that the sports betting market could be worth $2.5+ billion per year in California. This is high in comparison to other sports betting profits from states like New Jersey and Pennsylvania.

As a result, this represents a significant potential tax revenue increase for the state government. Given these potential riches, it’s unlikely that sports betting will remain illegal forever.

California Sports Betting FAQ

The soonest that sports betting will realistically launch in California is 2022. Even though the aforementioned tribal sports betting act could be approved in 2020, this is highly unlikely.

This depends on the terms of the legal agreements. But more than likely, sports bettors will need to be 21 years of age or older.

Any California sports betting will likely be regulated by the California Gambling Control Commission.

As the bill currently stands the Tribal casinos will limit sports betting to tribal casinos and racetracks.

California Online Sports Betting Laws

Yes, there will likely be no online sports betting option as the tribes have historically been against online gambling of any form so there will only be in-person betting.

Although the state is home to some of the world’s biggest major sports league teams, there is currently no legal California sports betting. However, there are many gambling industry stakeholders and lawmakers pushing to bring in-person and mobile sports betting to the state, so legal online sports betting in California may come soon.

As we only recommend players sign up for trustworthy and licensed bookies, we don’t have any sports betting sites to recommend Californians at the moment. Instead, we’ve used this guide to discuss the gambling options that are available in the state, the current laws around sports betting, and the future outlook for the industry.

What Betting Options are Legal for California Residents

Contents

• What Betting Options are Legal for California Residents
• Frequently Asked Questions

While there is no California legal online sportsbook or in-person betting options, residents still have plenty of other gambling options to enjoy. This includes full-scale casino-style gambling at tribal casinos, including table games and slots, a state lottery, horse race betting, and daily fantasy sports.

Is Daily Fantasy Legal in California?

For those wanting to try a good alternative to sports betting, Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) is almost the only form of legal California online gambling. We say almost because the state neither defines it as legal or illegal, and fantasy sports operators are free to offer the games to Californians without fear of breaking the law.

DFS in CA is offered by a number of operators, including the reputable sports betting sites FanDuel and DraftKings. We recommend trying either of these trusted sportsbooks for DFS as they are the most popular, and allow players to form and wager on fantasy lineups of players from all major sports leagues.

Are there Legal Offshore Sites for California Players

Without an opportunity to sign up for a California legal online sportsbook, many players are turning to offshore betting sites to place bets on sports. As the state doesn’t block residents from using these sites or explicitly ban them, players accessing websites like MyBookie and BetOnline will not be punished for offshore betting.

But just because they are accessible, this doesn’t mean it’s recommended. The problem with these websites is that they are not licensed, and so are therefore not guaranteed to be acting in the best interests of players. Without these regulations that demand bookmakers are safe and fair, players may be at risk when using unlicensed products.

Casinos

CA has a number of world-class tribal casinos that offer the very best in casino gaming. These include classic and video slot machines, table games such as poker, blackjack, and roulette, and more. Many of these casino resorts don’t just offer gambling, but are holiday precincts that provide great entertainment and dining options.

In fact, California is the birthplace of legal Native American casinos. The Supreme Court decision to allow gambling on tribal reservations concerned a dispute between the California government and the Cabazon Band of Mission Indians. The Cabazon Indians were victorious and now, more than 30 years later, there are 69 tribal casinos in the state.

California Sports Betting News

Racetrack Betting

Until there is legal online sports betting in CA, residents may be interested in gambling on legal horse racing. The state is home to a number of horse racing tracks, though players are not limited to wagering onsite. There are plenty of off-track betting parlors that take wagers on live races around the country.

Horse race betting is a profitable industry that has earned the state millions since it was first introduced. California is a major hub for these races and is home to the Santa Anita Racecourse and Del Mar Race Track. In some respects, it’s quite similar to sports betting, as it involves wagering on the outcome of a live sporting event.

Card Rooms

Fortunately for poker fans, card rooms are permitted in California, with most being on tribal reservations. There are 69 card rooms in the state, many of which host poker tournaments. This has rendered California as being one of the premier states for hosting professional poker.

Nearby States with Legal Sports Betting

Just because in-person sports betting and legal online sports betting in California is not available, there is no law that forbids players from traveling to other states to wager on sports legally. Fortunately, California sports betting is near to be legalized. This includes the state of Nevada, which is the undisputed mecca of sports betting in the US, if not the world.

Below, we’ve listed three of the closest states that offer legal sports betting that would be well worth a visit.

• Nevada
• Oregon
• Washington

What would Legal Sports Betting in California Look Like

If sports betting was legalized in California, it is expected that the state would become one of the largest sports betting markets in the country. This may not come as a surprise, as some of the most popular teams from every major sports league call the state home, including the Los Angeles Lakers and the San Francisco 49ers.

Currently, there are a number of political initiatives to bring sports betting to California. A popular initiative is headed by a union of the state’s tribal groups, who wish to be granted exclusive rights to offer sports betting at their casinos. This would mean that no mobile betting would be allowed.

The issue of gaming exclusivity and limiting sports betting to in-person betting has been contested by some non-tribal interests, so the matter is still up in the air. Once it has been resolved, a state gambling authority will be established to oversee the rules and regulations of the industry.

This kind of regulation is important to both players and the state. Licensing bodies ensure that the safest betting sites provide a fair betting experience while protecting at-risk players. Licensing also sets tax rates to profits on gambling, so state coffers will benefit from revenues currently leaking to illegal offshore sites.

What are the California Gambling Laws

California is different from many states in that it does not make gambling in general illegal or legal, but rather makes individual kinds of gambling illegal. As it stands, the gambling industry is hugely profitable for the state. For example, in 2018, card rooms alone generated more than $850 million payouts after deductions.

Native American gambling also turns over around $8 billion a year. For this reason, California gambling laws aren’t too rigid but constantly evolve with the times. Whenever a bill to change the gambling laws is passed by the government, residents must approve of the measures in a statewide ballot.

This process ensures that Californians always have a say in what gambling options they believe are worthy of legalizing. The fact that most gambling options are legal in the state reveals that residents are open to more betting options as long as they are safe.

As the table shows, all forms of legal online sports betting in CA aside from DFS are not legal. However, poker is completely legal in California and has been for more than a century. Racetrack betting too is a popular pastime, though declining attendance has signaled that bettor’s attitudes are shifting.

California’s laws require that players must be over 18 to gamble. However, tribal casinos only allow players above 21 years of age to gamble, as alcohol is served there.

What is the Future of Sports Betting in California?

When it comes to California sports betting, we think it’s pretty safe to assume that legalization is a near certainty. This all comes down to money; with the state being the largest market for DFS in the country, it’s highly likely that it would become one of the most successful legal sport betting states.

When this will happen will just come down to a matter of how the tribes and government agree to regulate the market. For the time being, Californians will need to travel to a nearby neighboring state to place legal bets, or just stick to the huge range of legal gaming options at their disposal.

Frequently Asked Questions

Do you still have more questions about California’s gambling market and whether or not there are legal sports betting options available? Keep reading to discover our answers to commonly asked questions so that you know all you need to before you consider trying to bet on sports.

Is online gambling and sports betting legal in California?

Sports betting is illegal in California, while online gambling is limited to DFS betting. Even when sports betting is made legal in the state, it’s quite likely that Californians will need to travel to tribal casinos or racetracks to make bets in person.

What is the California legal gambling age?

The minimum gambling age for gambling in California is technically 18, though almost all tribal casinos require that players are above the age of 21 years old.

Are offshore bookmaker sites legal and safe?

The only way players can be sure that they are betting at a safe website is if it is licensed in the jurisdiction they are playing in. As offshore bookmakers aren’t licensed, they may not meet strict requirements that ensure that they aren’t scamming players or targeting younger or problem players.

Can I use the FanDuel or DraftKings app in California?

Online Sports Betting For Us Players

While there is no legal California sports betting app, both DraftKings and FanDuel can be downloaded to make daily fantasy sports bets. California has the largest market of DFS bettors in the country, and these apps are the most popular due to their sleek design, reputation, and betting options.