Since the PASPA overturning, many states introduced legal online betting legislations, but surprisingly, California wasn’t one of them. Many people are curious why that is and, in this article, we will review everything we know about the topic. They have many sports teams, and punters would happily place bets on them if that is allowed.
Is Sports Betting Legal in California?
California online gambling is not yet legalized and regulated within state borders. However, there are real money gambling sites available in CA. They’re just based elsewhere. So if you’re wondering you can gamble online for real money in California, the simple answer is yes. Right now, it feels that the best bet for legal sports betting in California is the proposal from the coalition of the state’s tribes last November. Their initiative would give them exclusivity for legal sports betting in California. California has attempted to legalize online. California Betting Laws There aren’t currently any laws in California prohibiting online gambling. However, this also means that it is not state sanctioned or regulated. You cannot legally start a gambling business in the state, but technically there are no laws saying you cannot bet online.
There are many sports fans in the state, making CA the state with the highest potential for customers. Experts estimate that legal online betting will be worth more than $2.5 billion each year, and it’s crazy why people wouldn’t want to legalize it. Below, you can read about the history of legal online betting it.
The first people who were adamant about allowing legal online betting in California and rallied for it were CA Assembly member Adam Gray and Senator Bill Dodd. They are firm supporters of the online aspect of sports betting and are against the proposition of eighteen of the Native Casinos. They think that sports betting should only be allowed in land-based casinos and racetracks.
Details About Sports Wagering in the Golden State
There were multiple attempts to legalize sports wagering in the state, and the most popular events were the 2020 hearings in January and November. The first significant event regarding sports betting in California was in November 2020. There was a proposition for a bill, but it didn’t go through. The main reason was those tribal casinos would get to provide sports betting, roulette, and other games, but card rooms would also receive government protections, and the casinos wouldn’t be able to constantly be on their heels about the card games in those rooms. Casinos think that card rooms are walking on the line between legal and illegal. If the bill went through, they would continue to offer even more card games and still walk on the line while casinos wouldn’t get many benefits and card rooms would still get some of their customers without any legal issues. Lawmakers decided to put off the bill for 2021, and we don’t have reliable information suggesting that it would happen anytime soon.
What Kind of Gambling is Legal in California Now?
Right now, the only legal betting of any kind is allowed in tribal casinos, card rooms, racetracks (horse racing only), charity gambling, and the California state lottery. There are almost seventy casinos in the state which offer more than two thousand game tables and tens of thousands of slot machines. Some of the available Casinos are:
- Desert Rose Casino
- Harrah’s Casinos in Northern and Southern California
- Pechanga Resort and Casino
- San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino
- Twin Pine Casino
There are sixty-nine casinos available across California, but we only gave you a shortlist of them.
The state lottery offers games like Powerball and Mega Millions, and there are plenty of famous racetracks, like Hollywood Park, Del Mar, Santa Anita, etc. If you want to bet on sports, either online or offline, the closest place you can do it is in Nevada.
Will Customers be Able to Bet on California Sports Teams?
Like other US states, we believe that California will allow betting on professional sports, but we aren’t sure they will allow college sports betting, especially on home teams and players. California has the most professional teams of any US state, and they have a huge fan-following. Currently, there are six major league sports with professional teams in the state:
| NFL | MLB | NBA | NHL | MLS |
| Los Angeles Chargers | Los Angeles Dodgers | Los Angeles Lakers | San Jose Sharks | LA Galaxy |
| Los Angeles Rams | Los Angeles Angels | Golden State Warriors | Los Angeles Knights | Los Angeles FC |
| San Fransisco 49ers | San Diego Padres | Los Angeles Clippers | Anaheim Ducks | San Jose Earthquakes |
| San Fransisco Giants | Sacramento Kings | |||
| Oakland Athletics |
California also has plenty of college teams in Division I basketball and football. So there will also be a huge revenue if they decide to allow betting on homegrown college teams.
Are Offshore Sportsbook Options in CA Legal?
The only way you can place bets in California is if you bet on offshore sportsbooks. It isn’t legalized by any bills, but you won’t get punished if you do it. This is one of those situations where there aren’t specific laws prohibiting it, but it isn’t allowed in the state. Betting offshore makes it so that no force in California would be able to punish those Sportsbooks, even if they don’t agree with what they provide because they are out of their jurisdiction.
Frequently Asked Questions Regarding Legal Online Betting in CA
Are DFS (Daily Fantasy Sports) legal in California?
Yes, they are. You can register and play on any DFS platform, like DraftKings or FanDuel.
Is Horse Racing betting legal in California?
Yes, it is. It was legalized in 1933, and there are plenty of racetracks where you can do it.
Are offline sports bets legal in CA?
No, it isn’t.
Which Sportsbooks would most likely be legalized?
We can’t say for sure, but we believe that bookmakers like DraftKings and FanDuel will make the list whenever online sports betting is legalized.
Why wasn’t online and offline betting legalized in November 2020?
Is Betting Legal In California
Mainly because of the conflict between tribal casinos and card rooms. An agreement couldn’t be reached, so the talks were shelved for 2021.
Internet Gambling In California
Final Thought About the Future of Legal Online Betting in California
California has the potential of becoming the state where sports betting is the largest considering they have eighteen professional sports teams and plenty of college teams as well. The sports following in the state is large, and many casinos could apply for gambling licenses. Although the state has the potential of becoming the most successful if legal online betting launches, there are still some parties who don’t agree with the proposed bill. We don’t think that the issues between specific organizations will be solved any time soon. While there is a possibility of California legalizing sports betting in 2021, people may have to wait longer, depending on the situation in the state and which people will support the initiative in the future.
Is Online Betting Legal In California
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