Is Betting Online Legal In California Rating: 7,1/10 4650 votes

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 Betting Online Legal In California

The legal gambling age In California is typically 18, although most casinos do require bettors to be 21 in order to gamble in person at a bricks-and-mortar casino or use a sports betting site. The state of California is home to 69 total Native American casinos including 50 Indian casinos, 16 Indian casino resorts and 3 mini-casinos that are. Is Online Gambling Legal in California? No law in California directly addresses the question of online gambling legality. California law hasn’t quite caught up to technology. This is a common condition in America, and it leads to a lot of confusion among players of Web-based gambling games. As of today, in-person and online racing betting are legal in California. The state is home to five racetracks, more than two dozen off-track betting parlors (OTBs) and multiple advance deposit wagering providers (ADWs) that are all licensed and regulated. The Future of Gambling in California. Everything points to the legalization sports betting in California. The online casino market and online gambling in general, though, remains a legal grey area. California’s tribes are pushing for the legalization of sports betting and if that bill passes, good news for California online casinos fans could.

Is Sports Betting Legal in California?

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:

NFLMLBNBANHLMLS
Los Angeles ChargersLos Angeles DodgersLos Angeles LakersSan Jose SharksLA Galaxy
Los Angeles RamsLos Angeles AngelsGolden State WarriorsLos Angeles KnightsLos Angeles FC
San Fransisco 49ersSan Diego PadresLos Angeles ClippersAnaheim DucksSan Jose Earthquakes
San Fransisco GiantsSacramento 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?

Mainly because of the conflict between tribal casinos and card rooms. An agreement couldn’t be reached, so the talks were shelved for 2021.

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.

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After the repeal of PASPA in 2018, states had the right to decide if they wanted to legalize and how to regulate gambling in their states. Though some states (like New Jersey and Pennsylvania) forged ahead with legalizing sports betting in retail locations and online, California legalities have been slower fought.

Despite having made various attempts to legalize online betting and sports betting in the state, California so far hasn’t been able to. Though CA online sports betting is currently illegal, the potential tax benefits are likely to sway even those most apathetic to gambling.

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Most Likely CA Online Sports Betting Sites

Though the future of California online sports betting is still up in the air, we can make some educated guesses about what the market will potentially look like. Here are some likely CA online sports betting sites to open in CA after legalization. These are top sports betting sites in other states and have a high probability of gaining access to the California market as future CA online sportsbooks.

FanDuel

FanDuel has both an online sportsbook as well as a daily fantasy app and site. Since fantasy bets are legal in California online sports betting, there is a strong chance that Fanduel will expand once California laws are finally drawn.

Caesars Sportsbook

Since there is a Harrah’s retail casino in California and Harrah’s is owned by Caesars, it is highly likely that Caesars would open a CA online sportsbook once online betting is legalized.

DraftKings

DraftKings are another daily fantasy based site. The success and popularity of this legal form of California online sports betting is a great way for DraftKings to become a California online sportsbook after legalization.

BetMGM

MGM’s largest single retail casino is located in Las Vegas, not far outside the California border. Since MGM already has affiliations with the California Gaming Commission, they could prove a valuable resource and a pretty safe bet for a future BetMGM site.


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. You will not face any type of prosecution for betting online in California, but you should still be aware of the safety of the sports betting websites you’re using.

States where you can already place an online sports bet today :

Updated on :

Colorado Illinois Indiana Iowa Michigan Nevada New Jersey Pennsylvania Tennessee Virginia West Virginia


California Online Sports Betting: Events and Betting Markets

Since the sports industry is so large, the potential for California online sports betting is endless. From types of wagers to the sheer number of California teams to bet on, there will be plenty of options when California online sports betting is legalized.

Common Types of Bets

The wide variety of sports leaves the market open for a ton of innovation in betting styles.

Straight Bets

These are the most common types of bets in the industry. When the betting line is set, bettors decide whether to bet on the favorite or the underdog. If you choose the favorite, you increase your betting odds. However, the favorite has to win the game with a higher number of points than the point spread for you to cash in. If you choose the underdog, they have to win or at least lose by less than the point spread. Therefore, while your betting odds increase when betting for the favorite, so does the burden of requirements.

Total Line Bets

This is also a popular sports bet. It’s also pretty straightforward. A number is set for the predicted combined final score of both teams. Then, you would guess whether you believe the actual total will be over or under that amount. It can often be a bet made for half a game in sports like football or basketball.

Money Line Bets

Mostly used in baseball and hockey, these types of bets can be a risk as they do not involve a point spread. Meaning the amount you have to bet varies whether you choose to bet on the favorite or the underdog. For instance, if the Yankees are favored to win against the Dodgers, you may see the betting odds described like this: Dodgers (+120), Yankees (-135). This means to bet on the Dodgers, you would only need to put down $100 and you could potentially win $120. Whereas, you would need to bet $135 on the Yankees to win $100.

Parlay Bets

These are probably the highest risk bets out there. They involve grouping together multiple bets together and can often be bets that last an entire season. There is very little room for error in these types of bets because you need to win all of your separate bets to see any money.

Teaser Bets

This bet is a bit of a twist on a parlay. It is not as high risk and also not as high reward. Bets are still grouped together like a parlay, but you are able to tweak the point spread in this style of betting. Making it a bit less lucrative and a bit more controlled.

Head-to-Head Bets

These bets are made on non-team sports. In sports such as golf and NASCAR, these bets simply represent which of two competitors will win. Often, a money line will be attached as a way to handicap a race. Though this is a popular betting style, it’s also a hard gamble to make considering the size of the field.

Most Popular Sports to Bet On

  • Football (both NFL and college)
  • Basketball (NBA)
  • Tennis
  • Hockey (NHL)
  • Baseball (MLB)
  • Soccer
  • Golf
  • Boxing
  • NASCAR
  • Formula 1

Popular California Events

  • Auto Club 400 - this is the only NASCAR event held in Southern California. It’s held at the Auto Club Speedway in Fontana and usually takes place in March.
  • Vans U.S. Open of Surfing - this is known as the biggest surfing event in the world. It’s held in Huntington Beach over nine days in July/August.
  • AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-AM- this golfing event started in 1937 with an idea from Bing Crosby. It’s a fun event held in February involving golf professionals and A-list celebrities so it draws a huge crowd of in person as well as at home spectators.
  • BNP Paribas Open - held in March, this is the largest international tennis tournament other than the four Grand Slams.
  • Sea Otter Classic - known as a “celebration of cycling”, this Monterrey based biking event features a wide range of cycling opportunities.

Best Teams to Bet On

Below is a list of the Major League teams in California. California has nearly twice the amount of major league teams than any other state. All of them present great betting opportunities.

Baseball

  • Los Angeles Angels
  • Los Angeles Dodgers
  • Oakland Athletics
  • San Diego Padres
  • San Francisco Giants

Basketball

  • Golden State Warriors
  • Los Angeles Clippers
  • Los Angeles Lakers
  • Sacramento Kings
  • Los Angeles Sparks

Football

  • Los Angeles Chargers
  • Los Angeles Rams
  • Oakland Raiders
  • San Francisco 49ers

Hockey

  • Anaheim Ducks
  • Los Angeles Kings
  • San Jose Sharks

Soccer

  • LA Galaxy
  • Los Angeles FC
  • San Jose Earthquakes

Common Payment Options

For most states, there are a few common payment methods in online sports betting. Here are some of the more popular options.

  • Debit/Credit cards
  • Paypal
  • Prepaid Cards
  • Cash at a retail partner’s sportsbook
  • ACH/Wire Transfer

CA Online Sports Betting FAQ

Are sports betting sites legal in the United States?

In the United States, there was a federal ban on sports betting from 1992 to 2018. Known as PASPA, this law made it impossible for states to make their own laws about sports betting. Unless they had been grandfathered in and were already partaking in sports betting before 1992.

When PASPA was overturned in 2018, states regained control of being able to make laws individually. There are legal sports betting sites in the US, however, you should be aware of what state you’re in and what laws apply before betting.

What do I need to register at an online betting site in California?

Registering for an account with most sports betting websites is pretty easy and usually can be done in a couple of minutes. You will have to give your full name, address and date of birth to prove you are at least 21 years of age. You will also have to give an email address as well as some account information like username and password. Additionally, you will have to choose your payment preferences.

Is it safe to deposit money at sports betting sites in California?

Since the California online sports betting market is still unregulated, choosing a top sports betting site with a good reputation for safety is important. The best way to find out whether a particular sports betting website is safe is to do some research. There are plenty of reviews out there for bettors to read and educate themselves with. Choose a website with a good reputation and you should feel very secure about depositing your money.

Can I set betting limits?

Internet Gambling In California

Yes. On most betting sites you can set deposit limits, loss limits and transfer limits. This helps you limit your losses and betting liability. You can decide whether you want these limits to apply on a daily, weekly, monthly or yearly basis.

Final Thoughts on Betting in California

Though it’s still unregulated now, California online sports betting has some great groundwork for legalization. Since other states have been paving the way, there are also some great established online sports betting sites to potentially open in CA. Though California online sports betting is currently all offshore and unregulated, bettor’s look forward to potential future California online sportsbooks. In addition to serving a purpose for vested CA bettors, legalizing CA online sports betting also stands to bring in tons of tax revenue for the state. A win win solution for the state!

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