Want To Bet On Sports In California? Here Are The Laws You Should Keep In Mind

Sports Betting In California Law

It might soon be possible to bet on sports in California. In November, voters in the State will dictate for sure what will happen with both online and in-person sports gambling in the area. There are two different propositions on the ballot: Prop 26, which is a tribal initiative focused on retail sports betting, and Prop 27, which is an initiative from commercial sports betting operators focused on mobile sports betting. 

Both sides are spending a lot of money to move their plans forward, and this will proceed until the election in November.

Overall, the process of making sports betting legal in California has already been slow because state tribes and sports betting companies haven’t yet been on the same page. After trying to make it legal for more than three years, people who want to bet in California are eager to do so legally.

Benefits Of Legalizing Online Sports Betting In California

When and if Sports Betting finally becomes legalized, sports betting apps in California would bring in a huge amount of more revenue for the state as a whole. The business world thinks that California’s legal sports betting will bring in $1 billion each year. 

If California made online gambling legal, that amount of money would go up to $3 billion. Californians for Solutions to Homelessness and Mental Health Support (an online initiative) would bring in about $500 million for programs that help people with housing and mental health.

The advantages for bettors are also easy to see. In the 21st century, you don’t have to drag yourself all the way to a physical bookie to bet on sports in California. Punters in California would find online sportsbooks convenient, safe, and full of opportunities. One can bet from the privacy of your own home or while out and about. There are also additional advantages, such as live betting, becoming available.

People think of California as the Pinnacle of U.S. states where you can bet on sports. A sports gambling app in California could make a huge amount of money. If California’s online betting laws are part of legalized sports betting, all the important sports gambling sites will move in quickly.

What Are Prop 26 & 27?

One of the measures, Prop 26, is a retail plan that would put sportsbooks in tribal casinos and racetracks in California. The other, Prop 27, would make it legal to bet on sports online, and there would be no limit on the number of sites.

Prop 26: Sports Betting By California Tribes

Prop 26 says that sports betting can only be done in stores. About 60 California tribes back this plan, which could bring in about $100 million a year in tax money. As of August 2022, the organization has invested upwards of $199 million on ads for Prop 26 versus Prop 27.

Prop 27: Online Sports Betting Initiative 

Sportsbooks Prop 27 is an offer that is backed by a group of seven online sportsbooks, besides DraftKings and FanDuel. Taxes bring in about $200 million a year, and most of that goes to helping people who are homeless in California.

What Can You Currently Legally Bet On In The State of California?

At this time, the only forms of legal online gambling available in California are wagers placed on daily fantasy sports and horse races. The state lottery, card clubs, horse racetracks, and tribal casinos are some of the choices for gambling that can be done in person.

Offshore betting and daily fantasy sports fall under the category of legal gray zones, and they are responsible for bringing in billions of dollars annually from gamblers in the state of California.

What’s The Legal Sports Betting Age In California?

In contrast to the majority of land-based casinos, which typically define the minimum age to either 19 or 21, the law governing sports betting in the state of California mandates that gamblers must be at least 18 years old.

Where Can One Place Bets In California?

You can place bets on sports using an offshore bookmaker, a daily fantasy sports (DFS) site, at a racetrack or other connected satellite facility, or via an advance-deposit wagering application on your mobile device.

Why Don’t The California Tribes Offer Sports Betting?

This is because of the California Penal Code section 337a, which specifies that “pool selling or bookmaking, both with and without writing, at any time or location” is illegal and can result in a fine of up to $5,000 and up to one year in prison for a first-time offender. 

Regardless, gaming communities have banded together to establish a coalition with the objective of challenging the status system.

Conclusion

In spite of the fact that betting on sports is not permitted in California, the professional sports industry is enormous. The State is responsible for producing some of the most well-known athletes and teams all over the world, and citizens of California seem to be more sports-savvy than the previous clowns in charge, and the typical citizen of the United States

When gambling on sports is finally made legal in California, the state will almost immediately become the most lucrative market in the United States. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that it will take place sooner than later.