California Online Sports Betting: Sportsbooks Await The White Whale

	🇺🇸 CALIFORNIA ONLINE SPORTS BETTING
🗓 Expected California Online Sports Betting Launch	👀 To be voted on in November 2022
📲 Top Expected California Sportsbooks	📲 DraftKings California Sportsbook App 📲 Caesars California Sportsbook App 📲 FanDuel California Sportsbook App 📲 Barstool California Sportsbook App 📲 BetMGM California Sportsbook App
💰 Top Available Sports Betting Promos (Legal States Only)	💰 DraftKings Sportsbook: $1,050 Sportsbook Bonus 💰 Caesars Sportsbook: Up to $1,250 on Caesars 💰 FanDuel Sportsbook: Bet $5, Get $150 💰 Barstool Sportsbook: $1,000 Risk-Free Bet 💰 BetMGM Sportsbook: $1,000 Risk-Free Bet
🚨 California Sports Betting Legalization Status	❌ Retail: No ❌ Online: No
❗️ Provided by	Saturday Tradition

California online sports betting means one thing above everything else: Welcome to the main event.

It’s the most populous state in the country, as well as one of the most beautiful and diverse. It houses some of the better sports programs in the country – professional or otherwise – and the second most professional championships from the four major American sports behind New York.

It also houses the most teams in the four professional major sports, with 16 professional organizations and many, many more collegiate programs.

California is the online sports betting white whale that all sportsbooks and online sports bettors await.

California has a thriving sports market, but despite the United States government striking down PASPA (Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act) in 2018, sports betting is still illegal within the confines of the territory.

It’s a reality that could (and likely will) soon change, and something Californians will have to live with for the time being. If you live in California and want to bet on sports, we here at Saturday Down South have a suggestion: Vote it into existence.

California Online Sports Betting Proposals

The reason sports betting is legal in some states over others has more to do with the ideologies of the population of the state. Certain groups may lobby against the legalization, there could be a special provision to the constitution or a plan for legalization simply cannot be agreed upon at the state level.

California is no different. Bills to introduce legalized online sports betting are currently opposed by Native American tribes, who want to keep a ‘monopoly’ over the industry.

See, sports betting has a few ways of becoming legal in the state of California. Residents of the Golden State will be able to vote for or against one of two major proposals named Prop. 26 and Prop. 27.

Let’s run through what each entails:

What does Prop. 26 propose?

Proposal 26 came to life in late 2019, just a few years after PASPA was passed. 18 native tribes threw together enough signatures for the initiative to reach the ballot in November of 2022. If passed, it would enact the following:

• Legalized retail sports betting at specific tribal racetracks, no online options such as Draft Kings and Fanduel
• A 10% tax on sports betting revenue
• Would allow tribal casinos and horse betting at the retail level

As of now, tribal casinos serve the markets in ways online sportsbooks are not able to, just not the by the medium of sports. The thought process surrounding the initiative stems from protecting native Californian interests, and not allowing major out-of-state betting corporations to suck most of the profits away from the Golden State.

The tax revenue from this proposal would benefit the following:

• 15% to Problem Gambling Programs
• 15% to Gambling Policy Enforcement
• 70% to California General Fund

What does Prop. 27 propose?

Proposal 27 is similar to most gambling legalization initiatives across the country and would allow for online and retail gambling to be legalized in California by 2023 at the earliest.

Fanduel, DraftKings and other major sportsbooks have backed this ballot initiative. This initiative suggests the following:

• Legalized gambling within the state of California
• Ability to download online sportsbooks and partake in retail gambling at casinos, etc.
• A 15% tax rate that will greatly benefit affordable housing measures in California.

Arguments between Prop 26 and Prop 27

Native tribes believe a yes to prop 27 is a bad move.

Prop 26 interest groups launched a website refuting Prop 27, citing out-of-state sportsbooks as not in the best interest of the state. They claim if the initiative passes, upwards of 90% of sports betting revenue will be shipped out of state instead of relying on self-sufficiency.

Below is an excerpt from Protect Tribal Sovereignty and Safe Gambling in California’s site:

“If it passes, the promise of gaming exclusivity between California voters and our Native American Tribes will be broken, threatening the $23.2 billion in economic activity and 181,532 California jobs Tribal gaming provides. This measure is a direct attack on tribal sovereignty.”

The site continues, reading:

“The out-of-state corporations promise their measure will be a solution to homelessness in California but beware! A close look at the fine print suggests that is very little actual money for the homeless.”

There are risks to not doing your research if you are a native Californian wanting to legally bet on sports in the near future. There is a real possibility that Prop 26 and 27 split the vote, therefore allowing no legalization of sports betting until 2025 at the earliest.

There is also a possibility that both bills reach the required number of votes and pass. If this does happen, the first step moving forward will be to determine if both can be simultaneously implemented. If not, one will have to be dropped. Because they both operate in the same market, it is highly unlikely that both will be allowed to be enacted.

If this happens, the initiative with more votes will become law.

Revenue

Early data estimates that prop 27 could generate well over $300 million annually. Others are dreaming a little bigger:

“The estimate for California is that it could be $20 billion or $30 billion in wagers a year,” said I. Nelson Rose, a professor emeritus at Whittier College.

Money talks, especially in the US State with the highest population at just over 40 million people.

California Online Sports Betting Timeline

2018

• May 14 – PASPA passes, legalizing state decisions for regulated gambling, including sports betting.
• June – Gaming Fairness and Accountability Act is introduced in California, advertised but fails.

2019

• June 27 – ACA 16 is proposed, the third such by Adam Gray to legalize sports betting.
• November 14 – 18 native tribes file a petition named the California Sports Wagering Regulation and Unlawful Gambling Enforcement Act. This was an attempt to get sports betting on the ballot without going through the general assembly. 1 million signatures are required by June 25, 2020, to advance.

2020

• January – First sports betting hearing of the year takes place. No tribal representation is in person.
• January 22 – California tribes are given the go-ahead to start collecting signatures for California Sports Wagering Regulation and Unlawful Enforcement Act.
• March – Covid-19 shuts down daily life, derailing petitions from native tribes in the process.
• June – Tribes sue to extend the deadline, claiming pandemic required an extension to the previously agreed upon June 25 deadline.
• October – The deadline is extended to December.
• December – It is revealed that the tribes had officially submitted 1.4 million signatures to the Secretary of State for their ballot initiative, which would appear on the November 2022 ballot if approved.

2021

• May – US Senate confirms over 1 million signatures were signed. The initiative passes and will show on November 2022 ballot.
• August – The cities of Colma, Gardena, Inglewood, and San Jose banded together to file a ballot initiative that would allow statewide mobile wagering on top of retail betting at the state’s tribal casinos, horse tracks, card rooms and professional sports venues. This initiative requires 990,000 signatures by April 2022 to appear on ballot.

2022

• March 8 – A lawsuit to invalidate a retail sports betting ballot proposal has been refiled in a lower court after the state’s Supreme Court declined to hear it.
• April 27  – A poll sponsored by tribal groups suggests Californians oppose an online betting initiative that is still gathering signatures to qualify for the November ballot. The survey polled more than 1,000 likely California voters.
• May – The online sports betting proposal (Prop 27) collects 16 million signatures submitted by the deadline, which means it will likely be on November’s ballot.
• July 5 – The mobile sports betting proposition on this year’s ballot now has three tribal supporters: the Big Valley Band of Pomo Indians, the Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians and the Santa Rosa Rancheria Tachi Yokut Tribe. 

California Online Sports Betting State Overview: Who Can I Bet On and How?

Notable California Professional Sports Teams

California boasts 15 professional sports organizations with a combined 42 championships. The LA Galaxy, Los Angeles FC and San Jose Earthquakes of the MLS add several more of their own.

Just in the past 5 years, the state of California has harbored 5 championships in the 4 major sports. Some brands, including the Los Angeles Lakers and San Francisco 49ers, are among the most recognizable in the country in their specific sport.

The Los Angeles Rams and Golden State Warriors won titles in the most recent season of 2022.

Below are all 16 professional sports teams you could bet on very soon:

• Los Angeles Rams
• San Francisco 49ers
• Los Angeles Chargers
• San Francisco Giants
• Los Angeles Dodgers
• Golden State Warriors
• Los Angeles Kings
• Oakland Athletics
• Los Angeles Angels
• Anaheim Ducks
• Los Angeles Clippers
• San Jose Sharks
• Los Angeles Lakers
• San Diego Padres
• Los Angeles Galaxy
• Sacramento Kings

Let’s go further in-depth with some of the more recognizable brands across the 4 major sports.

NBA – Los Angeles Lakers

The Lakers are right up there with the Dallas Cowboys as one of the most recognizable brands in the entire world, not just the United States. The Lakers have won 17 NBA titles and have featured talents such as Magic Johnson, Kobe Bryant and LeBron James among many, many more recognizable names across its history.

The Lakers last won the NBA finals in 2020 and finished last season with a 33-49 record at the end of last season, suffering from Injury problems to Anthony Davis and Lebron James.

NFL – Los Angeles Rams

The Rams were one of two teams from California to win a title in 2022. Led by Matthew Stafford, Odell Beckham Jr. (SEC!) and Aaron Donald, the Rams dispatched the upset-minded Bengals for their second NFL Super Bowl title.

The Rams have been all over the place in their history, moving from LA to St Louis and back to LA in 2016.

NFL – San Francisco 49ers

Ah yes, the 49ers and their 5 Super Bowl titles, itching to crawl back to the top of the mountain for the first time since 1994.

The Niners could be well on their way back to the top under head coach Kyle Shanahan. The 49ers lost a chance at six rings to the Ravens in 2013, 34-31. They finished last season 10-7, losing to the eventual Super Bowl champion Rams in the conference championship.

NHL – Anaheim Ducks

The Ducks used to be referred to as the Might Ducks of Anaheim, created by Disney. They changed their name in 2006 and promptly won a Stanley Cup. Weird.

The Ducks have struggled since then. They posted a 31-37 record in 2022.

MLB – Los Angeles Dodgers

Previously the Brooklyn Robins, then the Brooklyn Dodgers and finally the Los Angeles Dodgers, one of the better teams in MLB as of now. The Dodgers recently won a World Series in 2020 and finished last season 106-56.

NBA – Golden State Warriors

The most recent champion for California, and one of the most exciting teams of the past decade. The Golden State Warriors have become sort of a dynasty under Steph Curry and Klay Thompson. The Splash Brothers have brought 4 NBA titles to the Bay area in the past 8 seasons.

Golden State has won 7 NBA titles in its history and finished last season on top at 53-29.

MLS – LA Galaxy

The LA Galaxy have played 26 seasons in the MLS. The Galaxy have won a host of MLS titles, and in 2020 took the CONCACAF Champions League.

Notable in-state collegiate teams

It would take … a while (to say the least) to list all collegiate teams you could bet on in the state of California one day. All you should know: California colleges have a history of winning.

UCLA owns the record for most national championships in college basketball, and USC sits at No. 6 for college football with 9 national championships of its own.

However, college sports will be regulated slightly differently if Prop. 27 were to pass in November of 2022. The proposal calls for in-state competition between college teams in California to be banned. Betting on a game will only be legal if one out-of-state competitor is present and it is outside the boundaries of the state of California.

Essentially, the bill equates colleges to high schools, which are frowned upon as contests to bet on across the country.

Below are California’s most successful collegiate programs in case there is a change in the above ideology:

• UCLA
• USC
• California
• Stanford
• San Diego State
• Fresno State
• Saint Mary’s
• Pepperdine

Daily Fantasy Options

Don’t want to wait until 2023 to bet on sports in California? There are a few options at your disposal.

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) is the best and most popular alternative for sports betting in states that have not yet seen legalization. They are a subset of fantasy sports games. Players compete against others, usually with a designated salary cap, that is accelerated from a season-long event to a single day or even a single week, depending on the medium (sport) it is based on. As of 2022, DFS is available in 43 states – All but Hawaii, Louisiana, Arizona, Nevada, Montana, Idaho and Washington.

DFS is dominated by Fanduel and Draft Kings. There are many ways to play, but the most popular involves a salary cap, as mentioned above, that forces players to strategize who they choose to pick for their fantasy teams, which face other opponents head-to-head.

This is seen as not much different from gambling by some lawmakers, which is why it is still outlawed in some states. The majority truly see it as a game of skill, as certain matchups per week favor those who do their research. Each player is designated a price by the fantasy provider (FanDuel, Draft kings, etc) with elite players “costing” higher prices.

In California, players have to be 18 or older to participate in DFS.  If a player is caught gambling underage, it is considered a Class A misdemeanor and is punishable with no longer than six months in prison or a fine of $1,000.

How To Bet On Sports

Betting on sports can be daunting at first. Here’s a guide on how to get started once the practice is made legal in California.

1. Pick your sportsbook

There are many potential sportsbooks to choose from once sports betting is legalized in California. Below are a few popular online options that could go live in California once a bill is passed:

• Fanduel
• Draft Kings
• Barstool Sportsbook
• Caesars Sportsbook
• BetRivers
• Pointsbet

2. Register

If you are in a legal state to do so, follow the links above or from any of your selected sportsbooks and register. Expect to give personal information, including but not limited to address, phone number and a photocopy of your ID.

3. Place your bets!

It’s important to make sure you are educated on how to place bets responsibly, the minimum bet requirements for sports books and how to properly choose your correct lines.

Many sites offer first-time promotions, such as ‘No-sweat’ bets: essentially betting without the risk to allow players a feel for how the system operates. It also keeps the daunting nature of sports betting from deterring new coming players.

Below, you can find some of the most popular types of bets that most, if not all, sportsbooks offer. Familiarizing yourself with this and the ways each is played will best set you up for success in your wagers.

Types Of Bets

Bettors in California, once legalized, will be able to wager a number of specific ways, including:

• Moneyline: selecting which team will win the game at odds established by a sportsbook.
• Point spread: a bet based on the scoring gap between the teams.
• Over/under: once a total has been established, this bet allows for bettors to decide if the actual total will be higher or lower
• Teasers: a multi-game bet that allows bettors to tease the points line to increase  the chances of the outcome hitting
• Parlays: a bet that involves multiple legs across a number of games, all of which must hit for the bet to win.
• Props: these bets can be team-based, game-based, or player-based, including counting-stat bets for players, races to a scoring total for a team, and quarter/half outcomes
• Futures: these are bets that allow bettors to select the eventual winner of an award, division, conference, or league
• In-game betting: these are bets that are only available once the game begins, related to events to come in the game

California Online Sports Betting FAQ