California sports betting is not legal at this time, and 2022 looks like the earliest that the industry could possibly move forward with legislation. There was some optimism that a bill would pass at some point in 2021 but that did not come to fruition.
The United States has seen tremendous and rapid growth in the sports betting industry, but some of the biggest markets have yet to move forward. California could quickly become the biggest sports betting market in the US, but it will have to catch up in a hurry.
There are a number of different groups leading the charge for California sports betting, and that has created plenty of controversies. Each group is fighting for the right to oversee and regulate the industry, and they all want it done differently.
California is a state that will likely offer sports betting soon, but there is still plenty of work that needs to be done here and for California online casinos. When California sports betting is launched, it will create a huge boost to an industry that is already putting up massive numbers.
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California Sportsbooks
One of the biggest hurdles facing sports betting legalization in California is the issue of sportsbooks. This is where the most debate comes from, and it is too hard to predict what sort of sports betting options will be available in the state.
There are tribal casinos in California, but there are no commercial casinos. Instead, there are card rooms, and these are licensed and regulated by the state.
Native American tribes are pushing to legalize sports betting so that they can offer retail sports betting at their tribal casinos. It appears that they are currently in the lead and have plenty of support, but that could severely limit the number of sports betting options in the state.
In May of 2021, the Legalize Sports Betting on American Indian Lands Initiative became eligible to appear on the ballot in November of this year as a voter referendum. If passed, this would give in-state American Indian casinos and race tracks the ability to offer legal sports betting. The tax on sports betting revenue would be set at 10%
Also part of this initiative is the expansion of gaming options at tribal casinos. This expansion would include roulette and dice games such as craps.
Licensed racing associations, other in-state gaming establishments and California professional sports teams would not be able to apply for a sports betting license. However, a second possible voter referendum could change this stance.
Under this proposal known as the California Legalize Sports Betting Initiative , there would be a State Wagering Fund that would receive 25% of the sports betting revenue generated in the state.
California online sports betting would be part of the second ballot proposal. Both tribal casinos and card rooms are opposed to allowing this form of betting. Lawmakers in the state are wanting to legalize CA online sports betting, but the final decision will most likely be left up to the state’s voters.
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CA Sports Betting Rules
As lawmakers and Native American tribes worked to attempt to legalize California sports betting, rules of the industry were not discussed. Before sports betting is able to launch in California, these rules would need to be in place, and available betting markets would need to be discussed.
California sports betting will include betting on all of the major professional sports in the US, including NBA, NFL, NHL, and MLB. There will also be betting markets available for some less-popular sports such as golf, tennis, MMA, auto racing, and boxing.
California is home to a large number of major professional sports teams, and they are scattered throughout the state. That will help drive sports betting when it does launch, but it is expected that other sports betting markets will be in play as well.
It is unclear if betting on college sports or esports betting markets will be available when CA sports betting launches. This will be up to the regulatory body, but college betting markets are starting to become a common option throughout the US.
When CA sports betting launches, be sure to check out each individual sportsbook for a complete list of betting markets.
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CA Sports Betting Regulations
This past year was extremely active for sports betting legislative efforts in the state of California. However, nothing actually got accomplished. Lawmakers in the state were trying to push a bill through the legislature, and Native American tribes were petitioning to get a referendum placed on the November ballot.
Bill SCA 6 was proposed by Senator Bill Dodd in an attempt to get a referendum on the November 2020 ballot. There were some initial sports betting regulations in that bill, but it was ultimately defeated after too much opposition from Native American tribes.
In order to legalize CA sports betting, a new constitutional amendment is required. Voters would have to approve of any new legislation, but it is up to legislators or another group to get something on the ballot. This is where the California Legalize Sports Betting Initiative comes into play.
A coalition of Native American tribes was already busy gathering signatures on a petition to get sports betting referendum on the 2022 November ballot. It was previously confirmed last year that the tribal casinos reached the minimum number of signatures to place a referendum on the ballot.
There is an outside chance that sports betting could still be legalized before this time. Card rooms have filed appeals in the state hoping to get in on the action. With three separate groups all working to get a measure passed, it is likely that something will happen in the next few years.
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California Online Sports Betting Summary
If and when California sports betting is officially legalized and launched, it will likely become the biggest market in the United States very quickly. California not only has the biggest population in the US but the state is loaded with professional and collegiate sports teams.
The one thing that could hold the state back is if CA online sports betting is not included in any legislation. States without online sports betting have struggled to grow, and limiting sports betting to retail locations would be a major blow.
There is still plenty of work to be done in California before sports betting can be legalized, and November of 2022 appears to be the earliest date something will get done. Lawmakers were expected to revisit the issue at some point in 2021, but there was just too much uncertainty to pass an actual bill.
Most industry experts agree that sports betting is coming to California, but it’s hard to predict when and what it will look like when it launches.
