Last Updated on October 13, 2025 7:51 am by admin
Gambling in California has been a complicated subject. As the most populous state and home to millions of sports fans and casino enthusiasts, the Golden State represents one of the most lucrative potential gambling markets in the United States. Yet despite this promise, California remains one of only ten states where traditional sports betting is still not legalized, and recent developments have made the path forward even more difficult.
Understanding where California stands today involves examining the legal forms of gambling currently available and the ongoing battles over expansion. The recent crackdowns have sent shockwaves through the industry are also relevant. From tribal casinos to horse racing tracks, from daily fantasy sports to state lottery tickets, the options available to California residents show a state caught between tradition and modernization.
For residents looking for legal sports betting in California, there are many fantastic online options, with welcome bonuses and easily accessible platforms. The biggest form of legal in-person gambling comes from the state’s tribal casino industry, which has grown substantially since the federal Indian Gaming Regulatory Act authorized federally recognized tribes to operate gaming facilities.
The conversation around legal sports betting in California has dominated headlines in recent years, though progress has been hard to come by. Despite multiple ballot initiatives and legislative proposals, California voters rejected both Proposition 26 and Proposition 27 in November 2022. Proposition 26 would have allowed in-person sports betting at tribal casinos and racetracks. Proposition 27 proposed online sports betting with revenues directed toward homelessness programs.
Licensed cardrooms represent another legal gambling option, though they operate under strict limitations. California permits 66 active cardrooms (with another 21 licensed but not operating) that can only offer player-versus-player card games like poker, rather than house-banked games. However, a moratorium on new cardrooms has been in place since 1995, and recent legislation extended this moratorium until 2043, which essentially freezes the cardroom market where it is.
While other forms of gambling face uncertainty, horse racing remains one of California’s oldest and most stable legal gambling options. Legalized by voter referendum in 1933, horse racing has evolved to include not just traditional track betting but also satellite wagering. We have also progressed to having advance-deposit wagering through online platforms. The California Horse Racing Board, an independent state agency, oversees all aspects of pari-mutuel betting on horse races.
California’s premier racing venues include:
- Santa Anita Park
- Del Mar Racetrack
- Golden Gate Fields
- Los Alamitos Race Course
These historic tracks attract both casual bettors and serious handicappers, keeping alive a tradition that dates back nearly a century. The industry has adapted to modern times by embracing online betting platforms, allowing residents to place legal wagers on horse races from anywhere in the state. Satellite wagering, first legalized at fairgrounds in 1985 and expanded to private facilities in 2008, brought horse racing betting to communities without nearby tracks.
This ambiguity came to an abrupt end in July 2025 when California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued a 33-page legal opinion declaring that daily fantasy sports contests constitute illegal sports betting under state law. California accounts for roughly 10 per cent of annual revenue for some operators, making the state’s stance extremely important to their business models. Major platforms immediately pushed back against the ruling. Governor Gavin Newsom’s office also disagreed. This rare public disagreement between the attorney general and the governor showed the political complications surrounding gambling in California.
As of October 2025, daily fantasy sports operators continue to offer their services in California despite Bonta’s opinion. The attorney general has promised enforcement measures; however, the timeline and specific nature of this remain unclear.
Beyond casinos, cardrooms, horse racing, and the contested territory of daily fantasy sports, California residents have access to other legal gambling options. The California State Lottery, authorized by voters in 1984 and launched in 1985, offers scratch-off tickets and draw games, including multi-state offerings like Powerball and Mega Millions. Lottery tickets are available to anyone 18 or older, making it very accessible.
Social casinos and sweepstakes casinos have emerged as alternatives for those seeking online casino-style gaming. These platforms use virtual currencies rather than direct real-money wagering. However, this sector faces its own challenges. In September 2025, California’s legislature passed a bill to outlaw traditional sweepstakes casinos with an effective date of January 2026 if signed by the governor, which could narrow options for gamblers.
The gambling age in California varies depending on the type of gambling activity:
- Lottery tickets, bingo, and some tribal casinos: 18 and older
- Most casinos with poker rooms, cardrooms, and horse race betting: 21 and older
As California approaches 2026, its gambling policy remains unchanged, with tribal casinos, cardrooms, horse racing, and the lottery continuing to operate under longstanding frameworks. The current situation benefits some stakeholders while frustrating others. Tribal casinos enjoy continued market dominance without competition from online sportsbooks or commercial casinos. However, California forgoes hundreds of millions or potentially billions in tax revenue that legal sports betting could generate.
The next few years will likely be important in determining whether California maintains its current course or charts a new direction. Enforcement actions against daily fantasy sports platforms will test whether operators comply with legal opinions or continue operating until forced to stop. Ongoing discussions among tribes, commercial gaming interests, and state officials may eventually produce a consensus approach to sports betting that could win voter approval.
For now, California remains a state of contrasts: home to Las Vegas-style tribal casinos but no legal sports betting, host to major daily fantasy sports operators facing an uncertain future, and possessing one of the most valuable potential gambling markets in North America while maintaining some of the nation’s strictest prohibitions. The question is not whether this situation will eventually change, but when and how that change will occur.