California Online Gambling: Quick Facts
- Legal California online gambling options: None
- Legal gambling age: 21
- Who regulates Montana online gambling? N/A
- Legal mobile gambling? No
- Do I need to be physically located in California to gamble online? N/A
- Do I need to be a resident of California to gamble online? No
- Sports avalable to bet on: Horse racing at racetracks only.
- What can't I bet on? Sports.
A Brief History of California Online Gambling
It’s relatively rare to see states legalize online casino games and poker. The state of Delaware was the first state to legalize online casino games in 2012, but the state of California showed no such interest in legalizing online gambling. Furthermore, it didn't change its position even after Delaware and its border state, Nevada, passed mobile casino gaming.
Online casino gaming continues to be somewhat taboo in the United States, but sports betting is gradually becoming more mainstream.
The state of New Jersey, for example, led the fight to legalize sports betting in the US beginning in 2009. Subsequently, this legal battle spanned close to a decade and ended in the Supreme Court. The professional sports leagues and the NCAA did not want legal sports betting in the United States, and they cited the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act.
When the Supreme Court overturned PASPA in 2018, it gave the states the ability to legalize sports betting. As a result, some states jumped at the opportunity, while others, like California, did not try to legalize sports betting rapidly.
Tribal Opposition
The first effort to legalize online sports betting in California was in 2019. Tribal nations, which have a casino monopoly in the state, fought back against legal sports betting. The tribes countered a couple of sports betting bills with a proposed vote from residents to legalize sports betting in the tribal casinos and horse racing tracks.
That vote didn't take place. If it had, there would have been no legal online gambling if it had passed.
Steps were taken for online sports betting in 2020 by the state legislature, but the tribal nations still opposed widespread sports betting.
The COVID-19 pandemic also derailed online sports betting, and California is operating at a budget deficit of over $50 billion. Online gambling would help cut this insufficiency. The tribal nations have threatened lawsuits if the state passes widespread online sports betting.
California Online Gambling: The Current Law
There is no online gambling in California. Furthermore, it doesn't look like online gambling will be in the state in the coming years.
Legal Online Sportsbooks
Similarly, there are no legal online sportsbooks in California. California is the most populated state in America. If the state legalized online sports betting, many books would attempt to launch in the state. It would not be surprising if CA allowed over 20 sportsbooks to operate in the state. The legislature would probably adopt New Jersey’s sports betting framework.
Sports Betting in California
California has tons of professional sports teams across multiple leagues. There are 15 professional sports teams in California across the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL. This is the most of any state.
The combination of sports teams and population in California would create a colossal sports betting market.
Looking ahead, some of the main wagers that you will be able to make in the state if and when sports betting is legalized are as follows:
The moneyline is the most common bet. Utilizing an array of wagers can help you win big on sports.
Legal Online Casinos
There are no online casinos in California, and this will not happen for a long time. Tribal nations run the only casinos in the state. The tribal compacts give these groups a monopoly to run casinos in the state.
There are 62 casinos in California that are scattered all over the state. The casinos are very popular, and online gaming would cause the tribal nations to lose gaming revenue.
Legal Online Poker
Poker in California is only legal in card rooms throughout the state. These card rooms are at the tribal casinos and separate properties in California. The tribes do not have a monopoly over poker in California like they do for landlocked casinos.
How to Set Up a California Online Gambling Account
Any interested bettor should be able to sign up for an account from a mobile device if and when online gambling becomes legal in California. To set up an account, you will have to download a legal app and fill in the required registration information.
States usually require you to enter your name, address, date of birth, and social security number. The social security number is necessary for the state to guarantee that you are legally certified to gamble in the state.
You can help to maximise security by choosing a strong password when you create an account. For example, use a good mixture of letters, numbers, and symbols. This will help to reduce the chances of someone being able to hack your account.
Banking Methods
Sportsbooks all over the nation offer similar banking options. If California legalized online gambling, the banking methods would include PayPal, Neteller, PayNearMe, e-Check through ACH Payments, or a banking wire.
Do not worry about financial theft. California will require sportsbooks to secure your financial information to operate in the state. It’s nearly impossible to hack a legal sportsbook in the United States.
The Future of Calfornia Online Gambling
California has taken some steps forward regarding online gambling. However, there is still quite a long way to go before legalization occurs. California will need to get past the disagreements between the legislature and the tribal nations.
The tribal nations have been successful in derailing sports betting in the state since 2019. It’s believed that they will continue to have a strong hand against online gambling moving forward. However, the state is motivated to legalize online gambling to close the deficit that has been expanded because of COVID-19.
