If the gambling industry must settle for state-by-state legalization, California signifies the Holy Grail of online betting in the united states. It’s by far the most populous country in the union with a $2 trillion economy that could rank number 8 on earth when it had its own country. International gambling sites have gone out of their way to obtain licenses in countries much smaller than California.
All eyes are on California as countries mull legalizing various types of online gambling. If California does go the method of legalization, it would by default be the standard by which gambling is quantified in the USA. If the state does eventually regulate gaming and it is successful, other nations will certainly follow suit. We might even see something finally happen at the national level.
Different pieces of legislation have been released, taken down and reintroduced in recent years. We don’t have anything major to report however, but many observers are cautiously optimistic that California will sooner or later make a significant movement toward legalization. Here is why:
The country has a pro-gambling culture The state already has lawful casinos and card rooms
It is home to numerous Indian tribes That Are experienced in gaming California has a spending problem and the potential tax revenues must surely be enticing for state lawmakers
Current List of Betting Sites in California
We’ll discuss the different betting options in California in greater detail below, however I’d like to start with a fast list of gambling sites which are available right now in California. If you came here looking for a place to bet online, these are the websites that will let you play with and wager real money today.
Sports Gambling:
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Fantasy Sports:
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Up to 4 Free Entries
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Free Contest Entry
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Horse and Greyhound Betting:
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$20 Free + 100% up to $100
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100% up to $100
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Wager $500, Get $100
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Online Lottery Tickets:
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Games of Skill:
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Daily Offers and Specials
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Sports Betting at California
Lawmakers in California have shown some interest in legalizing sports betting of late. A bill introduced at the 2017/18 session proposed amending existing gambling legislation to allow the California legislature to authorize sports betting determined by the Supreme Court overturning the national sports betting ban (which it did).
ACA 18 itself did not seek to legalize wagering; it rather offered a constitutional amendment that would enable lawmakers to legalize and regulate sports betting in the future. When he introduced the bill, Assemblyman Adam Gray said,»The choice isn’t’should we have sports wagering or not possess sports wagering.’ We do have sports wagering.»
The point he was making is that sports betting is currently a massive black market in California and throughout the United States. The American Gaming Association quotes Americans wager at least $154 billion per year on sports with internet sportsbooks and local bookies in contrast to the law. The current state prohibition isn’t functioning, the logic goes, so the smart thing to do is legalize it, regulate it and tax it.
A report by Eilers & Krejcik Gaming published in 2017 considers California is likely to legalize sports gambling in five years from the date of the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn PASPA. California has lots of potential to become a significant sports gambling market, but as you’ll read in the next segment, competing interests in the state have a tendency to complicate matters.
Assemblyman Gray introduced the exact same legislation in 2018 and 2019 as he continues to push the issue. Finding the tribal groups on board has been exceedingly difficult since they dominate a $8 billion gambling industry and therefore are highly reluctant to get on board with sports betting at risk of starting their profitable compacts with the state to discussion once again.
Online Poker at California
The quest for internet poker in California is being fought in the courtrooms as you read these words. Bills seeking to control internet poker have been introduced every year since 2007. Not one of those bills have made it all the way through the legislative process due to vying factions on either side of the issue, but each year brings us nearer to finding an arrangement that satisfied all parties that are interested.
In reality, a lot of the problem can be attributed to rival interests in the nation. It seems everybody has an agenda and it is difficult to find consensus among the Indian tribes, Cuban operators and present online brands. One group or another constantly feels left out or targeted from the wording of legislation. And to be fair, that is frequently a valid concern.
To add to the difficulty, there are still strong lobbying groups that actively fight the legalization of poker or any other kind of online gambling in the united states. Casino billionaire Sheldon Adelson has pledged to fight legalization throughout the nation. In California alone, he spent over $300,000 to lobby against poker.
Not one of the bills introduced during the last decade-plus has made significant progress thanks to the various competing interests in the state. The following bill is Only One of many efforts to make something happen in California, but it serves as a typical example of how complicated and difficult it is to make progress in California:
AB 2291: Promising Start but Died in Committee
Assembly Bill 2291 was introduced way back in February 2014 but never made it outside the committee phase. It was reintroduced in 2015 and 2016, but was still unable to achieve the traction it needed to make it much in the legislative procedure.
The bill sought to legalize online poker only and issue 10-year licenses . The suggested fee for licensing was originally set at $5,000,000, with that charge being utilized to offset future taxes. Lawmakers bumped that fee up several times until the fee hit a high of $12,500,000 without offsetting taxes.
Historical versions of AB 2291 included several clauses that have caused tension between various factions competing for a part of the poker pie. Most contentious one of them is a»bad actor» clause. AB 2291 originally sought to require potential licensees to have at least five decades of gaming experience in California. It also required every aspect of an operation, by its own employees to its equipment to its bank account to be kept in condition.
In essence, AB 2291 could have averted all of present online poker providers and newer neighborhood casinos in California from competing. The wording of this bill very clearly favored a few established California casino classes at the expense of honest competition.
Another problem with AB 2291 was that it might have prohibited California from entering agreements with other states to combine player pools and improve liquidity. To put it differently, you would only see other Californians in the table however many sates legalize poker. To top it off, the bill would require the state to opt out of any legislation passed at the federal level allowing online poker.
Some progress was made in 2016 with a proposed amendment that would significantly alter the bad actor clause. Previously, the bill would have barred all online poker companies that operated after the passing of this federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006. Such restrictions would have prohibited established brand such as PokerStars from entering the market.
The last amendment proposes to instead move the cut-off date for the bad celebrity clause up towards the end of 2011. To put it differently, sites such as PokerStars that functioned after the UIGEA but subsequently left the market after the Black Friday indictments at 2011. This would stop the most egregious violators from entering the sector but manage PokerStars an opportunity to provide online poker lawfully in California. You may read more about the suggestion here.
Looking Back at 2018: The Good and Bad
The Bad Lawmakers and tribal groups are stuck in stalemate for going on four decades now. It’s wonderful to see some progress on this front, however it is also discouraging to find that the outright stubbornness on the portion of varying factions. Poker players would be better served through an open and competitive marketplace and player-sharing agreements with other states.
Worse than all that, online poker appears to have taken a step back in 2018. For the first time in over a decade, no invoices trying to legalize online poker have been introduced. Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sayer told Online Poker Report that he’s giving up on online poker laws for this year because there’s just no improvement being made in reaching a compromise between the tribes, local card rooms and other interested parties.
The Good There are some positive things to say about most of this. If poker is indeed legalized in California, the possible participant pool will much bigger than what we’ve seen in other nations that have legalized online poker. Besides the fact that 38 million people call California home, the state has a poker culture already as a result of its numerous brick-and-mortar card rooms.
California is very likely to have fewer issues with geolocation of players due to its sheer size. New Jersey had all kinds of issues verifying players were actually located within the nation. This ended up with plenty of possible players being barred from the state-sanctioned websites there. California doesn’t have to contend with congested cities piled up on state borders.
Fantasy Sports
Whenever the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA) has been passed in 2006, it provided two noteworthy exceptions to online gaming: horse racing and fantasy sports. The UIGEA didn’t merely exempt those forms of gambling; it essentially gave operators the go-ahead to provide their games to clients right here in the united states.
Some countries have since passed laws banning online fantasy sports but California isn’t one of those. In case you have a thing for sports gambling but prefer to do it at a safe and controlled manner, fantasy sports is your thing to do. You draft a team like in regular dream leagues except now you get paid actual cash if you win.
FanDuel.com and DraftKings.com are the two largest players in this market. They accept clients from CA and provide single-day fantasy leagues such as the NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, college basketball and college football.
One of the nice things about online fantasy sports is each competition only lasts for a week or week at the most. You’re not stuck with a single group all season. Instead, your team stands up stats over the course of one week. It’s possible to play in heads-up contests against other players or test your skill in enormous tournaments which occasionally give more than a million bucks to the first place winner.
You may read more about fantasy sports gambling here.
Legislative Efforts for Daily Fantasy at California
2016 was a significant year for its daily fantasy sports industry in California. In January of 2016, lawmakers introduced AB 1437 in an attempt to make a regulatory framework for daily fantasy sports websites. If enacted, the bill would need DFS websites to obtain a license, enforce a minimum age of 21 for all clients, maintain all customers’ funds in a segregated account and extend self-exclusion applications for problem gamblers.
The bill advanced previous three important votes by a total of 101 for and two against. This is a significant bill for California and it appears increasingly likely to be passed to law. However, the bill itself will not actually legalize online fantasy sports contests; it only places the conditions where the industry would be controlled.
California Attorney General Kamala Harris is expected to issue a ruling on whether or not fantasy competitions constitute illegal gambling under state law. If she rules favorably, AB 1437 will have all set up to permit and regulated dream sites instantly. The AG’s judgment has been expected for more than a year today. Meanwhile, California fantasy sports sites continue to function freely.
As of 2019, advancement on the bill seems to have fully stalled. The good news is fantasy sports sites continue to be active through the state. Legalizing dream sports in California would basically be a formality at this point.
Online Casinos
There are not any legal casinos in California. The nation has not even attempted to pass legislation in this regard so it will probably be years before we see legitimate gambling sites open to CA residents.
Don’t be fooled by the hundreds of different sites which are currently recommending»legal» online casinos. These are actually offshore gaming sites without any legal presence whatsoever in the USA. They are unlicensed and completely unregulated.
Although to be fair, there aren’t any state or federal laws which prohibit playing at offshore casinos. If you do decide to play with online, nobody will come kick in your front door. The largest risk is financial — you never know for certain who you are dealing with on the opposite side of the screen. Some offshore casinos could be secure while some are definitely outright scams. But regardless of where you play, you don’t have any legal recourse when things go belly up.
Your best option is to look at any of the other authorized, licensed and safe types of betting that can be found at this time in California. Between horse racing, fantasy sports and also many likely online poker quite soon, there are still plenty of other methods to play real money games online at protected, licensed websites based in the US.
Horse Betting
Online horse racing is alive and well in California. The horse betting situation here isn’t nearly as complicated as the poker situation. California does permit residents to play US-licensed horse wagering sites for example TwinSpires, BetAmerica and TVG.
All the significant US-based horse betting sites accept clients from California. The country also enables off-track betting (OTB) facilities. OTB facilities operate as brick-and-mortar gaming stores where people may walk in, place bets on races and collect their winnings in person.
Five racetracks operate across the country and they also allow for real money wagering. In total, you are able to bet online at any of the approved horse betting websites, off-track at an OTB place or on site at some of the monitors listed below. California is also home to state and county fairs that hold races in different times every year.
The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) oversees all horse racing and wagering within the state. The CHRB’s mission is to ensure the integrity, ethics and safety of the nation’s horse racing industry. They manage wagering, breeding, bodily security as well as the marketing of horse racing.
California Racetracks
CalExpo:
The California Exposition and State Fair functions a year-round harness racetrack that runs every day at around 5:20 PM.
1600 Exposition Drive
Sacramento, CA 95815
Site Golden Gate Fields
This track is situated in Berkley with races and simulcast events weekly.
1100 Eastshore Highway
Berkley, CA 94710
Site Santa Anita
Santa Anita is one of the most widely recognized racetracks in the USA and home to Significant events like the Santa Anita Derby, Santa Anita Handicap and occasionally the Breeder’s Cup.
285 W. Huntington Drive
Arcadia, CA 91007
Site Del Mar
Del Mar opened in 1937 with a renowned race between Seabiscuit and Ligaroti. Seabiscuit barely took the race and became a legend of his own. Now, Del Mar plays host to racing festivals, events, family fun days and much more.
2260 Jimmy Durante Blvd..
Del Mar, CA 92014
Website Los Alamitos
Los Alamitos Race Course is home to daylight thoroughbred racing and night quarter racing. The trail is home to some of the largest quarter horse bets races in the US.
4961 E. Katella Ave.
Los Alamitos, CA 90720
Website OTB Locations
There are 31 off-track betting centers in California. OTB centers are seen in fairgrounds, racetracks, specialty OTB shops, casinos and fairgrounds. You may see a full list of addresses and locations here.
Internet Bingo
There appears to be no motivation to especially legalize online bingo in California. The only realistic chance I see of online bingo coming to California is if it gets caught up in some future online casino legislation.
Lottery Games
Ca lottoThe California state lottery is not licensed to sell tickets on the internet or via phone. For years, the federal Wire Act banned states from selling lotto tickets over the net. This may not be the case forever. In 2009, New York and Illinois requested the Department of Justice to explain its stance on the Wire Act and explain exactly which forms of online gambling were prohibited.
The DOJ reacted in 2011 with a decision that had far-reaching consequences beyond just the lottery. In September of 2011, the DOJ issued an announcement the official interpretation of the Wire Act only applies to sports gambling on the internet. This gave countries the go-ahead to sell tickets on the internet if they choose.
Lottery Subscription Websites California has not yet joined the growing list of states that sell lottery tickets online. But, there are a range of messenger services which will go buy lottery tickets at face value for a monthly subscription fee. You may log into all those sites, pay attention for your tickets and the corporation is going to go and purchase tickets on your name.
For example, LottoGopher.com is a California-based membership site that provides this specific support. The website is registered in California, its owners are background-checked by lottery commission officers and it abides by all state and federal laws. They aren’t legally allowed to sell lotto tickets for more than face value, therefore they instead charge users a subscription fee.
A membership at LottoGopher lets you buy tickets online, pick specific amounts and even form lotto pools with different members. Should you win less than $600, Lotto Gopher will charge the winnings into your account that you may then draw straight to the bank. If you win more than $600, Lotto Gopher will claim the prize on your behalf in person and then send you a check for the full amount.
The site does not take a cut of your winnings. They only way they make money is by charging customers a flat subscription fee. At this moment, LottoGopher is only available in California. You can learn more and give it a try here:
www.lottogopher.com
lotto gopher
Is Lotto Gopher legit?
Yes. They’re based in California and say lottery officials understand they are. It’s great for you to ask though because there are a ton of online lotto websites which feel and look legit but aren’t. Lotto Gopher actually is lawful and 100% legit.
They’ve been all over the press in the past few decades as well. Forbes and ABC have written articles about the support.
Read more: statesmannews.com