Human Interest

13th in CBJ’s Series on California Sports Betting

Yes, it's STILL illegal. Another angle as to when will it change.

After the repeal of The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), California is presently in a transition period while the state considers how to proceed. After California Assemblyman Adam Grey submitted a constitutional amendment “to allow sports betting only if a reform in federal law happens” in 2017, the scene was set.

When the Supreme Court ruled in favor of New Jersey’s ability to control its own sports betting, that’s what occurred. As a result, online gambling in California has a promising future.

Multiple lawmakers have expressed support for a public vote on sports betting during the 2020 election cycle. Expectations are that current casinos in California will be aggressive in their efforts to get regulation. You may anticipate a comprehensive range of online sports wagering providers if sports betting is legalized.

The Supreme Court of the United States essentially invalidated the federal prohibition on sports betting in almost all of the states of the United States. This decision by the Supreme Court let other states make their own decisions on the legality of live and digital sports betting.

The legalization process has already begun in places like New Jersey and Pennsylvania, as well as Delaware. California, like every other state, has the power to legalize or prohibit online sports betting.

Combined with its great interest in sports, California’s closeness to Nevada, and the state’s lengthy history of wagering and gambling, the state is a strong contender to allow sports betting.

Any Legal Online Sportsbooks Currently Hosted in California?

At this time, there is no authorized sports betting available in California, either in person or even on the internet. The betting sites that are accessible to California residents are housed abroad and operate in a legal grey area, making them difficult to regulate. Since offshore sports betting sites might sound intimidating, it is completely legal. Should you wish to partake in this experience it is recommended to conduct some research in order to acquire some knowledge regarding providers of online sports betting in Golden State, including important information regarding legal sports betting in California, and review the best sportsbooks available, so that the experience will be guaranteed as positive.

Los Angeles Rams Head Coach Sean McVay greets QB Matt Stafford during Rams’ Super Bowl Championship. Photo by The Sports Daily

The History of California Online Sports Betting

Before recently, California was controlled by the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), which was enacted into federal law in 1992 and effective in 1993. Pennsylvania’s Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act prohibited states from regulating and taxing sports betting, thereby rendering it illegal in all but four states – Nevada, Oregon, Montana, and Delaware.

Despite the state’s prohibition on sports betting, California has a long history of gambling. Native American casinos are permitted in the state. Horse racing is allowed and very popular in California, and live poker rooms can be found all around the state.

The following are the two choices available to citizens of California looking to place a sports wager:

They may go to Nevada, where sports gambling is legal and prospering, for a (relatively brief) period of time. Alternatively, people may place bets on sports online via offshore bookies. Offshore gambling sites operate in a legal limbo that is difficult to navigate. While there have never been any prosecutions of gamblers in the United States for making bets, there are hazards connected with doing so, including a lack of safety and sufficient regulation.

The Future of California Online Sports Betting

Whereas the fate of wagering in California is still up in the air, it’s a good bet to assume that legalized sports betting will be available in the state in the next few years. A major changer was the Supreme Court’s decision to abolish PASPA, and polls clearly reveal that a considerable proportion of Californians favor their right to place secure and safe sports bets.

It is logical to think that California will follow suit and proceed toward the regulation of sports betting now that individual states, including California, are free to assess the legitimacy of sports betting for themselves.

Since the repeal of the PASPA, the pro-legalization campaign in California has increased in strength. Preliminary paperwork has been presented in support of a constitutional amendment that would legalize sports betting in the United States. If it wins sufficient support, it is expected to be included in the 2020 vote in some form.

California has the capacity to become a big participant in the field of sports betting if the right conditions are in place. As states around the United States loosen their restrictions on sports betting, the practice is expected to become more widespread in the years ahead. In the meanwhile, the only alternative is to place bets on sports online via offshore services.

Next Steps

Fans of sports gambling in the United States can’t wait to see what the future holds. Sports betting has been a hot topic in California as well as other states for some time, and the overturn of PASPA has re-ignited it.

Sports gambling is illegal in California, although pro sports represent a big part of the state’s economy. More than any other state in the United States, California has produced some of the world’s most famous athletes and sports teams.

When sports betting is allowed in California, the state will swiftly become the largest in the United States.

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Rick Weinberg, Editor in Chief, California Business Journal

Rick Weinberg is Editor-in-Chief at California Business Journal. He is a well-known writer, reporter and on-air talent who has worked for the New York Times, FOX and ESPN. He launched California Business Journal to focus on California businesses and business professionals as well as California business news and information. Contact: Rick@CalBizJournal.com / 949-648-3815

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