California Sports Betting
Sports betting remains illegal in California despite years of efforts.
Voters rejected two legalization measures in November 2022, and continuous infighting among California’s biggest gambling interests have stalled all progress.
Current California online betting options consist of daily fantasy sports contests, prediction market apps, and horse racing betting sites. However, prediction markets and daily fantasy sports apps face increasing legal pressure, and their future in California is uncertain.
Read on for more about the best California betting apps that are still available today and the latest legal developments that may affect where residents can bet online.
Recommended California Betting Sites
Keep Your Million GameUnderdog Sports Promo Code: BETUSA
Trading involves risk, including total loss on positions. Content is promotional and not a recommendation to trade. Promotion issued by affiliate. Terms apply. Must be 18+ (19+ in AL, NE; 19+ in CO for some games; 21+ in AZ, MA, and VA) and present in a state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org. NY: Call the 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369).
Free Entry + $100 Deposit BonusParlayPlay Promo Code: BUSA
18/21+, T&Cs Apply. Welcome offer is for players who make their first successful deposit to ParlayPlay. Following the deposit, you receive promo entry(s) that matches the deposit amount up to $100. The promo entry can only be used to enter up to 4-pick More/Less contests. If you lose the promo entry, your account balance is not impacted. The deposit promo entry(s) must be used within 7 days of deposit. After 7 days the free entry will expire. If you have concerns about managing your play on ParlayPlay or anywhere else, or if you’re concerned about a family member or friend, the National Council on Problem Gambling offers support through telephone or text. They can be reached confidentially (24-hours a day) at 1-800-522-4700. Or contacted on their website at https://www.ncpgambling.org/ or through chat at ncpgambling.org/chat.
Play $5, Get $150 in Lineups If You WinPrizePicks Promo Code: BUSA
New customers only. To qualify, your first PrizePicks lineup that settles must be (i) at least $5, (ii) a “power play” lineup and (iii) played with real money. If that lineup receives a prize payout (a “win”), you will receive $150 in PrizePicks Bonus Lineups. Bonus Lineups carry no cash value and if not used within 7 days of issuance may become null and void. Limit one (1) bonus per user. Promo ends 12/31/26. Promo does not apply to event contract purchases. US residents: If you or someone you know has a gaming problem, get help. Crisis services and responsible gaming counseling can be accessed by calling 1-800-426-2537 or online at www.ncpgambling.org. Concerned about your gaming? Call 1-877-8-HOPENY or text HOPENY (467369). Must be 18+ and physically located in NY. Standard text rates may apply. For more information, visit gaming.ny.gov/responsible-gaming
$200 in No Sweat Tokens + A Free PickBetr Picks Promo Code: USGAMLING
Must be 21+ and located in a jurisdiction where Betr Picks operates. Product offering may vary by jurisdiction. T&Cs apply. For more details, please visit betr.app. Concerned about your play? Call the NCPG at 1-800-522-4700.
Keep Your MillionUnderdog Predict Promo Code: BETUSA
Event Contracts Are Offered by Aristotle Exchange DCM, Inc. and Aristotle Exchange DCO, Inc. (“Underdog Exchange” or “UDX”), a CFTC regulated exchange offering event contracts through a transparent, rules-based marketplace. Trading involves risk, including total loss on positions. Trading decisions and their consequences are your sole responsibility. Nothing on underdogexchange.com constitutes a recommendation, solicitation, or offer to buy or sell any financial instrument. UDX is subject to CFTC regulatory oversight. Promotion issued by affiliate
$10 Welcome Bonus
18+ to play. T&Cs, restrictions, and exclusions apply.
Deposit $10, Get A $50 Trading BonusPolymarket Promo Code: BUSA
18+ Only. Restrictions and eligibility requirements apply. Not available in all jurisdictions. Trading involves high risk and may result in loss of your entire investment. See polymarket.us/tos for more information. The Polymarket US App serves as an independent software provider and affiliate of Polymarket US and Polymarket Clearing, the CFTC-regulated derivatives exchange and clearing organization.
Trade $10, Get $20ProphetX Promo Code: BETTINGUSA
18+, T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
$200 Welcome BonusTwinSpires Offer Code: BET200
Void where prohibited. Terms and conditions apply. Offer for TwinSpires Racing only. See TwinSpires.com for details. Must be 18+ (21+ where applicable). For help with a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
100% up to $50AmWager Promo Code: BUSA
Promotional offer valid and continues until further notice. Open to new AmWager account holders who have not previously opened an AmWager account. Individuals may only have one (1) AmWager account and may only qualify for a signup promotion one (1) time. The First Deposit Match Bonus promotion applies to the first deposit made; any subsequent deposits will not apply. The amount of the first deposit will determine the amount of the bonus and bets that must be placed to earn the bonus. For example, to qualify for the maximum bonus of $50, an initial deposit of $50 is required and total bets must equal $50 or more within 30 days of signing up. Cancelled wagers and refunded wagers are not eligible and will not be counted towards the promotion. The total promotional wagering credits will be credited to the AmWager account in a single deposit within seven (7) business days of meeting the betting requirements for this promotion. Any promotional wagering credits deposited to a player’s account must be wagered and cannot be withdrawn from the account. Any winnings from those wagers are cash and can be withdrawn. Any portion of the promotional credits unused expires after 30 days. Account must remain in good standing to be eligible for all promotions. Returned deposits during the promotional period will cancel eligibility to receive promotional wagering credit. Limit one promotional offer per household.
50% up to $300Iron Bets Racing Promo Code: BUSA
18/21+, T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
21+ to Play, T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-GAMBLER
21+ and present in CA. T&Cs Apply. Gambling Problem? Call 1-800-522-4700.
The above betting sites accept customers from California, but the state does not license them as sportsbooks. Availability does not guarantee compliance with state law. See the discussion below for the full legal context of where these apps stand today.
California Sports Betting Outlook
In all likelihood, the next major push to legalize sports betting in California will occur in 2028 at the earliest.
In multiple appearances, California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) Chair James Siva has named 2028 as the target for tribal operators’ next ballot initiative. Unlike past tribal efforts that focused exclusively on legalizing retail sportsbooks, the next initiative will encompass both in-person and online sports betting in California.
The rise of prediction market apps like Kalshi and Polymarket may have marked the tipping point that convinced tribal operators to also support online sports betting. In a July 2026 Q&A with Tribal Business News, Siva called prediction markets “the biggest threat we’ve seen since the beginning of this industry” and estimated that they have already reduced tribal gaming revenue by 5% nationwide.
According to Siva, legalizing online sportsbooks in California under a tribe-controlled model would enable them to “start cutting [prediction markets’] legs out from under them.”
Tribal casino operators are California’s most powerful political force, but even they face an uphill battle in legalizing online sports betting. If their next California sports betting effort is to succeed, the tribes will have to figure out how to:
- Form a consensus among the state’s 100+ tribes. Multiple tribal leaders have stated that any measure must secure the support of all tribes, including non-gaming tribes.
- Win voter approval. The tribes are continually polling Californians and have committed to securing a measurable level of support before launching their next initiative. Both of 2022’s sports betting measures (one backed by the tribes, and one backed by commercial operators) lost by more than 30 points.
California Online Sports Betting Alternatives
Realistically, it will be at least several years before legal online sportsbooks come to California. In the meantime, these are the next-closest alternatives:
- Sports Prediction Markets: Major prediction market apps like Kalshi and Polymarket operate in California. They offer yes/no contracts on a broad range of sports outcomes, ranging from game winners and season champions to player props and combos. However, their legal status is contested in California (more on that below).
- Fantasy Pick’em Apps: Fantasy pick’em apps allow users to select higher or lower on athlete stat projections for real-money payouts. The Attorney General considers paid contests illegal but has not moved against them, and all major apps remain available in California.
- Online Horse Racing Betting: Horse racing betting sites are legal, licensed, and regulated in California.
California Sports Betting Landscape
The stakes are high for the California sports betting market, which will likely be the largest in the country if lawmakers pass sensible legislation. With 39 million residents, California is nearly twice the size of New York, the current leader in sports betting handle.
The massive economic potential a legal California sports betting market presents is also the problem. Every stakeholder wants a share large enough to justify a nine-figure campaign, and none have been willing to accept less.
Proponents have introduced numerous bills and ballot measures to authorize California betting apps and retail sportsbooks, but competing interests have sidelined them all.
Even so, industry observers are confident California will legalize sports betting at some point:
- California already has a pro-gambling culture
- The state already has legal casinos and card rooms
- It is home to many Indian tribes with extensive gaming experience
- California has a spending problem, and the potential tax revenues must surely be tempting for state lawmakers
On the other hand, California is a uniquely complicated state for legalization efforts. The primary obstacle to a quick resolution is a lack of trust between the state’s three largest potential beneficiaries.
California’s Competing Interests
California’s tribal casino operators are one of the state’s most influential political forces. They have the exclusive right to offer Class III gaming under compacts with the state, and their casinos generate billions of dollars in economic activity,
Furthermore, the tribes insist on having significant control over any future California sports betting market. After years of opposing online sports betting over concerns that it would harm casino visitation, tribal leaders now say their next initiative will include online sports betting on the condition that the tribes control it.
However, commercial cardrooms and established sportsbook brands want to ensure a level playing field in any future California online sports betting market, and both maintain adversarial relationships with the tribes.
Commercial cardrooms and tribal operators have fought for years over cardrooms’ insistence on offering player-banked variations of Class III games, which tribes argue violate their exclusivity rights.
At the same time, commercial sportsbook brands have clashed with the tribes over multiple issues. The tribes vehemently oppose sportsbook brands’ fantasy pick’em contests and prediction markets, which the tribes contend are just sports betting under another name.
They have also clashed over how to legalize online sports betting, even to the point of both sides each spending hundreds of millions on competing ballot measures that voters overwhelmingly rejected in 2022.
To further complicate the issue, legalizing sports betting in California will require an amendment to the state constitution. Such an amendment must receive the approval of most voters in a statewide referendum, which can only occur during election years.
California Daily Fantasy Sports
Keep Your Million GameUnderdog Sports Promo Code: BETUSA
Trading involves risk, including total loss on positions. Content is promotional and not a recommendation to trade. Promotion issued by affiliate. Terms apply. Must be 18+ (19+ in AL, NE; 19+ in CO for some games; 21+ in AZ, MA, and VA) and present in a state where Underdog Fantasy operates. Concerned with your play? Call 1-800-MY-RESET or 1-800-GAMBLER or visit www.ncpgambling.org. NY: Call the 24/7 HOPEline at 1-877-8-HOPENY or Text HOPENY (467369).
Daily fantasy sports sites operate in a legal grey area in California because state law does not address their legality.
In July 2025, California Attorney General Rob Bonta issued an opinion that daily fantasy sports are illegal in California, but the nonbinding opinion did not change state law.
However, a federal judge has since scheduled a trial to decide whether DraftKings (and other DFS operators by extension) can continue offering daily fantasy sports contests in California.
All major DFS platforms remain active and available in California today, but their future availability now hinges on the outcome of the DraftKings trial.
Lawmakers once considered a bill to regulate fantasy sports apps, but it failed under intense opposition from anti-gambling advocates and tribal casino operators.
California Prediction Markets
$10 Welcome Bonus
18+ to play. T&Cs, restrictions, and exclusions apply.
Prediction markets are currently available to users in California, even if the tribes and some casino interests would like to change that.
Multiple California tribes sued Kalshi and Robinhood in July 2025. A federal judge denied the tribes’ preliminary injunction request in November 2025, but the case remains active. In March 2026, Kalshi and Robinhood moved to dismiss the lawsuit.
California Horse Racing Betting
$200 Welcome BonusTwinSpires Offer Code: BET200
Void where prohibited. Terms and conditions apply. Offer for TwinSpires Racing only. See TwinSpires.com for details. Must be 18+ (21+ where applicable). For help with a gambling problem, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
California is home to a large horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering industry consisting of high-profile race tracks, OTB locations, and legal online betting.
Fans 18 and older can bet on horse races from anywhere within state lines via licensed horse racing betting sites or catch some of the nation’s most prestigious thoroughbred races live at storied tracks like Los Alamitos and Del Mar.
See BettingUSA’s California horse racing betting guide for recommended racebooks, race track information, and OTB locations:
California Online Gambling Sites
Online casinos and poker sites are not legal in California, and the legislature banned sweepstakes gambling in 2025.
Responsible Gambling in California
California maintains one of the most comprehensive problem gambling support networks in the United States, funded primarily through the Office of Problem Gambling (OPG) and the California Council on Problem Gambling (CCPG).
- California Office of Problem Gambling: Call 1-800-GAMBLER, text SUPPORT to 53342, or use the state’s chat/support options.
- California Problem Gambling Help: State-funded prevention, referral, and treatment resources.
- National Problem Gambling Helpline (nationwide backup): Call 1-800-522-4700 (24/7) to be connected to local help.
- Gamblers Anonymous California: A peer-led recovery network with hundreds of weekly meetings throughout the state. Visit for state-level regional helplines and meeting directories.
- No-Cost Treatment: California residents may qualify for outpatient counseling or residential treatment programs funded by the state, regardless of their ability to pay.
California Gambling Self-Exclusion
Because California has not yet legalized state-licensed online sportsbooks or casinos, self-exclusion is managed through separate programs for cardrooms and tribal casinos.
- Statewide Cardroom Self-Exclusion: The California Department of Justice Bureau of Gambling Control administers a self-exclusion program that allows players to ban themselves from every licensed cardroom for terms of one year, five years, or a lifetime.
- Tribal Casino Self-Exclusion: Tribal nations operate independently and maintain their own exclusion lists. To ban yourself from a tribal casino, you must contact its respective gaming commission directly.
- Daily Fantasy Sports: Although not formally regulated by the state, DFS operators allow users to set voluntary limits or self-exclude through their individual account settings.
- Online Resources: The CCPG maintains HowToExclude.org, a central hub that provides instructions and forms for various California-specific exclusion programs.
California Sports Betting FAQ
Wes Burns has more than a decade’s worth of experience as a writer, researcher and analyst in the legal gambling industry and is co-founder of BettingUSA.com. As a former professional online poker player, Wes approaches his work from the viewpoint of players.
Steve Ruddock is the content director for BettingUSA and the Editor-in-Chief of Gaming Law Review.
Steve has covered the legal and legislative developments in the US gambling sector for more than a decade for online and print publications.