Sports Betting Laws in California: 2025 Status Guide

Quick Answer: Is Sports Betting Legal in California?

No. Sports betting, whether online, mobile, or at a physical retail location, is illegal in California as of mid-2025. There are no licensed sportsbooks operating in the state, and no legal wagering app is available to California residents. Major operators like DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM, and Caesars are blocked from accepting sports wagers here.

The California Constitution, Article IV, Section 19, prohibits most forms of gambling. Expanding these prohibitions requires a statewide voter-approved constitutional amendment. The Legislature cannot legalize sports betting by statute, unlike many other states after the Supreme Court struck down the federal sports betting ban in 2018. Voter approval is mandatory.

Voters rejected two ballot measures in 2022. Proposition 26, which would have allowed retail betting at tribal casinos and horse racing tracks, failed with approximately 30% yes votes. Proposition 27, which proposed statewide mobile betting, failed with approximately 17% yes votes, marking one of the most significant defeats of a major ballot measure in California history.

One partial exception exists: daily fantasy sports (DFS) products from DraftKings and FanDuel operate in California under a