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California is likely to vote to legalize online sports betting – what to expect

During the pandemic, US betting markets saw a massive rise in popularity. More people than ever before have picked up an interest in betting in various formats, and the industry exploded in terms of both players and different offerings. California has so far decided to go against the many states legalizing betting. Still, with the way that the debate is going, California will, likely, take the step to legalize betting in not too long.  

More and more states are legalizing betting, and it’s likely that the voices for California to follow the rest of the country (and the world). But what can one expect if California does decide to go down the route of allowing online sports betting? Even if gambling at tribal casinos has been possible for many years, the prospect of being able to place bets from one’s phone while sitting at home is something completely different. If you want to see what legalized gambling can look like online, there’s a lot to learn from online casino reviews

When can one expect the issue to be raised again? 

The most likely scenario is that the issue will be voted on in conjunction with the election in 2022. The proposition was overwhelmingly voted down in 2022, which led to many analysts projecting that the issue won’t be raised until 2024. 



Will online sports betting cut into the profits of the tribal casinos?  

Strong lobby groups, as well as loud voices from tribal casinos, were a major factor in the proposition to legalize. Many tribal voices running casinos argued heavily against the legalization of online betting while fully supporting in-person betting. It’s difficult to say whether online betting would cut into the margins of the casinos. It would make sense for their revenue to suffer slightly should online gambling become legal, but what the casinos offer is completely different from the experience online. Tribal casinos often also host various events

What would be the state’s upsides and negatives if sports betting was legalized? 

Sports betting is something that engages a large number of sports fans, of which there are many in California. The most significant upside to allowing online betting is the tax revenues that would fall into the hands of the state, a very appealing reality. But at the same time, gambling is gambling. Problem behaviors can arise in conjunction with online betting, and it’s easy to see why many groups are critical towards opening up the taps and making betting available through a couple of clicks on the phone. 


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