When it comes to prediction markets, there's been a lot that's been said when it comes to California betting news. Almost all of it has been negative, but in recent months, it has also impacted political betting as well. Well, the U.S. Senate has decided to take things into its own hands there and there's no question that California is impacted by a new Federal betting ban for Senators. That's right, that option is no longer on the table.

According to a report, news just dropped that Senators and people who are employed on their staff are no longer allowed to make wagers on prediction markets. This is probably something that a lot of people saw coming, as scandals involving politicians and them placing bets on their particular races have increased. In California alone, we've seen bets on the California Governor race come in at an all-time high, which is concerning for several reasons.

For starters, there was plenty of worry that maybe candidates were placing bets. However, with odds going up and down for people in the running, it could encourage people to not only bet on those candidates with the stronger odds, but also force people to vote for them as well. That's an ongoing issue that's happening in California, but the good news here is that at least one of those negatives appears to be taken off the board.

However, this doesn't mean that California is totally in the clear. As we inch closer to the Governor vote in November, the prediction markets and betting on candidates is something that's going to continue to get watched closely. This new Federal law helps out a little, but it's not going to wipe away prediction market betting as a whole. With that said, could that actually end up being the case down the road?

California politicians continue to fight for a prediction markets ban in the state

As you're likely aware of, California politicians continue to fight for a prediction markets ban in the state. This continued push is no surprise, as several lawsuits have been filed by several states, with California on the list. The issue here is that on top of political betting, as we stated above, sports betting is also on the ride. All forms of betting remain illegal in California. This of course includes online options.

Despite that, the 'loophole' continues to be used through Kalshi, Robinhood and others. The fact of the matter here is that people are checking the top NFL sportsbooks right now for their betting needs and placing futures bets. This of course includes the Super Bowl next year, as the Los Angeles Rams are the favorites to win it all. With Matthew Stafford expected to have another big year, the Rams could go on to win it all.

There are big expectations for the San Francisco 49ers and Los Angeles Chargers too, which is why NFL betting in California is always going to be popular. However, again, sports betting is not legal throughout the state, but the prediction markets have opened the door there. This is something California wants changed, but no major new updates have arrived for people or lawmakers to get excited about.

2028 remains to be the year Californians have their eyes on for legal sports betting

As for when things might actually get legalized, 2028 remains to be the year Californians have their eyes on for legal sports betting. The recent sports betting bills brought some optimism, but they weren't able to get over the line. However, as we've written about before here at Online Sports Betting, the local tribes are eyeing 2028 as the year to get things done.

Will that end up happening? It's tough to say, as the right kind of sports betting bill will need to be put in place for people to start thinking everyone can actually get on the same page. For now, there remains a ton of division among politicians, as gambling addiction is a major reason why people are so against it.

However, the need for regulated sports betting is quite clear, as illegal activity and millions of dollars being transferred through bookies simply can't continue. With all of that said, it feels like maybe, just maybe 2028 will be when the green light is given. If that happens, then the need for prediction markets will be wiped away for sports bettors in California and the state would bring in tax revenue from things as well.