With 2024 legalization out of the question, will California sports betting get the stamp of approval in time for the 2026 electoral ballot?
At least one key stakeholder thinks so.
Speaking with Compliance+More, Indiana Gaming Association Chairman Victor Rocha said that “retail sports betting will be back on the ballot in California in 2026, with mobile to follow in 2028 if all goes to plan.” He added: “The tribes that matter, the politically active ones who have put money into this, are united on that approach.”
This is perhaps the most optimistic view on the future of sports betting in California we’ve seen or heard for quite some time. Updates have predominantly skewed toward pessimism ever since a pair of California sports betting bills failed spectacularly during the 2022 elections. The byproduct of that flop and the dynamic between local tribes and online sportsbooks in the United States is a persisting stalemate. In fact, this gridlock is so strong that there is no California sports betting legislation up for discussion in 2024. (A bill sponsored by “tech bros” passed preliminary deliberations but was quickly shot down when it failed to garner support from both California tribes and online sportsbooks in the USA.)
To this end, Rocha’s comments must be taken with a grain of salt. Heck, even he doesn’t seem totally convinced of this timeline. (More on this matter shortly.) Frankly, skepticism needs to be the default view here after what happened in 2022. The legalization of California sports betting was considered a given heading into the election. However, counter-campaigning and widespread disinformation wound up undermining both sports gambling proposals. The way things unfolded then—and continue to unfold now—leave the future of California sports betting squarely under the “believe it when you actually see it” umbrella.
Though Tribes are Ready to Legalize California Sports Betting by 2026, They are Also Prepared to Wait
On its face, Rocha’s recent comments are a big deal. But so, too, are the caveats he attached to them.
“The tribes can wait longer than that,” he explained to Compliance+More. “We know how important this is. It is not just about us. It is about ensuring our tribes’ futures. You need to treat it with kid gloves because Californians don’t care. Nobody is gonna start a revolution over sports betting.”
Rocha is responding to the idea that United States online sportsbooks will pressure tribes into approving mobile sports gambling right out of the gate. To this point, that is not something they’re willing to do. Previously, California tribes expressed a willingness for online sportsbooks to serve as tech-support partners for the tribes’ own California sports betting apps. But allowing those same online sportsbooks to operate in California with independent licenses is so far a non-starter.
Naturally, big-time online sportsbooks like FanDuel, DraftKings, BetMGM, etc. have taken exception to this stance. And thus far, they have seemed more willing to entirely scuttle California sports betting hopes rather than let tribes take the lead.
This must change to some extent for 2026 California sports betting efforts to be successful. While the tribes generally have the support of state representatives, online sportsbooks have aggressively lobbied against retail-only legalization to great success in the past. At the very least, the Golden State needs mobile betting sites in the USA to cease counter-campaigns. But will they?
As it turns out…maybe.
Online Sportsbooks Might be Warming Up to the Idea of a 2028 Rollout
Somewhat recently, FanDuel and DraftKings restructured their California sports betting lobbying efforts. While this flew under the radar, it is a potentially massive development, as Compliance+More explains:
“In late February, [FanDuel] appointed departing National Indian Gaming Commission chair E. Sequoyah Simermeyer as its new VP of strategic relations, a move that appeared designed to mend bridges with the tribal community. DraftKings has also recently sponsored several tribal initiatives. Rocha said industry executives have admitted the error of their ways and are ‘doing the mea culpa tour.’ He suggested they were cosying up to the tribes with a view to speeding up the path to mobile betting.”
As Rocha’s comments underscore, it is genuinely difficult to interpret the intentions of FanDuel, DraftKings and other mobile betting sites. Are these moves aimed at legalizing online sports betting in California by 2026? Or do they hint at a willingness to wait until 2028?
It is impossible to know for sure right now. And the tenor of Rocha’s responses to these structural reshufflings isn’t exactly encouraging. At the same time, it does seem like California online sportsbook supporters are approaching the issue with eyes wide open. The president of FanDuel has even said legalization by 2026 is a long shot. We’re attempting to read between the lines here, but that could imply an acceptance of the 2028 California online sports betting proposal.
Time will tell where all the key stakeholders actually land. This is an issue that will most likely play out next winter and spring, during 2025 California legislature sessions. Until then, though, Rocha’s comments along with shifting approaches from FanDuel and DraftKings count as long-awaited and much-needed progress.
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