California Attorney General (AG) Rob Bonta is expected to declare real‑money online daily fantasy sports (DFS) illegal in the state in the next week.
KRCA3 reported that multiple sources have confirmed that Bonta will issue an advisory legal opinion by July 3 against all forms of paid DFS. This will include pick’em (house or peer‑to‑peer), daily contests, and season‑long prize leagues where operators manage entry fees or prizes.
The Coalition for Fantasy Sports spoke out against the news, commenting, “We hope the Attorney General’s office will consider the views of sports fans across the state before making a decision. Californians have been playing daily fantasy sports games for more than a decade, and it is shocking to think that the state would suddenly take them away.”
Major DFS platforms, Betr, PrizePicks, Underdog Fantasy, Dabble, and Splash Sports are all members of the coalition.
California Tribes Support Restricting DFS
On Monday, the California Nations of Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) and Tribal Alliance of Sovereign Indian Nationals sent a letter to California lawmakers, warning them that DFS operators may be working to push legislation regarding their legal status in the state.
“While we have not yet seen the Attorney General’s pending opinion, we are happy to hear that Attorney General Rob Bonta is standing up for the people of California by ensuring that state laws are followed,” said James Siva, the chairman of CNIGA, in a statement to KCRA 3.
“Illegal and unregulated gaming has been a problem in California for decades. These illegal practices deny consumers real protections and safeguards against illicit practices such as fraud and underage gambling. We are glad to see Attorney General Bonta address the issue and look forward to lawbreakers being held to account.”
The tribes are also supportive of lawmakers proposing to ban sweepstakes casinos in the state, as they look to maintain their exclusive rights to offer gambling in California.
Public Support DFS, If Not Sports Betting
JT Foley, the executive director of the Coalition for Fantasy Sports believes the public are overwhelmingly in favor of allowing DFS to be legal in California. He stated, “[Seventy-five percent] of California voters support fantasy sports — a clear sign of how popular these games are across the state,”
“Millions of Californians actively play fantasy sports, and even among opponents, most agree the decision should be left to voters, not courts or politicians. To take these games away now would be a complete disregard for the will of the people.
“We urge the Attorney General to listen to the millions of sports fans whose voices deserve to be heard.”
Lawmakers Less Sure Of Public Opinion
Following voters rejecting Prop 27 in 2022, which would have legalized California sports betting, Senator Scott Wilk requested clarification on the legal status of DFS.
“Daily fantasy sports appears to be a game of chance not otherwise permitted by the laws of California,” Wilk wrote in a letter to the California Department of Justice.
Wilk’s term in the Senate came to an end last year, but the quest to get clarification on DFS’s legal status was taken up by Assemblyman Tom Lackey.
Commenting on the news that Bonta is set to issue an opinion on the matter, Lackey commented, “I think it’s credible. I think it’s important that he’s responding.” He was less certain than the Coalition for Fantasy Sports on the public’s will for DFS to be legal. “I was very interested in making sure that the people and their opinion was at least acknowledged,” Lackey said. “We followed up on that, and we wanted the legal opinion to make sure that it wasn’t in conflict with, what the people want.”
California remains the single biggest market for fantasy sports, with all major DFS companies offering contests there. The industry is valued at around $15 billion, with as many as 20% of Americans estimated to play some form of fantasy sports each year.
Adam is an experienced writer with years of experience in the gambling industry. He has worked as a content writer and editor for five years on sites such as Oddschecker, CoinTelegraph and Gambling Industry News, bringing excellent knowledge of the world of sports betting and online gambling. Adam focuses on emerging stories in the ever changing landscape of betting in the US. Read the latest on prediction markets, changing legislation, and sweepstakes.
