I live in a state very similar to california sports betting wise. There are no apps like FanDuel, or Draftkings available in the Golden State, But there are a a few California sports betting Online Options as of May 2024.
California Sports betting online Guide:
Year Founded: 2011 🗓️
Deposit options: Visa, AmEx, Discover, MasterCard, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, Ethereum, LiteCoin, Polygon, Avalanche, Stellar, Tether, Cardano, Solana, Shiba Inu, DogeCoin, USDCoin
Best for placing larger wagers 💰
Best Bonus:
100% match up to $500 (2x)
Year Founded: 2001 🗓️
Deposit options: Visa, AmEx, Discover, MasterCard, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ripple, Ethereum, LiteCoin, Polygon, Avalanche, Stellar, Tether, Cardano, Solana, Shiba Inu, DogeCoin, USDCoin
Best for overall reliability and trustworthiness 🤝
Best Bonus:
50% match up to $1,000
Year Founded: 2014 🗓️
Deposit options: Visa, MasterCard, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, LiteCoin, BNB, Tether, Cardano, Solana, Shiba Inu, DogeCoin
Best for overall ease of use of the website 🖥️
Best Bonus:
100% match up to $500
Year Founded: 2011 🗓️
Deposit options: Visa, MasterCard, Bitcoin, BitcoinSV, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, LiteCoin, Tether, MatchPay
Best for live bets 📲
Best Bonus:
100% match up to $750
Year Founded: 2014 🗓️
Deposit options: Visa, MasterCard, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Ethereum, LiteCoin, Tether, BNB, Solana, Cardano, Shiba Inu, Dogecoin
Best for cryptocurrency deposit bonuses 💲
Best Bonus:
50% match up to $1,000
Year Founded: 1996 🗓️
Deposit options: Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, Discover, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Lightning Bitcoin, LiteCoin, Payz, PaySafe, eZeeWallet
Best for customer service 🧑💻
Best Bonus:
100% match up to $500
Year Founded: 1994 🗓️
Deposit options: Visa, MasterCard, AmEx, Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, LiteCoin, Ethereum
Best for depositing with cards 💳
Best Bonus:
125% match up to $2,500
History of Sports Betting in California
Gambling in California has an exciting and dramatic history. Following the Great Depression, gambling rooms popped up all over California. Men would gather to play poker or other card games, wagering their money and drinking their beverages.
During this time, the government had not yet found a way to confine Indians to reservations, so the Indians had begun organizing their own games.
The Native Americans prize winnings in these games would exceed the legal limits for winnings set by the state, but the Indians did not care. They took pride in only following their rules, and many more Indians began to organize these clubs.
By the 80’s, the California Gambling Control Commission was established, and they began a fierce legal battle against the Indians. The Commission wanted to ban gambling on the Indian reservations, so the Indians sued the Gaming Control Commission in response. The Native Americans were steadfast in their belief that they did not have to follow American law on their indigenous land that the government had confined them to.
As their legal battle went on, it eventually rose to the Supreme Court, who ruled that the California Gambling Control Commission could not impose a ban on gambling on tribal lands. This decision was significant for Native Americans all over the country, as they began to set up casinos. President Raegan signed the Tribal Casinos Act in 1988, which protected Indian casinos and allowed them to do their business.
In 1997, California imposed more regulations surrounding gambling with the Gambling Control Act. This allowed them to more specifically identify which forms of gambling were and were not permitted.
Online gambling is still a gray area, as California has swayed back and forth with the possibility of legalizing it.
Near the end of 2023, California State Senator Wilk has brought attention to daily fantasy sports, questioning whether California gambling laws prevent these paid contests and competitions. Now in 2024, there are talks of whether or not a sports betting license should be required to provide DFS to paying players.
How Do I Know a Sports Betting Site is Legit?
Many sports betting sites are the real deal, and some are not. We’ve narrowed our process down to several criteria to look for in a sports betting site that will help you to know whether or not they are legit.
1. Customer Service
Any good business knows that the happiness of its customers is the most important thing. After all, how would they make money if customers were upset and didn’t return? Sports betting sites with readily available customer service are more likely to be a legitimate business, rather than a shady scam.
2. Regulated
Most countries have a Gambling Commission, who will set forth rules and guidelines for sports betting sites and casinos. Legitimate sportsbooks will have a license from one of these Commissions, which indicates that the sportsbook follows the guidelines set for them. Gaming Commissions will regularly audit the sportsbooks they license, to ensure that the bookmakers are continuing to follow these guidelines. When a sportsbook is licensed, you can know that they are most likely keeping their practices in line with their designated Gambling Commission.
3. Time in Business
Sportsbooks that lack integrity and operate with shady practices will fizzle out quickly, as word will fly around the internet about their poor morals. Good sportsbooks will tend to have been in business for years. Word will get around that they are good, honest, etc. Of course, every sportsbook will have its nay-sayers, but I genuinely believe those are just the people who didn’t read the terms and conditions.
Is Sports Betting Legal in California?
Sports betting is technically not legal in California. Certain forms of gambling are legal, such as the lottery and gambling at Indian casinos.
Can I Sports Bet in California?
Yes, you have the option to sports bet in California using offshore sports betting sites.
What is the Legal Age to Sports Bet in California?
The legal age to gamble in California is 18.
Why Should I Use California Online Sports Betting Sites?
California online sports betting sites offer players a plethora of positives. When looking to get started betting, there are several reasons to consider using online sports betting sites.
1. Convenience
Sports bettors in California are limited to Indian casinos, or driving to Nevada. When you choose to use online sports betting sites, you save gas, time, and money. With the cost of goods out in California, choosing to use online sports betting sites is a no-brainer!
2. Honesty and Integrity
The best online sports betting sites operate with honesty and integrity, and we recommend them. Using sportsbooks that are regulated will help to guarantee a positive sports betting experience, due to the guidelines that they follow.
3. Big Bonuses
Online sports betting sites in California are currently offering both residents and visitors a big new player bonus. If you’re looking to maximize your potential profit, we recommend looking into these generous incentives when you sign up.
4. Competitive Lines
California’s online sports betting sites offer competitive game lines and player props. When sports betting, many players like to shop around for the best lines to bet on, myself included. With these fantastic sportsbooks, you’re guaranteed to have a great selection of lines to choose from, no matter the game, player, or event.
5. More Fun!
Since the dawn of time, people have found fun and enjoyment in gambling. We love to play the odds, and the heart-skipping thrill of the possibility of winning. With online sports betting sites, you can have more fun sports betting… and from the comfort of your own home!
How to Redeem a Sign-Up Sports Betting Bonus
California sports bettors now have access to a bunch of quality sports betting bonuses. There’s no better way to maximize your potential profit than by redeeming a sports betting bonus.
Every sportsbook bonus comes with terms and conditions, that outline factors like minimum deposit in order to qualify, rollover requirements, and even timeframes you have to complete the rollover by. We highly recommend reading the fine print, in order to make the most of your money.
| Sportsbook | Bonus | Minimum Deposit for Bonus | Link to Redeem Bonus |
|---|---|---|---|
 | 100% match up to $500 (2x) | $100 | Redeem SportsBetting Bonus |
| 50% match up to $1,000 | $55 | Redeem BetOnline Bonus |
| 100% match up to $500 | $45 | Redeem XBet Bonus |
| 100% match up to $750 | $20 | Redeem Bovada Bonus |
 | 50% match up to $1,000 | $50 | Redeem MyBookie Bonus |
| 100% match up to $500 | $20 | Redeem EveryGame Bonus |
 | 125% match up to $2,500 | $100 | Redeem BetUS Bonus |
Tips to deposit on California online sports betting sites.
- Use litecoin as a deposit method. With bitcoin network fees at an all time high, Litecoin is the best cryptocurrency to use for sports betting in 2024.
- Betus is the top sports betting site in California if you are looking to use a credit or debit card.
- Utilize cryptocurrency apps like coinbase or kraken for a good cryptocurrency experience. Do not use cyrpto.com, The fees are very high, and there are multiple consumer of reports of them stealing users cryptocurrency or it getting lost on the platform. (this actually happened to me and they told me they found it and wanted 150$ to give it back to me.)
California sports betting online FAQ
Is Fanduel available in California? Fanduel is not available in California, besides Fanduel daily fantasy.
Is draftkings available in California? Draftkings is not available other than fantasy, but there are online sports betting sites that are full scale sportsbooks.
Can I use a Vpn To sports bet in California? Most sports betting apps that are regulated have Vpn detectors, and this will only get you banned when they do finally launch in California, All of the sports betting options I recommended are available in 2024 and you do not need a vpn to access them.
Can I Betonline if I live in California? Yes, you can bet online, this California online sports betting guide will show you exactly how.
Looking to Bet in a Different State?
Disclaimer: The information provided on this site is for entertainment purposes only. Gambling comes with risk, and Game Plan Bets is not responsible for outcomes when betting with the sites listed in this article.
Be sure to check local laws in your state before gambling online.
This article contains affiliate links, from which Game Plan Bets receives a small commission at no cost to you.