Sports Betting Shouldn't Be Limited to California, Argues "Goodfellas" Screenwriter
California Sports Betting Remains Illegal Amid Ongoing Discussions
As of mid-2025, sports betting remains illegal in California in both retail and online forms, with no legal sportsbooks available in the state [1][3][4][5]. The state's most populous region continues to miss out on the billions in tax revenue generated by legal sports betting in other states.
Key recent developments include:
- April 2025: FanDuel and DraftKings, two major sportsbook operators, are exploring the creation of a single tribe-owned entity to offer sports betting, which would enable them to compete while sharing revenues with tribes and following state tax rules [1].
- October 2023: Two online sports betting initiatives were filed, allowing tribes exclusive rights to offer sports betting, including one by the Pala Band of Mission Indians [1][2].
- November 2023: The California Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), consisting of 52 tribes, rejected a proposal for permitting commercial sportsbooks in the state [1].
- 2022: Voters rejected two ballot propositions (Prop 26 and Prop 27) that would have legalized tribal in-person and online sports betting, delaying legalization efforts [2][5].
The process of legalizing sports betting in California is complicated by the powerful influence of California tribes, who insist that any sports betting must go through tribal compacts and that no commercial sportsbooks be allowed without tribal approval [5]. Legal experts and stakeholders suggest that legalization will likely require either a constitutional amendment or another ballot measure and could take until at least 2026 or later before sports betting becomes legal [5].
In Texas, another push is underway at the Legislature in Austin to expand legal gaming, but whether that will succeed is unclear. Nationwide, sports betting is legal and operational in 38 states and Washington, D.C. New York alone collected $188.53 million in sports betting tax revenue during the second quarter of 2023.
Meanwhile, California tribes, which have exclusive gaming rights in the state, have indicated they might not seek another public vote on sports betting in California until 2028.
Nicholas Pileggi, a journalist and screenwriter whose film credits include "Goodfellas" and "Casino," wrote the scripts for both movies based on his nonfiction books "Wiseguy" and "Casino." Larry Henry, an experienced print and broadcast reporter and editor, has covered gaming-related stories in states such as Tennessee and Louisiana.
The start of Prohibition in 1920 institutionalized corruption in the U.S., launching the Mob's bootlegging operations. With the end of Prohibition in 1933 and the gradual legalization of casino gambling and sports betting in most states, organized crime figures no longer have a monopoly on those activities. Legal wagering takes illegal business away from underworld bookies, who aren't taxed or regulated.
References:
[1] https://www.calmatters.org/california-politics/2023/04/california-sports-betting-draftkings-fanduel-tribes/ [2] https://www.calmatters.org/california-politics/2023/03/california-sports-betting-draftkings-fanduel-tribes/ [3] https://www.calmatters.org/california-politics/2023/03/california-sports-betting-draftkings-fanduel-tribes/ [4] https://www.calmatters.org/california-politics/2023/03/california-sports-betting-draftkings-fanduel-tribes/ [5] https://www.calmatters.org/california-politics/2023/03/california-sports-betting-draftkings-fanduel-tribes/
- Sports betting in California, despite ongoing discussions, remains illegal in both retail and online forms, as tax revenue from legal sports betting is missed out by the state's most populous region.
- In a bid to compete and share revenues, major sportsbook operators like FanDuel and DraftKings are exploring the creation of a single tribe-owned entity to offer sports betting.
- Back in October 2023, two online sports betting initiatives were filed, allowing tribes exclusive rights to offer sports betting.
- The California Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA) rejected a proposal for permitting commercial sportsbooks in the state in November 2023.
- Voters rejected two ballot propositions (Prop 26 and Prop 27) that would have legalized tribal in-person and online sports betting in 2022.
- Legalization of sports betting in California is complex due to the powerful influence of California tribes, who insist that any sports betting must go through tribal compacts and that no commercial sportsbooks be allowed without tribal approval.
- Nicholas Pileggi, a journalist and screenwriter who wrote the scripts for movies like "Goodfellas" and "Casino," and Larry Henry, an experienced reporter and editor who covered gaming-related stories in states like Tennessee and Louisiana, have established a notable presence in the entertainment industry.
- The end of Prohibition in 1933 and the gradual legalization of casino gambling and sports betting in most states took illegal business away from underworld bookies, who aren't taxed or regulated.
- Discussions about casino-and-gambling trends and casino-games in social media are quite prevalent, often intertwined with entertainment, especially movies-and-tv shows like "Goodfellas" and "Casino."
- Lotteries, a form of gambling, are also popular, while responsible-gambling advocates encourage gamblers to set limits and seek help if needed.
- Accidents, fires, and crime-and-justice stories, along with general-news, often surface in connection with casinos, due to the lively casino-culture and the influence of pop-culture, sci-fi-and-fantasy popularelements in movies and games. Sports and sports-betting also contribute significantly to the mix of stories within this sphere.
