California Sports Betting: Alternative World Cup Options

by Virginia Gandolfo (vgandolfo) Last Updated 2026-06-11T19:57:46

Traditional, real-money sports betting remains out of reach in California after a string of failed legalization attempts pushed the earliest realistic launch window to 2028.

With Los Angeles Stadium hosting eight World Cup matches this summer, California sports betting is as hot a topic as ever.

While you can’t technically place a traditional bet while you’re physically present in the Golden State, residents and visitors can still get in on the action via legal alternatives such as prediction markets and peer-to-peer DFS apps.

Let RotoGrinders be your guide to the best available platforms in the Golden State, the history of its sports betting battle, and what to expect next.

Can I Bet on the World Cup in California?

No — California has no legal sports betting, and that applies to the World Cup just like any other event. Real-money sportsbooks cannot operate in the state, and that includes visitors traveling to Los Angeles and San Francisco for matches this summer.

That said, there are legal alternatives. Prediction markets like Kalshi and Polymarket allow users to trade on match outcomes and tournament winners, and are fully available in California. Peer-to-peer DFS apps also offer player performance markets tied to World Cup action. The operator list further down this page covers everything currently available in the state.

Apps in CA to Use During the World Cup

Since legal sports betting is not actually a thing yet in California, residents can use alternate options like prediction markets or peer-to-peer DFS apps instead.

Here are some of our favorites to use for the 2026 World Cup:

California DFS Prop Betting Sites

Sports betting may be illegal in California, but residents can still play Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS).

Due to recent legal shifts—specifically a July 2025 Attorney General opinion—major operators have moved exclusively to peer-to-peer formats where you compete against other users instead of the house.

Top available peer-to-peer options include PrizePicks (Arena), Underdog, and Betr Picks.

(Keep in mind that sweepstakes-style sportsbooks were banned in the state on January 1, 2026, making these DFS and prediction platforms your primary legal alternatives).

Other Alternatives to California Sports Betting

The potential legalization of online betting in California faces significant challenges, including prior ballot rejections and public sentiment against such measures.

If DFS isn’t your thing and you want something closer to actual sports betting, prediction markets are your best legal option in California.

Platforms like Polymarket, Kalshi, and FanDuel Predicts let you trade on real-world outcomes including sports events and are fully available in the state.

Note: Sweepstakes sportsbooks operating with dual-currency models — including Fliff — are no longer available in California as of January 1, 2026, due to AB 831.

Efforts to Legalize Online Sports Betting in California

Sports betting remains illegal in California despite years of attempts to change that. The state has a lottery and four horse racing tracks, but the vast majority of legal gambling is controlled by Native American tribes operating over 70 casinos statewide. California generates more tribal gaming revenue than any other state — over $9 billion annually — a fact that shapes every conversation about sports betting legalization.

The stakes are enormous. With nearly 40 million residents, California would instantly become the largest legal sports betting market in the US. Billions in annual revenue for both operators and the state are on the line, which is why every failed attempt has been followed by another push.

Current Political Landscape

Powerful tribes have successfully blocked sports betting expansion in the state legislature for years, pushing the debate to the ballot box instead. California’s initiative process allows citizens to vote directly on policy changes, and it’s the route both tribes and commercial operators have repeatedly used to try to legalize sports betting.

The result has been a cycle of competing proposals, coalition-building, and expensive campaigns — none of which have succeeded.

Key Updates

April 2025: DraftKings and FanDuel proposed a unified framework with California’s 109 tribes, forming a single tribal entity to oversee online sports betting operations. The Sports Betting Alliance (SBA) pitched the plan as a revenue-sharing model that would preserve tribal sovereignty while giving commercial operators a path to market. Legal hurdles around the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) remained unresolved.

January 2026: Despite the April 2025 discussions, tribal leaders confirmed a 2026 ballot push is not being pursued. CNIGA Chairman James Siva cited the complexity of tying sports betting to iGaming as a reason not to rush. The 2028 election cycle is now the earliest realistic target for legalization.

July 2025: California AG Rob Bonta issued a formal opinion declaring DFS contests illegal under state law. PrizePicks, Underdog, and Sleeper shifted to peer-to-peer formats in response.

October 2025: Governor Newsom signed AB 831, banning dual-currency sweepstakes sportsbook and casino platforms.

January 2026: AB 831 takes effect. Sweepstakes sportsbooks including Fliff exit the California market.

March 2026: Governor Newsom issued an executive order barring gubernatorial appointees from trading on prediction market platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket using nonpublic information. Lawmakers introduced bills to restrict prediction markets tied to sports.

California Props 26 and 27 (November 2022)

Both Prop 26 and Prop 27 were rejected by voters in November 2022. The content below is preserved for context, as future initiatives are likely to revisit similar frameworks.

Two competing measures made the 2022 ballot — one tribal, one commercial — and they represented fundamentally different visions for what legal sports betting in California would look like.

Prop 26 — Retail Only, Tribal Controlled

Prop 26 would have legalized in-person sports betting at tribal casinos and the state’s four horse racing tracks. No mobile betting. Given that over 80% of sports wagers nationally are placed on mobile devices, this was a major limitation.

The tribes backed Prop 26 not because they see sports betting as a major revenue driver, but because it would consolidate gambling under their control and keep commercial operators out — a strategy that’s played out similarly in Maine, North Carolina, Washington, and Wisconsin. Card room operators and major sportsbooks both opposed it.

Prop 27 — Statewide Mobile Betting, Commercially Backed

Prop 27 would have legalized mobile sports betting statewide, but with a catch: operators needed to be live in 10+ states to qualify for a license, effectively limiting the market to BetMGM, Caesars, FanDuel, DraftKings, and BetRivers. Each would have paid a $100 million license fee plus $10 million in renewals every five years, with a 10% tax rate.

Revenue would have been split 85% toward homelessness and mental health initiatives and 15% to non-gaming tribes — which is why tribes without casinos supported Prop 27 while the major gaming tribes fiercely opposed it. Up to $300 million was spent campaigning for and against the measure, making it the most expensive initiative in California history.

Both measures failed, and no ballot initiative has come close to qualifying since.

Sportsbooks Potentially Coming to California

Sportsbooks Potentially Coming to California

Every major US sportsbook wants a piece of the California market. With a population of nearly 40 million, the Golden State represents the ultimate expansion prize.

Whenever a future legalization framework is finally passed by voters—likely not until 2028 or later—we expect the industry’s biggest players to be the first to vie for market access.

Based on past legislative attempts and market share, these are the sportsbooks most likely to enter California on day one:

• BetMGM
• Caesars Sportsbook
• FanDuel Sportsbook
• DraftKings Sportsbook
• BetRivers

Any future framework will almost certainly require commercial sportsbooks to partner directly with California’s tribal gaming entities, ensuring the tribes maintain substantial control over the state’s sports wagering revenue.

California Professional Sports Teams

California is home to a whopping 22 professional sports teams in eight different leagues. Here are all the pro teams in the state.

California Sports Betting FAQ

What are the best apps to use for the World Cup in California?

Since traditional sportsbooks are illegal in the state, the best legal alternatives for the World Cup are federally regulated prediction markets and peer-to-peer DFS apps. Platforms like Polymarket and Kalshi allow you to trade on match outcomes and tournament winners. If you prefer betting on player stats (like how many goals or assists a player will have in a match), peer-to-peer DFS apps like Underdog Fantasy and DraftKings Pick6 are available for California residents and visitors.

Are prediction markets legal to use for the World Cup in California?

Yes. Unlike traditional sportsbooks, platforms like Kalshi and Polymarket operate as financial exchanges regulated by the Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC) rather than state gambling laws. This federal oversight allows eligible California residents (18+) to legally buy and sell “Yes” or “No” event contracts on World Cup matches, even while real-money sports betting remains strictly prohibited in the state.

When will sports betting be legal in California?

Because Props 26 and 27 didn’t pass in 2022, and subsequent attempts in 2023–2024 failed to gain traction, California sports betting legalization has no clear timeline. Tribal leaders have indicated that a 2026 ballot measure will not be pursued, making 2028 the earliest realistic window. Even then, it typically takes states six months to two years after a ballot measure passes before sportsbooks go live. The bottom line: don’t expect legal sports betting in California before 2029 at the earliest.

What happens now that California Prop 27 didn’t pass?

Prop 27’s failure in 2022 was followed by further failed initiatives in 2023–2024, and no meaningful progress has been made since. The most recent discussions between tribal leaders and major operators in April 2025 showed some promise, but momentum has since stalled. As of 2026, tribal leaders have ruled out a ballot push this cycle. Prop 27 was not the last chance for legal mobile sports betting in California, but the road ahead remains long and uncertain.

Which sportsbooks will launch in California?

The first wave of sportsbooks to open up shop in California will likely include BetMGM, FanDuel, Caesars Sportsbook, DraftKings, and BetRivers. California bettors will have a variety of options available to them once these sportsbooks launch in the state.

What are sportsbooks doing to promote responsible betting?

Every sportsbook puts forth a lot of time and effort to promote responsible gambling. Such efforts include deposit and time limits on the app and a self-exclusion option that allows users to ban themselves for a certain amount of time. The sports betting industry also helps fund nonprofits such as the National Council on Problem Gambling, which offers a helpline and chatline for people who need to talk to someone about their gambling problem.