Sports Betting Gains Ground in California

A measure to legalize sports betting in the state of California moved forward in the legislature but could be all for naught. 

A bill was approved unanimously by the state Senate Governmental Organization Committee on its way toward the Senate floor, but sports betting won’t happen in the state until it is approved at the federal level and this is highly unlikely to occur any time soon. 

Sen. Roderick Wright (D-Los Angeles), the author of a measure to legalize Internet poker in the state, predicted the federal ban would be lifted but wouldn’t say when.

"Californians spend multiple billions of dollars going to places where this is legal," Wright told the members of the committee he chairs. The measure would allow sports betting at existing California horse-racing tracks, card clubs and Indian casinos, and was backed by the California Gaming Assn., a group of 71 poker halls.

New Jersey is another state actively looking to offer legalized sports betting.

- Gilbert Horowitz, Gambling911.com