Firing of Ohtani's interpreter highlights how sports betting is still illegal in California
The firing of Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter by the Los Angeles Dodgers over allegations of illegal gambling and theft has highlighted an issue many outside of California don’t realize: Sports betting is still against the law in the nation’s most populous...
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — The firing of Shohei Ohtani's interpreter by the Los Angeles Dodgers over allegations of illegal gambling and theft has highlighted an issue many outside of California don't realize: Sports betting is still against the law in the nation's most populous state.
Betting on sports has exploded in the United States since the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that cleared the way for states to legalize it. Thirty-eight states now allow betting on sports, and ads promoting bookmakers DraftKings and FanDuel are seemingly everywhere.
Sportsbooks salivate at the thought of gaining access to California's 39 million residents, but the industry's efforts thus far have failed.
Two rival proposals were brought before voters in 2022 and tanked badly. One that was largely backed by gaming companies would have allowed adults to wager on mobile devices and online. The other would have legalized sports gambling at tribal casinos and horse tracks.
The rival campaigns became the most expensive ballot proposition fight in U.S. history, with both sides hoping to break into what was then estimated to be a potential billion dollar market.
Another attempt stalled earlier this year without ever making it to the ballot.
In California, gambling is permitted on horse races, at Indian casinos, in card rooms and on the state lottery.
The politics involved are tricky. Wealthy Native American tribes that operate the state's largest traditional gambling operations generally view
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