Though some states (like New Jersey and Pennsylvania) forged ahead with legalizing sports betting in retail locations and online, California legalities have been slower fought. Despite having made various attempts to legalize online betting and sports betting in the state, California. Those who wish to play California poker online won’t be prosecuted or fined but should read honest poker reviews by other poker players to find safe and trusted online card sites. As for legal and regulated online gambling in California, there have been several attempts to regulate sports betting in the state. California online gambling is not yet legalized and regulated within state borders. However, there are real money gambling sites available in CA. They’re just based elsewhere. So if you’re wondering you can gamble online for real money in California, the simple answer is yes. Online racebooks are just another form of California gambling website that has paved the way for bets to be placed from just about anywhere. There isn't even a need to go down to the track that day and purchase a ticket into the event.

• Online Betting Sites Reviews
• Online Sports Betting Sites California
• Online Betting Sites California Coast

There are a variety of options for California online horse betting fans. California has unrestricted access to most of the top online horse race betting sites in the US. The only major service that Californians are blocked from joining is AmWager.

While CA does not offer legal online casinos, poker sites, or sports betting sites, it is completely legal to bet on the horses online. The other betting-related ways to legally win money online is through sweepstakes sites or Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) platforms.

Below, we’ll go over each of the major online horse race betting sites as well as some ins and outs of betting on horses in the State of California.

List Of Online Horse Betting Sites In California

BetAmerica

BetAmerica is one of the most popular horse betting sites in the US. They offer a huge number of events and live streams that only TVG can really compete with.

When you visit the site, you’ll notice that BetAmerica also offers an online sportsbook and casino. However, people located in California can only legally play on the horse racing side of the site.

Unfortunately, all of BetAmerica’s bonus offers are reserved for casino games or sports betting, not horse racing. If you’re new to the racebook and simply looking for the bonuses, you might want to circle back to BetAmerica once you’ve become more experienced.

With that being said, BetAmerica is an approachable option for newcomers. Their top-rated status is earned by an overall level quality that all levels of horse bettors can appreciate.

DRF Bets

Daily Racing Form (DRF) can trace its history back to late-1800s Chicago as a horse racing publication. Since then, it’s remained one of the most trusted resources for stats, picks, and predictions.

In 2011, the brand launched DRF Bets, a highly regarded sportsbook out of New York City that offers a great selection of races and live streams.

The best part about this option is the combination of expert guidance alongside pari-mutuel betting. Even the most avid horse racing bettors can’t be at every track. That’s where the insights from DRF comes in. And you can take that info directly to the racebook side of the site.

NYRA Bets

The New York Racing Association (NYRA) operates three major racetracks owned by the State of New York: Aqueduct, Saratoga, and Belmont Park.

Even if you’re new to horse racing and live in California, you’ve likely heard of Belmont Park. That’s because it’s the site of the Belmont Stakes, one of the Triple Crown horse racing events that includes the Kentucky Derby.

NYRA Bets offers live streams to these tracks as well as many that span the country. This highly-respected horse betting platform offers all types of picks as well as a welcome bonus that doubles your first deposit up to $200.

However, DRF Bet’s promo is the same but slightly better, where you get up to $250.

TVG

TVG is likely the most popular horse betting platform in the United States. They offer the largest number of live streams and racing events. And while the odds and winning potential are comparable across all the sites, having more races to choose from gives TVG the advantages of winning potential as well.

TVG has the distinction of being the first legal online horse race betting platform. Launched in 1999, it’s maintained its popularity by consistently innovating in terms of payment processing and ongoing bettor rewards.

Their largest competitor is BetAmerica, but with TVG offering a risk-free bet welcome bonus, TVG may have set themselves apart as the no-brainer choice between the two.

TwinSpires

A consistently top three choice among the online horse betting options in California, TwinSpires offers a large selection of races and live streams that compete well with BetAmerica and TVG.

But what really sets TwinSpires apart are the promos. They offer innovative bonuses, insurances, jackpot tournaments, and other offers that put most of their competition to shame. TwinSpires is hands down the online racebook to choose if you prefer the promotional offers over the standard bets.

But the promotions aren’t compensating for their lack of picks. While BetAmerica and TVG still have a slightly more robust selection, TwinSpires has the winning potential you could easily put up against its two biggest competitors.

What Types Of Bonuses Are Available For Online Horse Betting In California?

The bonuses offered by the online horse racing sites are similar to what’s offered by online casinos and sportsbooks. Here’s an overview of the most common:

Deposit Matching Bonus

The welcome bonus at both DRF Bets and NYRA Bets is the deposit matching bonus. They’ll match your first deposit by a certain percentage up to a maximum amount. For example, if you deposit $250 at DRF Bets, you’re rewarded an additional $250 once you meet the betting requirements.

Risk-Free Bet

A risk-free bet requires that you pay upfront for a pick. Then you either win the bet and keep your winnings or lose and receive your bet back as a wagering credit. TVG’s welcome bonus is a risk-free bet on your first single horse pick up to $200.

Free Bet

A free bet is different from a risk-free bet because you don’t have to put up any of your own money. Instead, you take the free money and use it to bet.

Insurance Offers

Insurance promotions are most similar to a risk-free bet, and there’s a lot of carryover. For example, the TwinSpires “Photo-Winsurance Promotion” refunds a percentage of a lost bet if the race ends with a photo finish.

Cashback And Reward Points

Cashback is different from rewards points only because it saves you a step. With cashback, you’re given free wagers that are automatically credited to your account as a reward for betting on the site. Rewards points are the same, except that you have to cash them in to receive rewards that include free wagers.

Terms and Conditions To Be Aware Of

Be sure to carefully read the terms and conditions for each promotion and bonus offer. For every one, you’ll need to bet a certain amount to qualify as well as take advantage within a certain timeframe.

List Of Horse Race Tracks In California

Santa Anita Park

The oldest operating race track in California is Santa Anita Park, which routinely hosts the Breeders’ Cup World Championship. In fact, it set the attendance record in 2016, when the two days of racing brought in $159,991,803 in bets, $20,694,235 of which was on-track.

Other major races at Santa Anita Park include the Santa Anita Derby and Santa Anita Handicap. However, folks in California do not have to travel to Arcadia, in Los Angeles County to bet on these races. On top of the off-track locations in the state, you can also bet on in-state races online.

Del Mar Racetrack

Located up the coast from San Diego, the Del Mar Racetrack is objectively gorgeous. Many have stated it’s the most stunning horse racing track in the US and possibly the world, located a literal stone’s throw from the beach.

But Del Mar Racetrack is loved for reasons beyond the tourism appeal (and the fact that it was founded in part by Bing Crosby). This track hosts competitions all year round, some of which are significant in world horse racing. It also absorbed several of the races when the Hollywood Park Racetrack closed down in December of 2013.

Golden Gate Fields

Another racetrack right by the ocean, Golden Gate Fields is Northern California’s only major horse racing track since 2008. But this Bay Area staple debuted in 1941 and has hosted races on a near-daily basis ever since.

The most interesting aspect of Gold Gate Fields is the Tapeta synthetic track which is designed to host races in the rain. This type of track is rare, found in only six tracks worldwide, two of which are in the US.

While the key benefit is its resistance to inclement weather, Tapeta track is also designed to be “as safe as possible for the Thoroughbred racehorse.”

Los Alamitos Race Course

While Los Alamitos Race Course in Orange County hosts both thoroughbred and quarter horse races, it’s best known for the latter. Having hosted four quarter horse races with a purse over $1 million, it’s the most lucrative racing venue in that category in the United States.

The most notable race held at Los Alamitos Race Course is the Champions of Champions, a quarter horse event that’s taken place here since 1972. If you’re curious about the past winners, record-breakers, and other accolades, Wikipedia has a helpful chart and list with everything you could want to know.

Is Online Horse Race Betting Legal In California?

Yes, betting on horses online is legal in the State of California. You do not have to be at the specific track or even at an off-track betting (OTB) facility to make your picks. There’s no law against betting on horses via desktop or mobile devices.

Who Regulates Horse Racing In California?

The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) regulates horse racing in California. The board was founded in 1933 and regulates both the horse racing tracks as well as the pari-mutuel betting.

The Governor appoints the seven members of the CHRB. As such, they’re headquartered in the state capital of Sacramento, California.

The betting oversight of CHRB applies to both on-track and off-track facilities that span the entire state from Del Mar to Golden Gate.

How Safe Is Online Horse Betting In California?

California allows for legal horse race betting on-track, off-track, and online. That means that betting at any licensed American racebook is completely safe as long as you don’t gamble more than you can afford to lose.

If you were to live in a state that outlawed online horse race betting, that’s when you could run into some trouble. While local law enforcement won’t come after you, joining an offshore and illegal betting website has inherent risks. They could be a total scam at worst. But at best, you have no real recourse if you have a dispute with the operator.

Thankfully, people located in California do not have this problem.

What Races Can You Bet On In California?

Popular Horse Racing Events In California

According to our count, there are 34 horse races in the world with a purse of a million dollars or more, and the TVG Pacific Classic Stakes in Del Mar is the only one that still takes place in California.

As part of the Breeders’ Cup Challenge, the winner of the Pacific Classic Stakes is automatically entered in the Breeders’ Cup Classic, which is the fourth race after the Triple Crown that makes up the Grand Slam.

The only horses to win all four races of the Grand Slam are Whirlaway in 1941 and American Pharoah in 2015.

Important American And International Races

Most of the biggest horse racing purses in the world are awarded in the United States. However, the all-time biggest is the Dubai World Cup that takes place in March, with a purse of $12 million.

While the Kentucky Derby in Churchill Downs is the most renowned race in the US, the purse of $2,000,000 is the same as several races throughout the year in Keeneland, a track located in Lexington, Kentucky.

Other huge races include the Breeders’ Cup Classic ($5 million purse) and the Breeders’ Cup Turf ($3 million purse), both of which take place in October in Keeneland.

The Pegasus World Cup of Gulfstream Park in Florida boasts a $3 million purse.

Interestingly, the Preakness Stakes and the Belmont Stakes, the other two Triple Crown Races, offer a purse of $1.5 million and $1 million respectively. Those barely make it into the top 20 biggest purses in the industry.

California bettors can place bets on all of these national and international horse racing events at California’s online horse race betting platforms.

Do Racetracks In California Offer Casino Games?

No, racetracks in California do not offer casino games. They simply take pari-mutuel horse racing bets.

In California, casino games are largely illegal. You can play blackjack and other casino card games as well as multiplayer poker at cardrooms in the state. But you’ll need to travel to neighboring states like Nevada to play roulette, video poker, or slots.

However, off-track betting (OTB) facilities can double as cardrooms in California.

Does California Have OTB Facilities?

Yes, California has off-track betting (OTB) facilities. Both the OTB facilities and racetracks are regulated by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB).

You won’t find a huge number of OTB locations in the state, but there’s a decent chance there’s one nearby. Here’s a list of the locations:

California Online Horse Race Betting FAQ

No. As long as you’re in a state with access to the horse race betting site, you have full access. That means you can open an account, deposit, bet, and withdraw your winnings from any unrestricted state.

However, you might want to check with the specific betting platform before betting from a different state. In some cases, state regulations make the operator take out a higher percentage for taxes, which can affect how much of the winnings you receive.

No. California does not have any racinos at this point in time, which are a combination racetrack and casino.

Racinos are generally limited to the East Coast of the United States, with Florida being a particular hotspot with over 20 venues.

However, New Mexico does have a few racinos, which may be relatively close depending on where you’re located in California.

Yes. TVG is one of the most popular online horse race betting platforms in California. The reason is their extensive race selection, streaming partnerships, and brand recognition.

They also run the biggest horse race in the state: the TVG Breeders’ Cup Challenge at Del Mar Racetrack. But you can join TVG from anywhere within the state.

Yes. BetAmerica is likely the second most popular horse race betting site after TVG. As major competitors, the two online racebooks have comparable offerings, and it’s tough to recommend one over the other.

Like TVG, you can join BetAmerica from anywhere in the State of California as long as you’re at least 18 years old.

You can bet on Triple Crown races in California at any of the major horse race betting platforms. You can also visit the tracks to place a bet remotely or visit an OTB facility.

Betting on the Triple Crown races goes beyond the popularity of the pastime. The online horse racing platforms always run their best promotions of the year surrounding the races.

California’s age requirement for online horse race betting is 18 and up.

For attending the races in person, all ages are welcome. Adults aged 18 and up can place bets. However, those aged 17 and under need to be accompanied by an adult. You also can’t access the bar areas or buy drinks if you’re under 21.

You can visit the OTB facilities or racetracks to watch horse races live in California. But the easiest way is to simply go to the online horse race betting service and watch the live streams through the site.

Both TVG and BetAmerica have a massive number of streaming partnerships that broadcast events directly through the site. You usually don’t even need to place a bet to watch the games, but membership is required.

Looking for legal gambling in the Golden State? You have options when betting in California. California is home to 73 tribal casinos, 88 cardrooms, 6 horse racing tracks, 30 off-track betting facilities, and 21,000 lottery retail locations.

The state has a rich history of gambling that can be traced back to the Gold Rush era. California’s Constitution originally prohibited some forms of gambling activities in the state but ultimately left room for executive and legislative rebuttal.

Under the state constitution, the governor can make compacts with local Indian tribes allowing them to operate casinos. The California Constitution also grants the state legislature the authority to regulate horse racing, charitable bingo games, the California State Lottery, and charitable raffles.

All of these loopholes were exercised in the mid 80s to bring a major new industry into being. California gambling operations now employ over 20,000 people and have contributed over one hundred million dollars (pg. 21) to the state budget.

There are currently four primary forms of legalized gambling establishments in California:

• Card rooms
• Native American casinos
• Race tracks
• State lottery

Each category covers one or more forms of gambling (such as casinos offering slots and poker) and each establishment is governed by unique rules and regulations.

California has yet to legalize and regulate online single game sports betting. For now, the best bet for Californians wishing to wager on sports is through daily fantasy sports sites such as FanDuel and DraftKings.

California Sports Betting

Single game sports betting still remains unregulated in California. If you must scratch your sports betting itch in Cali, fantasy sports are your best bet.

Sen. Bill Dodd and Assemblyman Adam Gray introduced legislation in late June 2019 that would give California voters the opportunity to green light sports betting in the state. The legislative vehicle would be a constitutional amendment that voters could approve in 2020.

Previously-proposed sports betting laws have tried to expand the California Legislature’s ability to allow and regulate sports betting operations. This new proposed amendment would bypass the legislature and let sportsbook operations begin after approval.

The finer points of Dodd’s and Gray’s new legislation has yet to be laid out and the two want to hear from California’s varying gambling interest groups before such details are given.

The proposed amendment is currently known as ACA 16 and it will require a two-thirds majority in both California’s Senate and Assembly 180 days before the election.

In a statement, Bill Dodd said this:

“I look forward to working with stakeholders in a collaborative effort to help bring this out of the shadows. By legalizing sports wagering, we can avoid some of the problems associated with an underground market, such as fraud and tax evasion, while investing in problem gambling education.”

Online Sports Betting in California

As for the full array of online betting, Californians wait with bated breath. With online gambling regulations now occurring on a state-by-state, California’s massive population and economy represent the largest chunk of untapped market in the nation. Third largest state by size, California has more residents than any other state in the U.S.

The American Gambling Association estimates that online sports betting brings in $154 billion worth of wagers annually nationwide via offshore betting operations. California contribution to this figure is vast and there have been several legislative efforts to authorize, regulate and tax online betting in the state.

Assemblyman Adam Gray said it best in an interview with KCRA:

“The choice is not ‘should we have sports wagering or not have sports wagering.’ We do have sports wagering.”

A frequent proponent of gambling legislation, Gray continued:

“You could see tax revenue as high as a $100 million or $200 million a year to the state general fund if we authorize sports wagering.”

The Supreme Court’s overturning of PAPSA represents one less hurdle in making online betting and legal sports betting a reality in California.

With that being said, the state’s legislative climate for online betting reform is not as sunny as California’s weather. A report published prior to the PAPSA decision predicted California would legalize sports betting by 2023. More on these efforts below.

Political and market indicators are mixed when it comes to potential reform. On one hand, the state has a history with regulated gambling and the tribes within its borders are considered experts in implementing public safety and integrity provisions.

On the other hand, these established entities and operators frequently fail to come to a consensus on proposed gambling legislation. The state’s everlasting need for tax revenue factors heavily on the minds of state lawmakers and could ultimately drive the issue.

Fantasy Sports in the Golden State

Operators such as FanDuel.com and DraftKings.com operate by way of federal exemptions written into the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006 (UIGEA). Beyond these exemptions, the UIGEA also gave states the authority to legalize and regulate online horse racing and greyhound betting.

States still have the option to ban fantasy sports operations within their boundaries although California has not done so. As such, Californians are allowed access to the nation’s safe and regulated fantasy sports markets.

All major fantasy sports sites allow California gamblers to draft fantasy teams and wager real cash money on virtual teams. The major fantasy sports sites operating in CA offer wagering on NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, college basketball and college football.

Always on the crest of new technological waves, California was one of the first states to propose legislation to regulate daily fantasy sports back in 2015. These efforts have completely stalled out since this time (e.g. AB 1437), DFS operators have served the California market nonetheless for years.

There is no law that explicitly makes DFS operations legal in California, but neither is there a law against contests of skill. The legal teams of the nation’s major DFS operators have analyzed CA gambling code and determined it is safe to offer fantasy contests.

As for California’s regulatory efforts of DFS, AB 1437 survived committee hearings and an assembly vote but ultimately died in the Senate. For California to achieve full realization of tax revenues from DFS, these regulatory efforts must be continued.

Horse Racing Betting in CA

California is home to 6 major racetracks and roughly 30 off-track betting facilities. Off-track betting facilities, or OTBs, are brick-and-mortar operations that allow for betting on races held in-state and out-of-state via simulcasting agreements with other tracks.

Online Betting Sites Reviews

Casinos and the occasional state fair may also operate OTBs. What’s more, Californians can also bet on horse races online and via mobile devices through sites such as TwinSpires, BetAmerica and TVG.

Horse racing has been a part of California’s makeup since 1933 when voters passed a constitutional amendment that allowed for the regulation of pari-mutuel horse-race gambling.

Also established in 1933 was the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) which currently oversees all horse racing and wagering within the state. The CHRB’s mission is to, “ensure the integrity, viability and safety of the state’s horse racing industry,” and they do so by overseeing the, “wagering, breeding, physical safety and the promotion of horse racing.”

The power of the CHRB was recently expanded when the California State Legislature unanimously approved to give the regulatory agency the authority to suspend or move races without the requisite 10-day public notice period.

“We must take action now to protect horses and jockeys, ensuring safety is always paramount in California horse racing,” said the bill’s co-sponsor, Sen. Bill Dodd. “Because clearly, there is a problem here, and we can’t sit back and do nothing.”

Dodd was referring to the record number of horse deaths at Santa Anita race track during the 2019 season. When the CHRB asked Santa Anita to cancel its last scheduled races, the race track denied the request and continued the scheduled races. Under CHRB’s new authority, there would be legal recourse for such defiance.

California Card Rooms

California’s card rooms are some of the oldest legal gambling institutions in America. These days, larger cardrooms are not the norm. Most of California’s roughly 89 cardrooms are now smaller operations as publicly owned corporations are prohibited (pg. 4) from investing in card clubs.

Regulations of card rooms were historically a local affair and state regulation really took hold in the mid-80s. With the flow of information really taking off in this period, it made sense to crack down on criminal gambling activity on a statewide level. These efforts solidified in 1998 with the passage of Gambling Control Act.

Under the Gambling Control Act, the California Gambling Control Commission oversees operation and supervision of card rooms. According to the CGCC website, the agency is responsible for:

• Taking reasonable actions to ensure that no ineligible, unqualified, disqualified, or unsuitable persons are associated with controlled gaming activities;
• Assessing and acting upon certain restricted transactions including ownership changes and lending arrangements;
• Taking reasonable actions to ensure that gambling activities take place only in suitable locations;
• Granting temporary/interim licenses, permits or approvals on appropriate terms and conditions;
• Developing and implementing regulations pursuant to the Gambling Control Act; and,
• Adjudicating recommendations concerning license denials or revocations, or disciplinary actions.

Tribal Conflicts with Proposed Sports Betting Legislation

Any future sports betting legislation will have navigated the California’s varying interest groups. As it stands, California’s tribes have the exclusive right to operate casinos and therefore any new sports betting or online gambling legislation would have to come terms with the 109 federally recognized tribes within California’s borders.

California Nations Indian Gaming Association Chairman Steve Stallings made it clear where his organization stands on the issue:

“California voters have, on numerous occasions, confirmed the exclusive right of California tribal governments to operate casino-style games. Legalization of sports betting should not become a backdoor way to infringe upon exclusivity.”

Proposed sportsbook legislation would essentially have to be an expansion of the tribes’ existing operations to get the fast track in Sacramento. But who better than the California tribes, with almost 2 decades of modern gambling management and operations experience in the state, to implement the state’s first sportsbooks?

When it comes to online gambling, the tribes have been much more reluctant to embrace change. They have seen advances as direct competition to their brick-and-mortar operations. With heightened geo-location tracking coming online, California tribes with casinos will likely push for legal online and mobile options that can only be utilized when somehow tied with the existing physical casino.

Again, it cannot be overstated enough, no new legislation will pass without the cooperation of the California tribes that have relied on gambling for 19 years. A right-of-first refusal could also address the exclusivity issue and still leave room for the potential of future commercial operators.

One rising tension is between California’s tribes and card room owners. The tribes claim California card rooms are given more enforcement leeway in terms of the games they offer. In turn, the tribes say this is cutting into their operations and the exclusivity agreements found in the compacts they have signed with the state.

The feud between California’s tribes and cardrooms culminated in multiple tribes suing the state over what they claim are infringements of tribal exclusivity agreements.

CA Online Poker

Unfortunately, there is no regulated online poker in California at this time – but not for a lack of trying. Since 2017, bills seeking to allow internet poker have been an annual fixture in the state’s legislature. The vying interest of anti-gambling groups, commercial gambling entities, and the tribes have combined to stall all progress on these bills.

These efforts ceased in 2018 when, finally, no internet poker bills were introduced in the state legislature. Whether these efforts have ceased or evolved is a trickier question. Many believe the road to online poker in California will only come up after sports betting has found a rightful home in the state.

Online Sports Betting Sites California

CA Lottery

The California Lottery now has over 10 draw games and dozens of scratchers that it sells at over 21,000 locations across the state. California does not sell ticktes online at this time.

Established in 1984 by a ballot initiative that passed by 58%, the California Lottery was created for the sole purpose of providing supplemental dollars to public schools in the state.

By law, the CA Lottery is required to return 87% of the total annual revenues to public school systems. In the 2017 fiscal year, the CA lottery have $1.69 billion towards public education in the state. This was the eighteenth consecutive year that the lottery had generated over $1 billion dollars to the states school systems.

CA Gambling FAQ

No, but efforts are underway to legalize sports betting in California. While many state residents choose to bet with illegal offshore sportsbooks, the only legal alternative to sports betting in California is daily fantasy sports.

Daily fantasy is not regulated in California, but the state does not prevent users from entering the contests and playing. All major DFS operators are live in CA.

Yes, at multiple racetracks and via licensed horse racing betting sites.

Since the turn of the century, California Lottery has sent over $1 billion dollars annually to K-12, Community Colleges, CSU and UC campuses within the state.

The CA Lottery neither sells tickets online nor endorses third-party services that purchase tickets on behalf of out-of-state players. The only way to buy lottery tickets in CA is to visit an authorized retailer.

Online Betting Sites California Coast

Under California law, specifically Subdivision (e) Section 337j of the Penal Code the state allows home card games because they are not technically gambling. “Games played with cards in private homes or residences, in which no person makes money for operating the game, except as a player,” are allowed in California.

California allows nonprofit organizations to have controlled charity gambling for fundraising purposes. State law dictates that, “Nonprofit organizations provide important and necessary services to the people of the State of California with respect to educational and social services and there is a need to provide methods of fundraising to nonprofit organizations so as to enable them to meet their stated purposes.” Therefore, charity games serve the public interest in funding said nonprofits.