The fight over fantasy sports and future of sports betting | California Politics 360
When you’re making these bets, you can always say less or more. *** foul called on sports betting. I don’t think it’s the state’s choice to decide whether you can gamble. Attorney General Rob Bonta throws *** flag on online fantasy sports. It’s not an opinion. It’s not *** policy. It’s not *** discretionary act. It is an objective, straightforward description of what existing law is. I think that should be *** hands off process by the hands of the Attorney General. On California Politics 360, we dive into the legal and political battle of daily fantasy sports. You can like make money and it makes the game more interesting. We hear from voices on both sides of the issue. They’re violating state law as well as tribal. It’s not helpful for *** Democratic Party that’s trying to win back young men. *** look at the future of sports betting overall in California. We do believe there is *** path forward for sports betting, but that path begins and ends with tribes. Thanks for joining us for California Politics 360. I’m Ashley Zabala. It’s one of the best times of the year for sports fans. There’s playoff baseball. Football is in full swing. Hockey just got underway, and the basketball season is starting in *** few days. While fans root for their team, it’s common for them to see ads for fantasy sports and betting. The total. to *** lot of people being set at 62.5, I would still play the over in this one. Fantasy sports allows people to create *** fantasy team of professional athletes, and they can win money on how well that team performs. California is one of 11 states that bans sports gambling. Voters have kept it that way. They rejected an effort to legalize it in 20. Some say fantasy sports has always been *** legal gray area. Online fantasy sports platforms have been operating in California for more than *** decade and generate billions of dollars. In July, Attorney General Rob Bonta issued *** legal opinion indicating all daily fantasy sports platforms are illegal in the state. The opinion was expected to set up court action and legislative battles, but nothing has happened in the three months since. Today we’re going to walk through the legal and political battle surrounding daily fantasy sports and the future of sports betting overall in California. I’m going to speak with the chairman of the California Nation Indian Gaming Association who asked for the legal opinion. We’re also going to hear from Congressman Roanna, who supports legalizing sports betting. But we start with Jason Marks who shows us what sports fans have to say about all of this. On *** Wednesday night in Sacramento, the atmosphere in Doco is alive. From one of the last King’s preseason tune-ups. He played really well. Of course that means plenty of pregaming to do with Tom’s Watch. This is our tradition. Ben Thomas and his buddies try to get to as many games as possible. We came here. Yes, they’d love to see *** Kings win, but they also love to make *** little extra money on the side. I’m not the winner whatsoever, right? You got. Yeah, there’s *** negative balance in the account. Thomas and his buddies play daily fantasy. That’s betting on real players with the potential of winning real money. You can bet the under or the over if he gets less than that or more than that. You just like bet over under on people’s points or rebounds or whatever. Though sports gambling is illegal in California, that hasn’t stopped some. finding other ways. I don’t think it’s the state’s choice to decide whether you can gamble though, they restricted *** lot in California. It’s not an opinion. It’s not *** policy. It’s not *** discretionary act. It is an objective, um, straightforward description of what existing law is. But there’s *** fear that any moment Daily fantasy could no longer be around in California. In July, Attorney General Rob Bota sacked Daily Fantasy, deeming the online games illegal in the state. Bota considers it sports gambling. It’s *** violation of the law, as our legal opinion has indicated to, um, provide *** platform, uh, in the state of California to the California consumers for the daily fantasy sports, um, at issue, and, um. The opinion is the first thing that we’ve been asked to provide and we have, as you know, and the next step is our enforcement and laws are meant to be enforced and um we expect our legal opinion to be followed and complied with uh by everyone governed by it. But months later, little has changed, though the attorney General said he’d like to see enforcement actions taken if daily continues, nothing has happened. California Politics 360 has reached out to Bonda’s office to see if he plans to take any further actions. We were asked to rely on the statement he made months ago. I just moved back here after 4 years being in North Carolina, and there’s they’re taxing it somewhat. There’s revenue to be made always. If the Attorney General wants to ban this, tax it, tax it and make revenue off this. Right now, 11 states, including California, don’t allow any type of sports betting. Measures to legalize sports betting in California were easily defeated during the 2022 election. Myself, I’m, I’m only doing this probably once *** month because whenever I bet with these guys, they lose. Whenever I bet by myself, I win, right? But I don’t watch NBA compared to these guys. Some of those who play daily fantasy say it’s not just about the money, it simply adds to their sports experience. Yeah, it definitely makes you like you have to watch the game because. Certain player if they’re playing in the game and it makes you way more invested in the game. Whenever you’re doing this, you’re making *** bet. It’s going to promote your viewership. It’s going to promote advertisement viewers and it’s generating more revenue for the game itself. And as these friends prepare to head into Golden One, they are well aware of the dangers gambling could present. They say like most things, moderation is always best. You can like make money and it makes the game more interesting and if you’re careful about it and like lock in and don’t have any addiction to it, and you spend $2 to $3 *** game. It’s just like *** more fun way to watch the game in Sacramento, Jason Marks, California Politics 360. The future of daily fantasy sports remains in question. It’s been 3 months since the legal opinion has been issued. We reached out to the governor’s office and they pointed us to the statement they shared after the opinion was first released, saying, quote, While the governor does not agree with the outcome. He welcomes *** constructive path forward in collaboration with all stakeholders. Today on California Politics 360, we welcome two powerful voices on both sides of the issue. First, I sit down with the chairman of the California nation’s Indian Gaming Association. They asked for this legal opinion. His thoughts on what’s happened in the three months since. It’s been 3 months since Attorney General Rob Bonta issued the legal opinion, but not much has changed. The chairman of the California nation’s Indian Gaming Association joins us now. Chairman James Siva, thank you so much for being with us. Absolutely, thank you for having me. Major daily fantasy sports operators are still doing business in the state. Their apps are up and running despite the attorney General’s opinion. How are gaming tribes feeling about that? You know, we continue to be frustrated by the entire situation. Um, we applauded, you know, the decision, uh, coming down from AG Banta, um, but as we see, there hasn’t been any enforcement of that, uh, you know, that ruling coming down from his office. Um, and frankly we’re frustrated by it, but we’re not completely unsurprised by it. Um, there are *** lot of companies operating now as been proven illegally in this space, um, and frankly we’re concerned that the AG’s office just doesn’t have the resources uh for this type of enforcement action that is required. That lack of resources, do you think that’s the only hold up in this? Um, I don’t believe it’s the only hold it, but I do think it is *** very crucial part of this process that is, um, is missing, I think. Have the tribes considered suing those daily fantasy sports operators to potentially push the AG to take legal action here? I think that’s something under consideration. I think we would really prefer, uh, that you know, this rule would just be enforced and not have the tribes have to do the work of the state, um, which is, you know, not the first time that that’s happened, and I’m sure it will not be the last. Um, but we would prefer, you know, very much for the state of California to handle this issue coming from their attorney general on their ruling on the on the grounds of, you know, they’re violating state law as well as tribal, uh, exclusivity and sovereignty. Is it just daily fantasy that the tribes have *** problem with, or is season-long fantasy also an issue for the tribes? What exactly is the issue for you all? Our issue is when there are games being played online that are house spanked games, you know, we, we’ve talked about the difference in fantasy, the difference between peer to peer games, um, the difference between, uh, these games that are being, you know, that play and feel like *** house spanked game where you’re you’re betting against the operator and the operators taking the risk of that wager. Um, that’s mostly the ones, the types of games that we’re focused on. Um, I do believe that overall the more peer to peer fantasy sports, um, have *** place as long as they are well regulated and well run. Um, our major concern is if there’s nothing that speaks to it in the California Constitution. That it would therefore be illegal because the only entity that is able to offer any form of gaming in the state is tribes and uh the card rooms which have existed for *** long time as well. So to clarify then, it’s it’s daily fantasy that’s the problem. I mean, daily fantasy is an issue. We also have been dealing with the sweepstakes games which are somewhat related but not directly, but often kind of get misconstrued together. Uh, we’re glad to see the sweepstakes bill that CIGA supported, uh, signed into law, uh, this week by Governor Newsom. Um, these are probably the two that we have been working on longer. I would say the biggest issue that we are concerned about are actually neither of those issues, but rather the emergence of prediction markets and the sports event contracts, uh, being offered by companies such as CalSci, Crypto.com, Robin Hood. Those um offerings have uh have much more concerns for tribes uh at the moment, but we continue to work the the daily fantasy issues, the sweepstakes issues as well. OK, sticking with fantasy, I mean, it has become such *** big part of sports. Do you think it has absolutely no place in California or is it something that you think perhaps the tribes should be able to control? Yeah, I, I think it could have *** place in California. Um, the tribe’s concern has always been the, the protection of our clients of our consumers, but also the regulation of the game. Um, tribal gaming is perhaps the most well regulated industry, not just in the state of California, but in the country, regulated on three different levels from the tribal level, the state level, and the federal level, um, and so we come into gaming wanting to do things, uh, well, wanting things to be very straightforward, transparent and clear to our consumers, our customers. So as we look at fantasy, if there is *** place to be able to offer well regulated fantasy sports with *** clear delineation of what the rules and offerings are, um, tribes would, you know, obviously take *** look at that. And getting even broader then, I mean sports betting generally, is there *** future where California could have it legalized and the tribes be supportive of it? Absolutely, um, uh, at Ciga we have never stopped talking about sports betting, uh, going back to, you know, 2022 when we had the two, opposing propositions that both unfortunately or fortunately, depending on your view, failed, um, we continue to work, uh, through this next offering of gaming into this market and what that looks like. Um, there are still lots of questions to be answered, um, and primarily the one that I try to bring us back around to is do Californians want online sports betting right now? We continue to do massive amounts of polling and our Indication is that they are not ready for sports betting, that they have major concerns about, you know, underage gaming. They have concerns about, you know, bad actors. They have lots of concerns about regulation. Similar things that we are concerned about as well, but we do believe there is *** path forward for sports betting, but that path begins and ends with tribes. Um, tribes are the gaming operators in the state, and we would, you know, continue to do what we can to defend this industry that we’ve created and also to continue to, um, you know, benefit the communities that we’re *** part of. Uh, *** big part of tribal gaming is our charitable giving, and we continue to uplift those communities around us and we, uh, know what good we’ve done here in California, but we are concerned about outside companies, out of state companies coming in and. Having access to the market with no ties to the community, with no, you know, not providing any new jobs here in California, not providing any new revenue to California. So as we look at sports betting, when it comes, it will come through the tribes. Chairman Siva, thank you so much for your time and joining for California Politics 360. Absolutely, thank you so much. Next on California Politics 360, my conversation with Congressman Rocana, his concerns with the Attorney General’s decision. *** Supreme Court decision in 2018 allowed more states to get in on sports gambling. The ruling overturned *** federal law that required states to ban gambling on the outcome of sports events. Following the decision, dozens of states legalized sports gambling. As I said earlier, California is one of 11 states that still bans it. Bay Area representative in Congress Roanna has been an outspoken voice in support of legalizing sports betting. Earlier this week I had *** chance to sit down with him. Here’s our conversation. Representative Rocana, thank you so much for joining California Politics 360. Thank you for having me. I just first want to start with your opinion on California Attorney General Rob Bonta’s legal opinion that he released in July, basically declaring that online daily fantasy sports platforms are illegal in the state. Well, it was wrong and it was out of touch. Uh, anyone like me who grew up outside Philadelphia knows that you play. sports. And, uh, this is, uh, has no purpose. It doesn’t serve any beneficial use, and it’s really just an insult to anyone who has, uh, uh, played fantasy sports, uh, in any way. What concerns broadly do you have about this being illegal here? Well, first, how broad is it? Is it anyone literally who signs up to have *** fantasy team who’s, you know, engaged in trades and figuring out who, which quarterback and running back and wide receivers they should have on their team and which defense? To pick. I mean, it’s, uh, just, I, I, I don’t get what he’s trying to do, and I don’t know what are the interests that are, uh, influencing him, uh, to make that decision. I’ve never had someone, uh, in my town hall get up and say, you know, I’m really concerned about all these kids who’ve got fantasy sports teams. Uh, please do something about it. So it’s *** very odd thing for him to, uh, to, to try to stop. Uh, and it’s not helpful for *** Democratic Party that’s trying to win back young men, you know, exhibit *** of how not to do that is what Banta is doing. We know the tribes, uh, at the very least tried to push the attorney General in this direction of at least releasing the opinion. Do you think tribes here have *** lot of power, maybe too much power in this space? Well, I don’t know in the In the case what influenced them, I’m against sort of money in politics, but money in politics, I’ve been against super PACs, PACs, lobbyists of any kind. Uh, but I, I think *** lot of tribal interests can be protected in terms of them having gaming in their sights. I, I don’t see how this impacts them, the fact that you have people on *** fantasy football team, how does that impact *** tribe that has *** casino? So, it’s just odd to me. Do you see *** pathway in this state where California is one of 7 states where sports gambling is illegal? I mean, do you see *** pathway here for it to become legal at some point? Sure, I mean, I think that there’s, uh, it, it should, uh, certainly not be outlawed in terms of fantasy football, and then there are other ways that as long as it’s done responsibly and under proper regulation, there, there, there should be ***, it can be *** pathway. It’s one of only 7 states, I didn’t know that. Is nationally, is there anything that should be done here, any sort of regulation or second look at just the landscape? When it comes to betting period. Well, I think what we need is *** consistent framework where, uh, it’s permissible, but it’s regulated. Obviously you don’t want players and others self-dealing, uh, and where people are being protected so that they’re not engaged in getting into huge debt or, or beyond their means. But, uh, being able to do so, uh, in *** responsible, uh, way and, and, and, and for fun, I don’t, I don’t think there’s anything wrong with that. I would be remiss if I didn’t mention that daily fantasy sports platforms are still operating in this state at the moment. There has been no legal action, uh, when it comes to the attorney general’s decision. Does that surprise you at all or do you think that that may just be how it is? I think they got so much pushback. It it it doesn’t surprise me that maybe he regrets it or isn’t enforcing it. All right, Representative Rocana, I really appreciate your time thank you so much for being with us. Thank you, Ashley. We did reach out to several online fantasy sports platforms. Prize picks and underdog would not comment. *** spokesperson for FanDuel and DraftKings referred us to previous statements made that the company said about meeting and working with the Attorney General to better understand his decision. Next on California Politics 360, we look back into baseball postseason history and the start of *** dynasty. Next week marks 52 years since the Athletics won their first World Series in Oakland. In Game 7, the A’s were able to hold off the Cincinnati Reds with *** final score of 3 to 2. The A’s would go on to win the next two World Series against the New York Mets and then the Los Angeles Dodgers. Thank you for joining us for this week’s California Politics 360. We’ll see you next Sunday.
The fight over fantasy sports and future of sports betting | California Politics 360
Updated: 8:28 AM PDT Oct 19, 2025
It has been three months since California Attorney General Rob Bonta declared online daily fantasy sports platforms illegal in the state. But as of now, those sites are still up and running and the legal fights that were expected have yet to materialize. It’s the latest in the fight over sports betting overall in California, which remains illegal in the state. California is one of seven states that specifically prohibit sports gambling, while 11 total states have restrictions on gambling overall. Following the rejection of a measure that would have legalized sports betting in 2022, some said fantasy sports was a legal gray area in the state, and powerful gaming tribes have pushed the attorney general to provide the clarity. On California Politics 360, James Siva, the chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), sat down with Ashley Zavala for his first TV interview since the attorney general released his decision. (Video below: See Siva’s full interview.)”We continue to be frustrated by the entire situation,” Siva said, who noted CNIGA applauded the legal opinion when it was first released. “Frankly, we’re concerned that the AG’s office just doesn’t have the resources, for this type of enforcement action that is required.” When asked if the gaming tribes will sue daily fantasy sports operators in California, Siva said it’s something they’re considering. “I think we would really prefer that this rule just be enforced and not have the tribes have to do the work of the state,” Siva said. “Which is, you know, not the first time that that’s happened. And I’m sure it will not be the last.”Bay Area Congressman Ro Khanna has been an outspoken voice in support of legalizing sports betting and called Bonta’s decision tone deaf.”This has no purpose, it doesn’t serve any beneficial use and it’s really just an insult to anyone who has played fantasy sports in any way,” Khanna said. (See Rep. Khanna’s full interview in the video below.)”I think he got so much pushback,” he said. “It doesn’t surprise me that maybe he regrets it and isn’t enforcing it.” A spokesperson for Bonta’s office referred California Politics 360 to a statement he made in July, in which he said enforcement action would be coming against platforms that continue to operate in the state. Spokespeople for major online operators including PrizePicks and Underdog did not comment. A spokesperson for FanDuel and DraftKings referred California Politics 360 to previous statements made about how the companies are working with the attorney general to better understand his decision. A spokesman for Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed the governor still does not agree with the attorney general’s decision and pointed to his statement when Bonta first released the legal opinion.See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channelWatch California Politics 360 Sundays at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3. PHNjcmlwdCB0eXBlPSJ0ZXh0L2phdmFzY3JpcHQiPiFmdW5jdGlvbigpeyJ1c2Ugc3RyaWN0Ijt3aW5kb3cuYWRkRXZlbnRMaXN0ZW5lcigibWVzc2FnZSIsKGZ1bmN0aW9uKGUpe2lmKHZvaWQgMCE9PWUuZGF0YVsiZGF0YXdyYXBwZXItaGVpZ2h0Il0pe3ZhciB0PWRvY3VtZW50LnF1ZXJ5U2VsZWN0b3JBbGwoImlmcmFtZSIpO2Zvcih2YXIgYSBpbiBlLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdKWZvcih2YXIgcj0wO3I8dC5sZW5ndGg7cisrKXtpZih0W3JdLmNvbnRlbnRXaW5kb3c9PT1lLnNvdXJjZSl0W3JdLnN0eWxlLmhlaWdodD1lLmRhdGFbImRhdGF3cmFwcGVyLWhlaWdodCJdW2FdKyJweCJ9fX0pKX0oKTs8L3NjcmlwdD4=
SACRAMENTO, Calif. —
It has been three months since California Attorney General Rob Bonta declared online daily fantasy sports platforms illegal in the state. But as of now, those sites are still up and running and the legal fights that were expected have yet to materialize.
It’s the latest in the fight over sports betting overall in California, which remains illegal in the state. California is one of seven states that specifically prohibit sports gambling, while 11 total states have restrictions on gambling overall.
Following the rejection of a measure that would have legalized sports betting in 2022, some said fantasy sports was a legal gray area in the state, and powerful gaming tribes have pushed the attorney general to provide the clarity.
On California Politics 360, James Siva, the chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), sat down with Ashley Zavala for his first TV interview since the attorney general released his decision.
(Video below: See Siva’s full interview.)
“We continue to be frustrated by the entire situation,” Siva said, who noted CNIGA applauded the legal opinion when it was first released. “Frankly, we’re concerned that the AG’s office just doesn’t have the resources, for this type of enforcement action that is required.”
When asked if the gaming tribes will sue daily fantasy sports operators in California, Siva said it’s something they’re considering.
“I think we would really prefer that this rule just be enforced and not have the tribes have to do the work of the state,” Siva said. “Which is, you know, not the first time that that’s happened. And I’m sure it will not be the last.”
Bay Area Congressman Ro Khanna has been an outspoken voice in support of legalizing sports betting and called Bonta’s decision tone deaf.
“This has no purpose, it doesn’t serve any beneficial use and it’s really just an insult to anyone who has played fantasy sports in any way,” Khanna said.
(See Rep. Khanna’s full interview in the video below.)
“I think he got so much pushback,” he said. “It doesn’t surprise me that maybe he regrets it and isn’t enforcing it.”
A spokesperson for Bonta’s office referred California Politics 360 to a statement he made in July, in which he said enforcement action would be coming against platforms that continue to operate in the state.
Spokespeople for major online operators including PrizePicks and Underdog did not comment. A spokesperson for FanDuel and DraftKings referred California Politics 360 to previous statements made about how the companies are working with the attorney general to better understand his decision.
A spokesman for Gov. Gavin Newsom confirmed the governor still does not agree with the attorney general’s decision and pointed to his statement when Bonta first released the legal opinion.
See more coverage of top California stories here | Download our app | Subscribe to our morning newsletter | Find us on YouTube here and subscribe to our channel
Watch California Politics 360 Sundays at 8:30 a.m. on KCRA 3.