Is Draftkings Legal in California?
Draftkings is not licensed in California to take bets. A number of other websites licensed outside the state do take bets from California residents, including Jazz Sports with its generous welcome bonus (max bonus $1000)
California is not expected to legalize sportsbooks to operate within its borders over the next decade. Draftkings will not operate in any state that does not offer licensing.
Offshore sportsbooks have been accepting customers from California for better than two decades now. None of these companies intend to seek a state license as they already have one from the country in which they operate.
California Tribes have long been at odds with one another as to how online gambling should be structured in the state and what companies can forge partnerships. For the better part of a decade, proponents of online poker worked tireless to bring Web card rooms to the site with no luck due to the various conflicts.
One of the biggest obstacles to overcome in the Golden State is the limited legislative session. Lawmakers pack up at the start of summer and no new bills or amendments are taken up until the following year. The state would need to amend its current laws before allowing sportsbooks to operate from California.
- Aaron Goldstein, Gambling911.com
