Our Clients:

Field Level Media - Professional sports content solutions | FLM

Jul 3, 2025 9:30 pm

California AG: Daily fantasy constitutes illegal sports betting

rob bonta california
Photo by: John Meore/The Journal News / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

The California attorney general declared daily fantasy sports illegal in a long-awaited opinion released Thursday afternoon, though the decision was met with push back from Gov. Gavin Newsom as well as the sports betting industry.

Sportsbooks have long argued that daily fantasy sports — which involve selecting a roster of athletes in either a pick’em style or a draft — are games of skill rather than games of chance, and therefore should not be considered gambling.

California AG Rob Bonta begged to differ, ruling Thursday that they constitute gambling “because they involve betting on sporting events.” Sports gambling is already prohibited in California, the most populous state in the nation.

Daily fantasy sportsbooks have raked in billions of dollars while functioning legally in California for more than 10 years, and at least some do not plan to cease operation in the state for the time being.

Representatives from DraftKings and Underdog Fantasy told ESPN that it will continue to offer fantasy contests in California for the time being. A FanDuel spokesperson also told ESPN that the company “look(s) forward to meeting with the attorney general’s office to talk through our next steps.”

A spokesperson for Newsom told Sacramento’s KCRA 3 that the governor disagrees with Bonta’s opinion.

“The Attorney General, in his independent capacity, issued this opinion — not the Governor’s office,” the spokesperson said. “While the Governor does not agree with the outcome, he welcomes a constructive path forward in collaboration with all stakeholders.”

–Field Level Media

You may also like

Katie Ledecky
Jul 29, 2025 12:36 pm

Katie Ledecky wins 1,500 gold at worlds in blistering time

Katie Ledecky posted the fifth-fastest 1,500-meter freestyle time in history in winning the gold medal at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on Tuesday. Ledecky challenged her own world record…

katie ledecky 400
Jul 27, 2025 7:32 pm

Katie Ledecky relegated to third in 400 at world championships

Legendary swimmer Katie Ledecky didn’t have a strong finishing kick on Sunday and finished third in the women’s 400-meter freestyle on the opening day of the swimming world championships in…

Tadej Pogacar, Tour de France
Jul 27, 2025 2:24 pm

Tadej Pogacar wins Tour de France for fourth time

Tadej Pogacar of Slovenia claimed his second straight and fourth career Tour de France championship on Sunday in rain-soaked Paris. Pogacar, who also won in 2020 and 2021, became the…

More Other News

Katie Ledecky
Jul 29, 2025 12:36 pm

Katie Ledecky wins 1,500 gold at worlds in blistering time

Katie Ledecky posted the fifth-fastest 1,500-meter freestyle time in history in winning the gold medal at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore on Tuesday. Ledecky challenged her own world record…

katie ledecky 400
Jul 27, 2025 7:32 pm

Katie Ledecky relegated to third in 400 at world championships

Tadej Pogacar, Tour de France
Jul 27, 2025 2:24 pm

Tadej Pogacar wins Tour de France for fourth time

Tadej Pogacar, Tour de France
Jul 26, 2025 12:02 pm

Kaden Groves wins penultimate stage of Tour de France

Thymen Arensman, Tour de France
Jul 25, 2025 12:06 pm

Thymen Arensman wins Tour de France Stage 19

Read all
fb-post
advertisment
title-icon

Upcoming events

See all odds
[gs-fb-comments]