Majority of California Voters Cautiously Open to Legal Sports Betting, New Poll Finds
A majority of California voters appear ready to legalize online sports betting, but their support is cautious and conditional, according to a new poll from POLITICO, the Citrin Center, and the Possibility Lab. The survey reveals a potential path forward for legalization in the nation’s most populous state, but one that would require addressing voter concerns about the details and potential societal impacts.
A Closer Look at the Numbers
The survey of over 1,400 registered voters found that 60 percent are open to the idea of legalizing online sports betting. However, this support is divided. Twenty-five percent of respondents believe legalization is “long overdue,” while a larger group of 35 percent said it “might make sense” but that they would need more details before fully committing.
The remaining 40 percent of voters expressed skepticism. Twenty-one percent were “wary of legalization,” and 19 percent called the idea a “huge mistake.” For this opposition group, concerns about a potential increase in gambling addiction were a primary driver of their position.
The poll also revealed a gender gap on the issue. Sixty-four percent of men were open to the concept of legal sports betting, compared to 55 percent of women.
The Shadow of 2022’s Failed Initiatives
This complex public sentiment exists in the shadow of 2022’s dueling ballot measures. That year, two competing proposals went down in historic defeat. One, backed by major online betting companies, sought to legalize mobile wagering statewide. The other, supported by California’s powerful tribal nations, aimed to restrict sports betting exclusively to tribal casinos and racetracks. Voters rejected both by overwhelming margins.
The new poll suggests that while the appetite for legalization may have grown, the memory of that contentious and expensive campaign still looms large. The significant portion of voters who need “more details” indicates that the specifics of any future proposal, including who would operate it and how it would be regulated, will be critical to its success.
An Uncertain Path Forward
As POLITICO reports, the new survey comes as some of the state’s tribes and a few of the largest sports betting platforms have been in discussions about a potential joint effort for a future ballot measure. However, those talks are complex, and it appears unlikely that a unified proposal will be ready for the next major election cycle.
The debate over sports betting is part of a broader conversation about online gaming in the state. California Attorney General Rob Bonta recently issued a legal opinion concluding that daily fantasy sports are illegal under current state law, though his office has not yet taken enforcement action. This complex regulatory environment forms the backdrop for any future push for sports betting in California.
The poll was conducted from July 28 to August 12 and has a margin of error of 2.6 percent.
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