The Heartland Line
Is sports betting legal in California?
California has no legal sports betting of any kind; voters rejected two ballot measures in 2022, and the state's tribes are aiming for 2028, not this year.
Reviewed 2026-10-10. Laws change; we re-check every state page each month and after any vote.
What California fans can use today
No sportsbook may take a California customer.
ExchangesLiveKalshi and Polymarket: federally regulated, a fee on each fill. Priced on the board with the fee removed.
This week’s Big Ten games, priced where California can play
There is no sportsbook to compare against in California, so this is Novig against the best exchange price. Profit on a $100 position, fees taken out.
| Game | Favourite | Novig | Best exchange |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio State at Indiana Sat, Oct 17 · 12:00 PM ET | Ohio State | -174 +$57.47 | -178 Kalshi · +$52.41 |
Prices refresh about every ten minutes. Open a game for the spread, the total and every venue.
The law in California, in plain English
Sports betting in California takes a constitutional amendment approved by voters. Proposition 26 (in-person, at tribal casinos and racetracks) and Proposition 27 (online) both failed in November 2022. Tribal leaders have said there will be no sports betting measure on the 2026 ballot; their working target is 2028.
UCLA and USC fans can use federally regulated prediction markets. Novig is available in California, as are Kalshi and Polymarket US. In September the Ninth Circuit ruled, in a case brought by two California tribes, that Kalshi's sports contracts are likely unauthorized gaming when traded on tribal land; that ruling covers tribal land, not the rest of the state.
Your teams
Questions California fans ask
- Is online sports betting legal in California?
- California has no legal sports betting of any kind; voters rejected two ballot measures in 2022, and the state's tribes are aiming for 2028, not this year.
- Can I use DraftKings or FanDuel in California?
- No. No sportsbook may take a California customer.
- Can I use Novig in California?
- Yes. Novig is a CFTC-designated prediction market available in California to traders 21 and older, and it prices every Big Ten game.
- What about Kalshi and Polymarket?
- Both prediction markets operate in California under the same federal framework as Novig. They quote a probability rather than a line and charge a fee on each fill; this site shows all three side by side with the fee taken out.
- What is the minimum age?
- Novig requires traders to be 21 or older.
If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call or text 1-800-GAMBLER.