California · Side by side
Prop 26 vs 27
One measure kept sports betting inside tribal casinos and racetracks, the other put it on phones, and voters turned down both by wide margins.
Photograph by Radomianin via Wikimedia Commons (Public domain)
Proposition 26 would have allowed in-person sports betting at tribal casinos and four racetracks, while Proposition 27 would have allowed online and mobile sports betting statewide; California voters rejected both on November 8, 2022.
California's 2022 sports-betting vote was not a simple question of legalization but a clash between two competing proposals. Both aimed to bring sports wagering to the state, but they did so through fundamentally different business models, and both were written as initiative constitutional amendments and statutes.
Model clash: tribal retail betting vs. online/mobile betting
| Proposition 26 | Proposition 27 | |
|---|---|---|
| Type of betting | In person only | Online and mobile |
| Where | Tribal casinos and four privately operated horse-racing tracks | Anywhere in California outside tribal lands |
| Who could offer it | Tribes and the four racetracks | Tribes and gambling companies licensed in at least 10 states, which had to partner with a tribe |
| Minimum age | 21 | 21 |
| State share | 10% of racetrack sports bets, after prizes | 10% of monthly sports bets, after prizes and certain costs |
| Other changes | Roulette and dice games at tribal casinos; a new private right to sue over state gambling-law violations | $100 million license fee for companies, $10 million for tribes; 85% of the fund to homelessness and gambling-addiction programs, 15% to tribes not offering online betting |
| Result | 33.02% yes, 66.98% no | 17.72% yes, 82.28% no |
Proposition 26 would also have barred bets on high school games and on games involving California college teams. Its private right of action would have let people and entities file civil lawsuits over alleged gambling-law violations after first asking the state Department of Justice to act, with penalties of up to $10,000 per violation. A NO vote on either measure meant sports betting would continue to be illegal in California.
Who backed each measure
Proposition 26 was backed mainly by California tribes that operate casinos, and cardroom operators led the opposition, largely over its lawsuit provision. Proposition 27 was backed mainly by national online sportsbook companies and a few tribes, while tribal casino owners funded the largest campaign against it.
Committees for and against the two measures raised more than $450 million combined, a state record for ballot-measure fundraising. Secretary of State totals through September 24, 2022, show about $169 million raised to support Proposition 27 and about $215 million raised by two tribal committees opposing it, while committees sponsored by licensed card clubs had raised about $49 million to oppose Proposition 26.
Why both failed
Voters rejected both proposals by wide margins, with Proposition 27 receiving the lower share of yes votes. Election results show how people voted, not why, so any single explanation for the outcome is analysis rather than established fact. What the results do show is that record spending did not carry either measure.
The vote is over, and both measures failed. So, as of 2026, sports betting remains illegal throughout California, just as it was before the November 2022 election, and any future attempt would again need voter approval. This article is general information, not legal advice; the Secretary of State's voter guide archive holds the full text and official analysis of both measures.
This article is general information about the law as it stood at the time of writing, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; check the official source before you act.
Sources
- vigarchive.sos.ca.gov/2022/general/propositions/26/analysis.htm
- vigarchive.sos.ca.gov/2022/general/propositions/27/analysis.htm
- sos.ca.gov/campaign-lobbying/helpful-resources/measure-contributions/2022-ballot-measure-c
- laist.com/news/politics/2022-election-california-general-live-results-proposition-26-27-sp
