Interested parties on both sides of the debate spent more than $450 million advertising their positions, showing just how significant the issue is in the state. The effort continued in 2022 with two ballot initiatives that invited CA voters to weigh in on legalizing sports betting. Are California retail sportbooks operational?Ĭalifornia lawmakers have introduced multiple sports betting bills during recent years, but none have made it to the finish line.Potential California online sports betting sites.