BetMGM keeps getting more and more popular across the US each day. So, if you're in The Golden State, you might be wondering: is BetMGM legal in California? Sadly, the answer is no.
Now I’ve confirmed that BetMGM cannot legally operate in California at the moment, I'll explain why. Since BetMGM is a sportsbook, and sports betting is banned under the local online betting regulations in California, the site can't legally operate in the state, so you won't be able to access it.
When trying to access BetMGM California, you'll quickly discover you're not able to. That’s because California hasn’t legalized online sports gaming or real-money online casinos yet. So, even though BetMGM is a major player in other states, it’s off-limits here, for now.
I’m not sure. It all boils down to state regulations. In 2022, two ballot measures to legalize sports betting didn’t pass, and attempts to revive the conversation in 2023 and 2024 didn’t gain any traction. For now, California is not one of the US states that allow online casinos or sportsbooks.
However, if California does greenlight sports gaming in the future, I fully expect BetMGM to be one of the first to launch. It’s already a favorite in nearly 20 states, and I’m sure California players will love it, too.
I’ll admit, even after discovering the legal setbacks, I still found myself asking, “Can I use BetMGM in California?” Of course, the short answer is no. Even with a VPN, accessing BetMGM in restricted states is impossible.
For a while, sweepstakes casinos and social sportsbooks were seen as a good alternative, but they are now also banned in California, thanks to a law that takes effect on January 1, 2026.
As mentioned above, sweepstakes casinos and social betting sites are no longer an option in California. This is because AB 831 has now been passed into law, sweepstakes sites operating a dual virtual currency system won't be able to operate in CA.
So all the Sweepstakes sites you might have heard of that use Gold Coins (for fun play) and Sweepstakes Coins (that can be redeemed for prizes) won't be available at all from January 1, 2026.
Some social casino sites that only allow gamers to play in GC mode might still be accessible, depending on if they operate within the terms of the legislation.
As we've established, you will no longer be able to visit any of best real money sweepstakes casinos in California after January 1, 2026. this means all the top names in social gaming that were previously legal in the state will now be banned.
Despite BetMGM's popularity across the rest of the US, it still isn't legal in California and that isn't expected to change any time soon. It's also worth noting that gaming fans could previously play at sweepstakes sites as an alternative to BetMGM, but now the new law takes effect from January 1, 2026, dual currency sweepstakes sites are also banned.
We keep on top of all the legal changes as they happen, so if BetMGM announces a launch date in California, we'll report everything you need to know right here.
Unfortunately, BetMGM cannot legally operate in California yet. So, the emphatic answer is no.
BetMGM is available in Arizona, Colorado, Washington D.C., Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wyoming. Cali residents can remain hopeful that as the site spreads across the country, it’ll eventually reach The Golden State if the laws change.
Unfortunately, sweepstakes sites are no longer legal in California. So, if you've previously used social sportsbooks or sweepstakes casinos as alternative to BetMGM in California you won't be able to when the new law takes effect on January 1, 2026.
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