MLB Becomes First Pro League To Support Online Sports Betting In California

The MLB has come out as an official supporter of Prop 27 in California, which would legalize online sports betting and is the first league to take a side on either bill.
With partnerships with sportsbooks operators already, Prop 26 would not allow the MLB to see those books legal in California.

LOS ANGELES – The MLB has become the first professional sports league to support one of the two sports betting bills that will be featured during the November ballot. They have shown support for Proposition 27 (The California Solutions To Homeless and Mental Health Act) which is the only bill that would legalize online sports betting.

There has been a sportsbook bill battle in California ever since both Prop 26 and 27 were set to officially be on the November ballot.

Prop 27 Allows MLB, Sportsbook Deals

Prop 26 is backed by casino operators on tribal land, and would not allow any form of online sports betting, meaning wagers could not be placed at a live MLB game in the stadium or even in the general area.

This bill would also make it difficult for the MLB to create partnerships with legal sportsbooks because they would not be as accessible. Prop 27 is also backed by seven different sportsbook operators and they would all make suitable partners for the MLB.

“As legalized sports betting continues to expand across the country, Major League Baseball remains committed to protecting the integrity of its games and creating a safe experience for fans who wish to wager on those games” said the MLB in a statement.

California Following New York

It did not take long for private sportsbook operators to form partnerships with MLB teams in New York, and California could only follow their footprints with Prop 27. The Yankees have deals with the FanDuel, DraftKings and Bally Bet most recently.

The New York Mets secured a deal with Caesars Sportsbook in April of 2022.

These partnerships do not require retail sports betting in the stadiums, but the MLB team promotes the sportsbook through banners, big screen time, and special promotions through the sportsbook app.

With California having five MLB teams in the state, there would be more potential for these than the legal New York sports betting market. The San Diego Padres are a relevant team to bet on in CA, with the playoffs approaching and the team trading for Juan Soto. They currently have +1500 odds to win the World Series.

Outside of the California sports betting market, the MLB has official partnerships with FanDuel and DraftKings, making it no surprise that the league has shown full support for the mobile sports betting bill.

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Ben Fiore

Ben has been an avid sports fan his whole life and mostly follows football and basketball, both professional and collegiate. He has been covering topics that vary from Super Bowl prop bets to articles about the generated revenue from regulated sports betting. He is currently finishing his Editing, Writing, and Media Degree at Florida State University, with a minor in Business. Diving into the world of sports betting, he is ecstatic to work in an area that has combined his two passions of sports and writing.