WatchandWager Secures Betting License, Eyeing Sports Wagering In California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. – North California horse racing fans will be pleased to know that they will be able to use the WatchandWager online platform until at least 2021.

Webis Holdings, the parent company of WatchandWager, was approved by the state for a betting license extension, but the company sees this as more of a strategic move towards sports betting.

The approval by the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB), will allow the company to accept California pari-mutuel bettors both on their online site and at their physical Sacramento racetrack.

Even though there is nothing in the extension that allows the company to offer gambling on sports, WatchandWager’s President Ed Comins is confident that will change.

“These are dynamic times in the racing and gaming industry in the USA, and we look forward to being ready to offer sports wagering to California residents as it is approved by the legislature,” he said.

There are currently 11 states that have legalized the activity and almost two dozen other states that have introduced bills this year to do the same. California has yet to introduce any this year, but have had some introduced in the past.

In 2017, Assembly Member Adam Gray proposed an amendment to the state constitution in the event that the federal law PASPA was repealed. Even though that proposal never gained enough traction, after PASPA was deemed unconstitutional in May of 2018, he said he would try to reintroduce the bill.

If any state officials plan on having a bill passed this year they will have to do so before the legislative session ends May 31.

How Long Could It Take For Sports Betting To Reach California?

Even though WatchandWager’s betting license extension will last for another couple of years, it could take longer than that for sports betting to be legalized in California.

The gambling industry in the state is a bit more complicated than other regions in the US. There are three main entities that could be granted to someday offer sports wagering. The most powerful of them are the tribal casino owners, followed by horse racing tracks, and lastly the state’s cardrooms.

With some groups vowing for exclusivity of the practice, their political powers will become a major factor on how a bill is introduced.

Another major hurdle that Californians will have to face is that in order to expand the state’s gambling laws, there would need to be an amendment to the state’s constitution. That would require a statewide vote and the next opportunity to have that on the ballot will be in 2020.

If state lawmakers are unable to get anything put on that ballot, the next opportunity to do so will fall beyond WatchandWager’s current betting license extension.