The California legislature is one step closer to putting the kibosh on sweepstakes casino gambling in the state.
- California's Senate Appropriations Committee has advanced A.B. 831, a bill that would ban online sweepstakes casinos.
- The bill, supported by major gaming tribes and organizations, seeks to enforce penalties on unregulated operators and preserve tribal gaming exclusivity.
- Yet a few tribal groups, like the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, oppose the bill.
Assemblymember Avelino Valencia’s A.B. 831 was advanced without commentary on Friday by the California Senate’s Appropriations Committee. The vote to approve the bill was unanimous, 7-0.
The appropriations committee was meeting for a so-called “suspense” hearing, where it quickly disposes of legislation, either nudging it forward for a floor vote or holding it back to die.
A.B. 831, which would ban sweepstakes casinos in California, is moving forward.
Break out the brooms
If it becomes law, A.B. 831 would prohibit operating online sweepstakes that use a “dual currency” model for casino-like wagering, sports betting included.
The bill would put penalties in place for those who run and offer online sweepstakes casinos, by creating a misdemeanor violation that can result in up to a year of jail time and fines of $1,000 to $25,000 for offenders.
A.B. 831 was amended in the Senate in June to become an anti-sweeps bill. It was then referred to several committees in the chamber before Friday’s suspense hearing. Now, it must be passed by the Senate and agreed to by the House before it can become law.
There is no guarantee it becomes law, either. The last day for either house of the California legislature to pass bills this year is Sept. 12.
"The fact that any of us vote for an item in committee today does not mean that particular member is necessarily going to vote for the item on the floor," Committee chair Sen. Anna Caballero said, adding that Friday's vote was just a "process vote."
"Many of us may have different opinions by the time it gets to the floor," Caballero said.
Big BFFs
California is not alone in trying to crack down on sweeps. Several other state legislatures have taken action against sweepstakes casinos and sportsbooks this year, such as New Jersey, where anti-sweeps legislation became law earlier this month.
But a California sweepstakes ban would be a bigger blow for operators. That is clear from the opposition voiced by the sweeps industry, as well as the support from California’s major gaming operators, Native American tribes.
The California Senate's Appropriations Committee just unanimously passed AB831, the sweepstakes casino ban bill. Now heads to the Senate floor for a vote. pic.twitter.com/0zszJpIiq0
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) August 29, 2025
A.B. 831 is co-sponsored and supported by groups such as the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation and the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA). Those groups have cried foul about sweeps, urging state lawmakers to uphold their exclusive gaming rights in the state.
“The state’s voters have consistently shown their trust in Native American tribes to operate gaming facilities responsibly and ethically,” the Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation said in a written argument in favor of the bill. “Allowing unregulated and predatory sweepstakes operators to bypass these regulations undermines that trust and integrity of California’s gaming policies.”
The California Senate's Appropriations Committee is scheduled to vote on 12 pages of bills tomorrow, including a proposed ban on sweepstakes casinos in the state. pic.twitter.com/yINoHwWMF6
— Geoff Zochodne (@GeoffZochodne) August 28, 2025
However, a few tribes have come forward to voice their opposition to the proposed sweeps ban, most recently the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians.
“Eliminating legitimate, regulated digital enterprise will only deepen the disparities our people face, erode our tribal self-sufficiency, and contradict California’s stated commitment to equity and inclusion for all tribal nations,” wrote Buffey Bourassa, secretary of the Sherwood Valley Band of Pomo Indians, in a letter to the appropriations committee. “We urge the Committee to reject AB 831 and instead support policy solutions that empower all tribes to diversify economically, address systemic challenges, and chart a path toward sustainable self-governance and prosperity.”
