Before state Attorney General Rob Bonta declared that fantasy sports betting websites are illegal in California, he raked in campaign contributions from the industry’s biggest nemesis.
Tribal communities — which have fought for years to outlaw fantasy sports platforms that compete with their casinos — contributed at least $101,500 to Bonta in late 2023 and through summer 2024. That includes money Bonta accepted even after his office was asked to issue an opinion about the legality of fantasy sports wagering.
Roughly a year later, Bonta issued an opinion that fantasy sports platforms, which allow gambling based on fictional lineups of real-world athletes, are merely a “modern variation” of sports betting and banned by state law.
