Illegal sports betting is big business in California, and now there's a renewed push to make it legal to bet on your favorite team.
The bill, which would legalize sports betting at California race tracks, casinos, and other gaming establishments, stalled in the State Assembly last year.
But, lawmakers are rolling the dice again.
If the legislation passes this time around, customers would be allowed to wager on professional and some college teams. However, they could not bet on specific California colleges.
Supporters argue many Californians already take part in underground bets involving huge sporting events, like the Super Bowl.
So, why not make it legal, with a percentage of the revenue going to the state.
"Vegas probably did somewhere north of $2 billion just on Super Bowl revenues alone. Nationwide it was probably closer to $10 billion. California for Vegas probably amounted to at least half of that revenue," said State Senator Roderick Wright, D-Los Angeles.
In the past, the Police Chief's Association and other opponents argued legal sports betting would only create more gambling addicts and increase crime.
Right now, California and 45 other states are prohibited from sports betting by the federal government, which means the federal law will have to be challenged.
The bill, which would legalize sports betting at California race tracks, casinos, and other gaming establishments, stalled in the State Assembly last year.
But, lawmakers are rolling the dice again.
If the legislation passes this time around, customers would be allowed to wager on professional and some college teams. However, they could not bet on specific California colleges.
Supporters argue many Californians already take part in underground bets involving huge sporting events, like the Super Bowl.
So, why not make it legal, with a percentage of the revenue going to the state.
"Vegas probably did somewhere north of $2 billion just on Super Bowl revenues alone. Nationwide it was probably closer to $10 billion. California for Vegas probably amounted to at least half of that revenue," said State Senator Roderick Wright, D-Los Angeles.
In the past, the Police Chief's Association and other opponents argued legal sports betting would only create more gambling addicts and increase crime.
Right now, California and 45 other states are prohibited from sports betting by the federal government, which means the federal law will have to be challenged.