Camila Johnson
There’s a lot of misinformation out there about online gambling in Santa Barbara. Many residents are eager to understand the rules and regulations as they see online gambling grow in popularity across the country. Revenue in this market is expected to reach a huge $23.03 billion by the end of the year, signifying a massive increase from previous years.
As many of you may be aware, online gambling regulations aren’t as clear-cut in California as they are elsewhere. Things are rather confusing and this leads to myths being cultivated. Today, we’re busting open some common myths about online gambling in Santa Barbara to help you get the truth!
Myth 1: Online Gambling is Banned in Santa Barbara
False! Many people believe that all forms of online gambling are banned in Santa Barbara and California as a whole, but that’s not technically true. The Wikipedia article on Gambling in California states that you can legally do the following:
- Gamble at online cardrooms
- Bet on the California State Lottery
- Enjoy charitable gaming by nonprofit organizations online
Furthermore, there are loopholes related to the gambling rules in this state. You can’t join online casinos in California, but no laws prohibit you from joining overseas sites. Many of the non-GamStop casino websites at CasinoGam.uk are located offshore yet accept US players. This means you’re free to join them and you’re not technically breaking the law as you’re gambling “outside” of California.
Myth 2: You Can’t Bet On Sports
Again, this is misinformation. Sports betting in Santa Barbara isn’t widespread but there are a couple of ways to enjoy it.
The first is to enjoy parimutuel wagering on horse racing. You’ll find a few websites allowing this, though they are few and far between. A much better option is to engage in Daily Fantasy Sports. This is one of the fastest-growing gambling markets in California and the US, yet it’s not formally recognized as a type of gambling.
DFS is unregulated in this state and that means all Santa Barbara residents can enjoy it. The premise is similar to regular Fantasy Sports but with the caveat of being able to win money. You build a team and place wagers for your roster to beat others. The more points you score, the more money you can conceivably win. Moreover, plenty of DFS sites offer additional betting wagers – such as predicting which player in a two-player matchup will score the most points or rebounds in a basketball game. It’s perceived to be based more on skill than luck, which is why it isn’t seen as a true type of online gambling and is available throughout California. Regardless of how you view it, it gives you a way to legally bet on sports!
Myth 3: The Only Way To Play Casino Games Is By Visiting Indian Casinos
There’s an element of truth to this; casino-style gaming is largely prohibited in California unless you are visiting state-recognized tribal or Indian casinos. This means you won’t find any online casinos licensed in this state, which is bad news for Santa Barbara residents who might want a cheeky game of online slots.
However, it is still technically possible to play some casino games online. More often than not, the best way of doing this is through licensed cardrooms. We touched on them earlier, but there are dozens of online cardrooms across California where players can enjoy non-banked card games such as:
- Poker
- Bacarrat
- Pai Gow
You can play against other players to win money, much like you would if you were sat around a table at a casino. In other words, online casino games are playable, but only in certain types and in small varieties. You certainly won’t be able to enjoy slots or jackpot games unless you look into some of the offshore casinos mentioned earlier.
In conclusion, gambling in Santa Barbara is more confusing than it needs to be. We’re hoping for some more clear-cut regulations at some point so it’s easier to understand and the myths stop piling up. Thank you for reading and don’t forget to check out more trending Santa Barbara news to stay updated with the latest goings on!
