Firing of Ohtani’s interpreter highlights how sports betting is still illegal in California

SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — The firing of Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter by the Los Angeles Dodgers over allegations of illegal gambling and theft has highlighted an issue many outside of California don’t realize: Sports betting is still against the law in the nation’s most populous state. Betting on sports has exploded in the United States since the 2018 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that cleared the way for states to legalize it. Thirty-eight states now allow betting on sports, and ads promoting bookmakers DraftKings and FanDuel are seemingly everywhere. Sportsbooks salivate at the thought of gaining access to California’s 39 million residents, but the industry’s efforts thus far have failed. Voters rejected two rival proposals in 2022.