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State of Play’s TL;DR
- California lawmakers have introduced a bill to stop fantasy sports and prediction market platforms from advertising to or allowing minors to use their services.
- This could reshape how betting-style apps market in the state and signal tighter ad rules across the US for operators and bettors.
Two California Assemblymembers, Mia Bonta and Pilar Schiavo, have introduced legislation aimed at preventing fantasy sports and prediction market platforms from targeting minors with advertising or permitting minors to use their services.
At a press conference, Mia Bonta warned that gambling-style content ‘‘finds’’ kids and is ‘‘dressed up to look like skill,’’ while Schiavo called the industry ‘‘grooming our kids to be gamblers for life.’’
The move follows a threat last July from California Attorney General Rob Bonta to pursue legal action against sweepstakes, prediction markets, and certain fantasy sites. Supporters point to a 2025 Common Sense Media survey showing 12% of boys aged 11–17 reported participating in sports-related gambling. Though many companies use age checks and ID verification, lawmakers argue those safeguards are routinely bypassed and insufficient.
Legislation could result in new ad regulations
The bill would raise compliance and marketing costs while possibly requiring more responsible gambling resources. Operators active in California could face new limits on ad placements and creative targeting, requiring stricter age-gating, more robust identity verification, and careful ad verification that avoids channels frequented by minors.
That may reduce ad spend on mass-reach platforms and drive a shift toward contextual or first-party marketing.
For bettors, especially young adults near the age cutoff, expect fewer youth-oriented ads and possibly more friction when signing up (additional ID checks or geofencing). Financially, operators could see slower growth in certain user segments and higher onboarding costs.
Based on reporting by Melanie Porter for Gambling News.
