AB 831 was a bill first introduced in California on February 15, 2025 by Rep. James Ramos. The bill originally focused on tribal gaming compacts. However, in June, this bill was completely altered by Rep. Avelino Valencia to ban sweepstakes casinos. This “gut-and-amend” process has put the California anti-sweeps bill on a fast track.
California’s gut-and-amend process is where the original content of a bill is replaced with new language. This happens late in the legislative cycle, when there’s not enough time to introduce a new bill. The move allows lawmakers to avoid any hurdles that could slow down the process.
Gut-and-amend is often met with criticism because it bypasses legislative transparency. The use of this process on AB 831 indicates the state of California’s desire to move quickly on banning sweepstakes casinos.
Below, the table outlines the major overhaul of AB831:
| Aspect | Original AB 831 (Ramos) | Amended AB 831 (Valencia) |
|---|---|---|
| Date Introduced | February 2025 | June 2025 |
| Core Focus | Tribal-state compact review timing | Ban on online sweepstakes casinos using virtual currency for gambling |
| Main Provisions | Extend legislative review period after recess | Expand unfair practices; criminalize operation/support of sweepstakes casinos |
| Penalties | None (civil/administrative adjustments) | Misdemeanor: $1,000–$25,000 fines and/or up to 1 year jail |
| Transparency | Standard legislative process | “Gut-and-amend” policy, involving a mid-session overhaul with limited public input |
| Stakeholder Impact | Primarily tribal compact process | Broad impact, sweepstakes operators, service providers, financial partners, media affiliates |
The next step for AB831 is a Senate hearing on August 18th. This is the final Senate hearing, which will take place in front of the Appropriations Committee. If AB831 passes through this hearing, it will be placed in a Senate vote. Once that hurdle is cleared, it would need to be approved by the full Assembly.
Even though AB831 is now a totally different bill from the original, it won’t have to go through any additional Assembly meetings. With California’s legislative deadline in early September, AB831 may be finalized by that date. If not, a sweepstakes ban in the Golden State would have to wait until 2026.
The fast track to ban sweepstakes casinos in California is reflective of what’s been commonly seen around the country for the last year. There have already been full-out sweepstakes casino bans in Connecticut and Montana. With that said, California is the only state to date that has used the gut-and-amend process to this kind of bill against sweepstakes casinos.
