A California casino project is hitting another turn in its controversial journey. The North Fork Casino and Resort is due to open in the coming weeks in Madera County, California, despite a long legal fight and claims that the project is illegal, a national gaming report says. The tribe behind the project, the North Fork Rancheria of Mono Indians, has faced stiff opposition to its plans to open a casino, which date back to 2011. However, it now looks set to open the venue along Highway 99, just north of Madera. The casino will include over 2,400 slots, 40 table games, and several restaurants. The resort will also add a 200-room hotel at a later date, multiple reports have noted. The tribe says the casino is “built to deliver bold and elevated experiences, and a welcoming atmosphere where every guest feels like a VIP.”
For this report, SBS will be going over the latest gaming news coming out of the Golden State, along with a variety of other notes and information you can only find at SBS.
Former Governor Jerry Brown approved the tribe’s proposal to construct a casino in 2012. However, voters rejected the compact in 2014 by opposing Proposition 48. The Picayune Rancheria of the Chukchansi Indians, which runs the nearby Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino, filed a lawsuit in 2016. A Madera County Superior Court judge ultimately sided with the Chukchansi on June 26, 2024. Judge Michael J. Jurkovich ruled that the voter rejection of Proposition 48 invalidated the governor’s concurrence. “The Picayune Rancheria has repeatedly asked North Fork to comply with the law and avoid taking actions that would irreparably harm its sovereign interests. North Fork has refused,” Picayune Rancheria Chairperson Deann Kamalani said. “In so doing, North Fork’s refusal to follow the will of California voters and a final judgment directly impacts our ability to provide essential services to our tribal members.”
The North Fork appealed, but the California Fifth District Court of Appeals upheld the ruling in December last year. The tribe then tried to take its appeal to the California Supreme Court, but it refused to hear the case earlier this year. Despite losing the state-court appeal, the tribe has pressed ahead with the construction of the casino in partnership with Station Casinos. “We are excited to help the Tribe bring this exciting project to fruition, fostering economic prosperity for the surrounding community and tribal members through the creation of permanent job opportunities,” Station Casinos President Scott Kreeger said when announcing the partnership. “We look forward to supporting the Tribe in the finalization of their splendid facility and contributing to the success of this remarkable endeavor.”
According to the same report, the Picayune Rancheria filed a new lawsuit in June this year to block the planned opening. The tribe insists that court rulings have voided the compact signed by Governor Brown. “This lawsuit follows a complete victory by Picayune Rancheria just last year,” the tribe said in a press release. “North Fork lost in that litigation, and it was expected that North Fork’s defeat would bring an end to this long-running dispute.” It added that it is now bound by a final judgment confirming that North Fork lacks the required approval to conduct off-reservation gaming. Additionally, North Fork has moved to dismiss the lawsuit and is set to open the casino unless a federal judge issues a temporary restraining order.
In other state gaming news, while sports betting remains strictly illegal in California, state residents are increasingly using prediction markets to wager real money on their in-state team via outlets like prediction markets. Per another article, DraftKings launched DraftKings Predictions in California in December 2025, the state with the largest economy in the US that’s home to nearly 40 million people. Despite Californians soundly rejecting Proposition 27 in 2022, a ballot referendum to authorize sports betting, with more than 82% opposition, DraftKings allows traders to make financial trades on sports.
DraftKings Predictions, Kalshi, and Polymarket all operate prediction markets in California. Additionally, the state is considered the sports betting industry’s holy grail, as access to 40 million people and the fourth-largest economy in the world would be a goldmine for sportsbooks like DraftKings. Moreover, tensions regarding sports betting between California’s tribal casinos, commercial cardrooms, and out-of-state gambling companies remain high, with the groups deeply divided over how the market should be structured and controlled. Regardless, a prediction markets research firm, Aldrin, reports that DraftKings Predictions is aggressively marketing in California, Texas, and Georgia.
Once you are all up to speed in relation to the newest gambling news coming from the Golden State, make sure to check out the excellent array of resources available to you at SBS. Of course, for even more analysis on the topic in this report, the California betting sites guide is a must-read page that goes over all of the latest updates coming from the region. Conversely, for those who are eligible and curious about other gaming resources, the BetOnline sportsbook review rundown is a must-read page that goes over the latest perks available at the site. Finally, for those on the go, the best betting apps breakdown is a fantastic resource. Here, you can learn more about mobile wagering, what it means and does, and how it can make sense for you, if applicable and eligible.
About the Author
Chris Boline is a Reno-based business development professional and freelance sports writer with over a decade of experience covering the NBA G League, Los Angeles Chargers, and national football and basketball. His expertise spans the NFL, NBA, UFC, boxing, golf, and motorsports, along with topical news, marketing, and promotional content. A proud University of Nevada graduate, Chris earned both his BS in Management & Economics (2015) and MBA (2023). He is active in the Reno community, serving on boards such as the Nevada Sagebrush Alumni Chapter, NCET, and the College of Business Alumni Association, where he was past president (2022–23). Notable honors include: - Two-time University of Nevada Alumni Chapter of the Year honoree (2017, 2021) - 2021 NCET Professional Services Organization of the Year (with TAC) - 2016–17 Reno Bighorns MVP, awarded by the Sacramento Kings - Nevada Press Association Award for Best Sports Column (2015) - Former Editor-in-Chief of The Nevada Sagebrush Chris blends his passion for sports with a strong background in sales, marketing, and community engagement.
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