Catie Di Stefano
Catie Di Stefano — 15 years in regulated gambling, ex-Betsson & GiG, built the OnlineGamblers.com brand — runs California's independent prediction markets.
Catie Di Stefano has spent 15 years in the regulated gambling industry, starting at Betsson Group in Malta and spending nearly five years at Gaming Innovation Group (GiG) before building an independent consultancy across European and US iGaming brands, including a licensed engagement with Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City under a New Jersey DGE vendor license.
15 years in regulated online gambling Betsson Group Malta + nearly 5 years at GiG NJ DGE vendor license — Hard Rock AC engagement Built the OnlineGamblers.com brand Marketing director, Smartico.ai & Vegas Kings Interviewed by the California Business Journal on US gambling legalization (March 2024) Next.io New York panelist on gaming opportunities in Texas, California, New York and Florida (May 2022) SBC Summit Lisbon panelist on player protection in Europe vs. America (2024) Next.io NYC panelist on responsible regulation with the American Gaming Association (March 2023)
Hard Rock AC engagement
Independent consultancy with a licensed Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City engagement under a NJ DGE vendor license.
California gaming panels
Spoke on a 2022 Next.io panel on California's gaming market; interviewed by the California Business Journal.
OnlineGamblers.com
Built the OnlineGamblers.com brand; marketing director roles at Smartico.ai and Vegas Kings.
She's been interviewed by the California Business Journal on the rise of online gambling in the US, and spoke on a 2022 Next.io panel specifically about California's gaming market.
She went on to build the OnlineGamblers.com brand and hold marketing director roles at Smartico.ai and Vegas Kings, and has been named to multiple iGamingExpress industry rankings. She now covers regulated prediction markets full-time.
The publication
Why Venice Prediction Markets exists
Venice Prediction Markets is an independent publisher launched in 2026 for one audience: Californians trying to work out what they can legally trade. California has no legal online sports betting (voters rejected Propositions 26 and 27 in November 2022), sports betting stays limited to tribal casinos under their compacts, and federally regulated exchanges such as Kalshi and Polymarket US sit in contested territory. That makes California different from Florida, New York or Texas, and it is why we cover it on its own.
California is also where the court fight is now concentrated. It sits in the Ninth Circuit, which ruled on August 28, 2026 (Nevada) that Kalshi is unlikely to show federal law blocks state gambling laws, and on September 16, 2026 sided with two California tribes against Kalshi on their lands. Those are preliminary-stage rulings, and three petitions are already before the Supreme Court. We track each step on our California legality page.
What we cover is Californian too: the governor, attorney general and Los Angeles mayor races, the Lakers, Dodgers, 49ers, Rams, Warriors and LAFC, wildfire and earthquake markets, Hollywood awards, and California's own tax on trading profits. City guides cover Los Angeles, San Francisco, San Diego and Sacramento. One practical note for readers here: Rebet is not available in California, so we only mention it as a travel option.
We fund our own accounts, set rankings editorially — never by commission rate — and write for California readers first.
Where Catie has spoken about these markets
- Interviewed by the California Business Journal for "As Gambling is Legalized in More — And More — States" (March 2024).
- Panelist at Next.io New York (May 2022) on iCasino and gaming opportunities in the "big four" states: Texas, California, New York and Florida, with Brendan Bussman, Per Hellberg and Richard Schuetz.
- Panelist at SBC Summit Lisbon (2024) on player protection in Europe vs. America, with Bill Pascrell (Princeton Public Affairs Group), Tammi Barlow (Bally's) and Andrea McGeachin (Neosurf).
- Panelist at Next.io NYC (March 2023) on responsible regulation, with Cait DeBaun of the American Gaming Association, Martin Lycka (Entain) and Stephen W. Grambling (Morgan Stanley).
Editorial standards
We test what we recommend
No operator makes a "Top Apps" list until we've funded an account, placed real trades on at least three different market categories, and tested both deposit and withdrawal end-to-end. We document the test details on each Review page.
We cite primary sources
Legality claims link to CFTC press releases, court filings, and operator terms — not to other affiliate sites. When the law is unsettled, we say so plainly.
We update aggressively
CFTC rulings, state cease-and-desist orders, and operator launches change the picture monthly. Every legality and review page carries a "Last updated" date and we revisit our top pages at minimum every 30 days.
We correct mistakes openly
If we get something wrong, we fix it, note the change at the top of the page, and — if the error materially misled readers — we say so. Email editorial@venicepredictions.com to report an issue.
How we make money
We earn affiliate commissions when readers sign up for prediction market platforms via our outbound links. Commissions never determine rankings. See our full Affiliate Disclosure for the FTC-compliant breakdown.
What we will not do
- List offshore sportsbooks or unregulated peer-to-peer betting apps that masquerade as "prediction markets."
- Run sponsored content, paid placements, or advertorials.
- Use language like "guaranteed," "risk-free," or "easy money."
- Write for anyone under 21 (our editorial age policy).
- Sell reader data.
Get in touch
Editorial / corrections: editorial@venicepredictions.com
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Legal: legal@venicepredictions.com
Journalists: see our press kit for bio, brand assets, and pre-cleared expert quotes, or read our editorial methodology.