Updated on: August 12th, 2024
The State of California has the highest number of legal casinos. There are over 150 casinos and cardrooms spread across California. Over 60 of those are tribal casinos. Although California has the highest number of casinos in a state, the gambling laws are quite strict. The following forms of gambling are legal:
- Indian Tribal Casinos
- Cardrooms
- Pari-mutuel Horse Betting
- Gambling for Charity
- State Lottery
Several specific casino games are banned in California these include Roulette, hokey-pokey, Twenty one also known as blackjack, Fan-tan and any house banked dice and card games amongst others. Online gambling sites are also not permitted in California. However, we have listed sites that accept US players for gamblers who are not in California
Online Gambling Sites that Accept US Players
Legal Online Gambling California
Is Poker Legal in California?
Poker is legal California but any house banked card games are outlawed. Card games in the state are allowed as long as they are not house banked. That means the casino itself cannot add to the prize pool in order to lure players into playing.
The card rooms prizes are created essentially by each players stake. There are almost 70 operating licenced cardrooms in California.
Is Sports Betting Legal in California?
Sports betting is yet to be legalized in California. However it seems there is hope for the law to pass soon. Ever since the Coronavirus, legislators realized the value of sports betting especially online as crucial in bringing in revenue for the state.
For that reason Senator Dodd, proposed a bill to legalize sports betting at the various casinos and racetracks in CA. Additionally, online betting would be allowed. The potential tax revenue is too great to ignore and we think sports betting will soon be part of the state’s gambling portfolio.
Charitable gaming
Charitable forms of gambling were finally legalized in 1976 through a state-wide vote. Then non-profit organisations were limited to bingo. By 2001 an amendment allowed charities to hold bingo games, raffles as well as poker games to raise funds. However, they can only have one poker event per year.
Horse Race Betting
The state of California permits Pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing. This can be done at the racetracks and at licenced venues with simulcasts is permitted. There3 are 27 satellite simulcast wagering venues in the state. The main five race tracks Cal Expo, Santa Anita, Golden Gate Fields, Los Alamitos, and Del Mar host major events throughout the year.
California Gambling Laws – Indian gaming
The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. As of 2019, allows Native American reservations to operate casinos. 61 different Native American tribes run there were 63 casinos. The proceeds of these casinos are meant to benefit all Indian tribes including those whose reservation do not have casinos.
California State Lottery
California offers its gamblers a variety of gambling games including scratch cards, draw games and multi-state Powerball and Mega Millions of games. The California lottery only came into effect in 1984 and the first tickets sold in 1985
Indian Casinos in California
There are over 60 casinos across several Indian reservations in California. Here are 10 of the most popular:
- Gold Country Casino and Hotel Oroville
- Redhawk Casino
- River Rock Casino
- Golden Acorn Casino Campo
- Augustine Casino
- Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino
- Bear River Casino
- Pit River Casino
- Quechan Resort Casino
- Red Earth Casino
Casinos in Southern California
There are over two dozen casinos in southern California. There are split between the two counties of San Diego and Los Angeles. Below are the 10 most popular
- Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino
- Casino Pauma
- Golden Acorn Casino
- Harrah’s Rincon-San Diego Casino and Resort
- Jamul Casino
- Ocean’s Eleven Casino
- The Bicycle Casino
- Commerce Casino
- Crystal Casino and Hotel
- Hawaiian Gardens Casino
California Casinos FAQs
How many casinos are there in California?
There are 76 casinos and 73 card rooms.
What cities in California have casinos?
California has casinos evenly spread throughout the state some of the cities with casinos include the following Inglewood, Valley Centre, Delano, Lakeside, Pacheco, Sacramento, San Jose, Grover Beach, Manteca, Blue Lake, Brooks, Trinidad, Jamestown, Coarsegold, and Santa Ynez amongst others.
Who owns casinos in California?
All the casinos in California are tribal casinos in the 4-hour owned by federally recognised tribes.
What is the biggest casino in California?
The biggest casino in California is the Pechanga resort and casino covering more than 188,000 square feet with over 5000 slot machines 158 table games, 700 capacity bingo hall and more.
Are there slot machines in California?
There are slot machines at the tribal casinos in California.
What kind of gambling is illegal in California?
There are no online casino operators allowed to operate within state lines and no sports betting.
More Casinos in Other States
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Guam
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Virginia
- Vermont
- West Virginia
- Wyoming