California Gambling Law, Regulations, and Resource Information - 2020 Edition A publication of the Bureau of Gambling Control. Hardcopies may be obtained from the Bureau of Gambling Control. INDEX OF RULEMAKING FILES (Updated September 18, 2020) CGCC REGULATIONS IN EFFECT AS OF April 1, 2020. Unfortunately, most online poker venues and other Internet gambling sites still exist in legal gray area in the U.S. In California, it is not illegal to gamble online, but state residents are prohibited from starting online gambling businesses. If the casino still has your heartcome play with us! Minimum Gambling Age. Indian Casinos: The legal age to gamble in a California Indian casino is 18 years or older. However, most Indian casinos serve alcohol and have set the minimum age to 21 to comply with their state-issued alcohol license.
- Legal Casino States
- Harrah's Casino San Diego
- Are Casinos Legal In California State
- Best Usa Online Legal Casinos
How do casinos calculate comps. Contents
When it comes to online gambling laws and regulations, the US is probably the most confusing country in the world. This is because each state approaches this topic in a different way.With cities such as Los Angeles and San Francisco, California hosts a wide array of land-based casinos and resorts, allowing both the residents and tourists to enjoy the casino experience to the fullest.
Given that the number of states that are regulating the online gambling industry is on the rise, California might feel the pressure to resolve that matter as well. If we take the word of some experts, California might be one of the next states that will introduce a legalized online casino system within its borders.
However, since we can’t predict the future, there is no right answer to this burning question. On the bright side, the residents can still enjoy some forms of online gambling. Keep reading to find out exactly what your options are when it comes to online casinos in California.
Top 5 California Online Casinos
Is Online Gambling Legal in California?
Currently, the state of California has no strict laws that prohibit online gambling. On the other hand, the governing bodies of California haven’t yet introduced a law that regulates the industry.
What this means is that, legally, you won’t get into any trouble if you choose to play online casino games. The state doesn’t have a regulated system, so there is no way for the authorities to stand in your way.
There have been attempts to legalize online casinos in California; however, all of them have run into some obstacles. The main reason for that is the opposition of tribal casinos. Their stance regarding the regulation of the online casino industry has been an issue for quite some time.
Fortunately, Californians have certain options when it comes to online casinos. You can run into a large number of online casinos that operate in California. But, the best option for playing online casino games at the moment is the Sweepstakes online casino and poker websites.
These platforms have reinvented old sweepstakes laws and applied them to the online gaming industry. Now, all players can enjoy casino games and win real prizes with the so-called sweepstakes cash. The websites that promote this type of online gambling allow the players to enjoy online slots and table games, as well as blackjack and video poker.
Another option players from California can turn to is offshore online casinos. Most of these online gambling websites accept players from the US. If you’re wondering if it’s legal to play using real money in offshore online casinos — the answer is yes. These online casinos operate outside the US, so it’s not illegal for you to open an account there.
Future of Online Gambling in California
As time passes, this is becoming less of an if and more of a when the government will legalize online casinos in CA. While all the attempts up to this point were futile, the tides seem to be changing. Hopefully, a bill that will be put into motion in the near future might just be the one to change the online casino landscape in California.
Of course, we have to understand that the state of California has much more serious problems to deal with at the moment — debts, as well as constant and severe drought. So, we can’t overlook that, but we can hope the government will understand that legalizing online casinos in the state can actually be beneficial to the state itself.
However, as already mentioned, online casinos that welcome players from California are not regulated by the law. Still, that doesn’t make them untrustworthy. Most of those online casinos are extremely popular. So, if you decide to open an account in an online casino, make sure you do thorough research and only join those that are reliable and have a great reputation.
Brick-and-Mortar Casino Options in California
In the state of California, there is quite a large number of land-based casinos. Interestingly, one thing all these casinos have in common is that they are all run by Native Americans. That implies that most of them are located on Native American soil. You might be surprised since California is considered to be among the most liberal states in the US. We thought so too, at some point. But, CA is not so conservative as it might seem.
Californian brick-and-mortar casinos offer a wide selection of classic casino games to its players. These include slots, baccarat, keno, roulette, and blackjack, among others. Land-based casinos are also known as cardrooms in California. They are located all over the state and their number keeps getting bigger.
The dominant game in these cardrooms is usually poker, but you can run into other offers, such as blackjack and its variants. Naturally, cardrooms are not limited to these two types of games. If you know a game that’s centered around the cards, you will most likely find it in a cardroom. Understandably, the offer of one cardroom isn’t the same as in others.
We were really surprised to learn that if you opt for another form of gambling in a cardroom, you will notice that the so-called bank you are playing against is actually a person paid to be there. We can only suppose that it’s not completely legal to do that, but, in the end, that doesn’t affect the outcome. You are still free to enjoy the game.
Another interesting fact is that, in recent years, there have been numerous attempts to expand the presence of land-based casinos in California, but so far, these attempts have been fruitless. This is quite odd since we’re talking about a state that’s considered one of the most liberal ones in the country.
Legal Casino States
Land-Based Casinos in California
Below, you can see what some of the biggest brick-and-mortar casinos that currently operate in the state of California are.
Name | Slot Machines | Table Games | |
---|---|---|---|
1. | Pechanga Resort and Casino | 5,000 | 158 |
2. | Cache Creek Casino | 2,300 | More than 120 |
3. | Morongo Casino Resort | 2,700 | 60 |
4. | Red Hawk Casino | 2,500 | More than 75 |
5. | Table Mountain Casino | 2,000 | 40 |
6. | Pala Casino Resort | 2,200 | 87 |
7. | Barona Casino and Resort | 2,500 | 120 |
8. | Thunder Valley Casino | 3,400 | 125 |
9. | Viejas Casino and Turf Club | 2,500 | 35 |
10. | San Manuel Casino | 4,900 | More than 130 |
Of course, keep in mind that this is just a small part of the actual number of land-based casinos that operate in California. To find a casino you like the most, you’ll need to do some additional research. Also note, the age restrictions can also vary depending on which casino you go to. Some allow 18+ and some are further restricted to 21+.
FAQ
Since the online gambling industry isn’t regulated in California, we can base this answer on two things — the CA lottery age limit and the cardroom age limit. In order to participate in lotteries, you must be over 18 years old. However, if you want to enter a cardroom, you must be at least 21. So, the safest bet is to say you should be over 21 to play in online casinos in California.
Given that the online gambling landscape in California isn’t actually legalized or regulated, it’s completely normal to have doubts about joining an online casino. If you want to play in an online casino, you need to be thorough while you research the one you like. Be thorough and patient, and you will surely find reputable and trustworthy online casinos in California.
Lately, a lot of online casinos have been introducing this new section on their platforms. Live casino games have become very popular because of the genuine casino experience they offer to their players. Of course, not all online casinos in California have a Live Casino section, so you should look for the ones that do.
The online casino industry is very competitive and innovative, meaning there are multiple types of casino games at your disposal. Simply put, any casino game you can think of already has an online version. What’s more, online casinos are full of surprises, so you might run into some games you’ve never even heard of.
In order to meet the needs of their players, most online casinos offer a wide selection of payment methods. This allows for easy and safe online payments. Naturally, the processing time will depend on the payment method you decide to use.
If you’ve just recently become a legal adult, you might wonder where you can go to gamble as an 18-year-old in California. With some exceptions, many legal casinos or card rooms in California will let you enter as soon as you turn 18. The same goes for any online gambling apps, although these are very limited because of California’s strict gambling legislation.
Here we will break down where you can enjoy 18+ gambling in the Golden State.
California Indian Casinos: Gambling Options For 18+
The legal gambling age is 18-years-old on all land under California jurisdiction. Because Indian casinos technically operate on reservation land, they aren’t beholden to California legislation. They can set their own legal gambling age to some extent (with some government oversight). Because of this, some Indian casinos allow anyone 18-years-old or older to enter, while others have a higher minimum of 21-years-old.
The reason for this is that some Indian casinos serve alcohol on open gambling floors or otherwise make it very easy for anyone to obtain alcohol, even while following licensing verification practices. They set their legal entrance ages to 21-years-old to prevent any instances of underage drinking on their premises.
This means it’s important to always double-check whether a tribal casino has a legal age of 18-years-old or 21-years-old before making the trip. Most tribal casinos follow the 21-year-old rule. However, there are more than 20 (out of 63) that currently allow 18-year-olds to enter.
Northern California 18+ Casinos
Northern California casinos are usually based around Sacramento or San Francisco: the two largest metropolitan areas in the top half of the state. These resorts run from large to very small, featuring diverse themes and lots of different gambling activities that range from slot machines to lottery games to blackjack and other electronic games. Most tribal casinos are located in the southern half of the state, but there are still plenty of worthwhile ones to check out north of Fresno.
Here are some of the best Northern California 18+ casinos:
Table Mountain Casino
Just 20 miles north of Fresno, this casino is due for a big renovation over the next few years. For now, it includes several thousand gaming machines and over 40 table games. It also offers 10 poker tables for reserved or spur-of-the-moment Sit’N’Go games. The casino is currently looking into creating an adjacent hotel, but there are plenty of other accommodations nearby as well. Dining and live entertainment activities round out its offerings.
Lucky Bear Casino
A smaller tribal casino totaling 5000 ft.², Lucky Bear is one of the most northern tribal casinos in California. It’s nestled in the beautiful mountains and features dozens of slot machines and other games. It’s an ideal place to gamble and relax while touring the Northern California wilderness or road tripping up the coast.
Elk Valley Casino
This Northern California casino is open 24 hours daily. It features 23,000 ft.² of gaming space, 11 table and poker games, and over 300 distinct gaming machines. These are available alongside a single restaurant for convenient dining access.
Southern California 18+ Casinos
Southern California casinos outnumber their Northern California counterparts by a fair margin, and they’re mostly concentrated around Los Angeles, Fresno, and San Diego. They also include plenty of spas to take advantage of the typically relaxing, sunny Southern California ambiance. Additionally, many of the casinos feature entertainment venues reflecting a focus on the show business industry. These venues often utilize iconography or themes that draw from Hollywood or other iconic neighborhoods.
Here are some of the best Southern California 18+ casinos: Craps dice games rules.
Morongo Casino Resort Spa
This casino is a perfect choice if you want to mix some spa time with your gambling activities. It’s very close to Palm Springs and has over 150,000 ft.² in total with nearly 3,000 slot machines. It also includes a poker room and 13 reserve poker tables for private games, plus a variety of spa and resort amenities like massages services, and pool access.
Tachi Palace Casino Resort
This famous casino is located in Lemoore just south of Central California. It’s one of the best casinos in the region, with over 2,000 slot machines, a seven-table poker room, and a 255-room hotel and spa. Several restaurants and other dining venues nearby make it a great place for general relaxation and vacationing.
Full List of 18+ California Casinos
18+ Casino | City |
---|---|
Barona Valley Ranch Casino | Lakeside, CA |
Black Bart Casino | Willits, CA |
Casino Pauma | Pauma Valley, CA |
Cher-Ae-Heights Casino | Trindad, CA |
Chicken Ranch Bingo & Casino | Jamestown, CA |
Coyote Valley Shodaki Casino | Redwood Valley, CA |
Eagle Mountain Casino | Porterville, CA |
Elk Valley Casino | Crescent City, CA |
Gold Country Casino | Oroville, CA |
Golden Acorn Casino | Camp, CA |
Jackson Rancheria Casino | Jackson, CA |
Lucky Bear Casino | Hoopa, CA |
Mono Wind Casino | Auberry, CA |
Morongo Casino Resort | Cabazon, CA |
Pit River Casino | Burney, CA |
Red Fox Casino | Laytonville, CA |
Sycuan Resort & Casino | El Cajon, CA |
Table Mountain Casino | Fraint, CA |
The Palace | Leemore, CA |
Sweepstakes Online Casinos In California 18+
There are a few ways you can enjoy 18+ online gambling in California even though the activity is broadly illegal. One way is by using sweepstakes sites. Sweepstakes sites technically don’t have you gamble with real money. Instead, you play with digital Sweeps Coins or other types of fake currency.
Because you aren’t gambling with real money, California’s anti-gambling legislation does not ban the activity. Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots are great examples of online sweepstakes casinos.
LuckyLand Slots offers hundreds of digital slot games if those are your favorite. Chumba Casino, on the other hand, offers a broader online casino experience and provides several options for digital table games. Of course, you have to be 18-years-old or older to sign up for either website.
Sweepstakes Online Poker In California 18+
Sweepstakes poker, which also follows the sweepstakes gaming model, is another option that circumvents anti-gambling legislation in California. Global Poker is really the only option you should consider, as it’s a well-regulated and well-designed website that allows you to find poker games against human opponents any time, all over the world. It’s also legal in most US states.
Global Poker offers two classic poker games: Texas or Omaha Hold’Em. You can purchase digital currency or get free bonus Sweeps Coins just by playing regular poker games. These coins can be redeemed for cash prizes, which adds a little bit of excitement to every game.
Traffic is fairly consistent, so it shouldn’t be difficult to get a game even if you want to play during the middle of the week when most people (in your location) are at work. There are some daily and weekly tournaments offered as well, although the Sit’N’Go format of poker is by far the most common type.
Be aware that poker tables can vary dramatically. Skill level matches are hit or miss, so you might sit down with one game and dominate the competition, only to find yourself drastically outmatched during the next.
See our full Review of Global Poker in California.
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) In California 18+
Daily fantasy sports in California is still a gray legal area. In short, daily fantasy sports is neither legal nor illegal because there isn’t any California legislation outright stating either position. Big daily fantasy sports operators like DraftKings and FanDuel have so far managed to continue providing DFS without challenge.
Currently, anti-gambling legislation in California only bans players from wagering real money on games of chance. However, DFS operators claim that fantasy sports is a skill-based wagering activity.
Until California legislation rules one way or the other, both DraftKings and FanDuel are excellent online DFS apps that anyone 18-years-old or older can enjoy.
Signing up for either app is pretty easy, and both providers offer intuitive user interfaces that look remarkably alike when you see them side by side. Both also provide opening bonuses, although DraftKings’ is much better, with a $500 deposit match guarantee and some free site credit.
You’ll also be able to enjoy tons of sports lineups and activities, ranging from major leagues like the NFL or NBA to women’s leagues or international soccer. The apps even have some options for eSports.
California 18+ Gambling FAQ
What do you need to get into a gambling establishment in CA?
If you’ve recently turned 18-years-old, be sure to have an up-to-date version of your driver’s license or government-issued ID.
Can you access online betting apps when you’re 18?
Yes. However, in California, the only online gambling apps that are legal are for daily fantasy sports and horse racing. These apps will ask for your date of birth and your Social Security number to verify your information before allowing you to make an account.
Can you enjoy sports betting when you’re 18 in CA?
Harrah's Casino San Diego
No. Sports betting currently isn’t legal anywhere in the state. However, tribal organizations may bring this to their brick-and-mortar casinos in the near future.
If you are 18-years-old, can you still enter 21+ Indian casinos?
Not likely. The law is there to prevent underage drinkers from gaining access alcohol, not necessarily to stop them from gambling.
Are Casinos Legal In California State
Does Northern or Southern California have more 18+ gambling establishments?
Best Usa Online Legal Casinos
There are slightly more in Southern California. In general, you’ll find more casinos or card rooms around big cities anywhere in the state.