California is a unique exception as gambling online is not yet legal, yet there is no law that explicitly prohibits online gambling for residents of the state. The important details that result from this ambiguity in the law are; gambling online in California is free to play. Online Gambling Options in California Though multiple legislative attempts have been made to outlaw, regulate, or otherwise control online gambling in the state of California, none of them have been successful. Though gambling is a heavily-controlled activity in the state, online gambling is in a gray area – for the time being. California is known for being a trendsetter when it comes to most industries in the United States. It’s no surprise that legalized online gambling in California has grown far ahead of many other locations in the United States. Why These CA Online Casinos Are The Best They Offer Legal, Trusted Gambling Games to Residents and Visitors. California Daily Fantasy. Daily fantasy betting in California is the only option for wagering online. Online gambling isn’t currently legal in California, but it is possible and even highly likely that it will become legal in the near future. One of the hurdles the state of California will have to get through when it comes to legalizing online gambling is the Native American community.

Xavier Becerra
Attorney General

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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.

Online Gambling California

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

Online poker gambling california

Is Online Gambling Legal in California?

Online gambling california laws

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.

California Online Gambling Law

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.

Online Gambling California Law

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.

Online Betting California

NameSlot MachinesTable Games
1.Pechanga Resort and Casino5,000158
2.Cache Creek Casino2,300More than 120
3.Morongo Casino Resort2,70060
4.Red Hawk Casino2,500More than 75
5.Table Mountain Casino2,00040
6.Pala Casino Resort2,20087
7.Barona Casino and Resort2,500120
8.Thunder Valley Casino3,400125
9.Viejas Casino and Turf Club2,50035
10.San Manuel Casino4,900More than 130

Casino Online California

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.