California has many options for those who are interested in legal gambling, although sports gambling is not currently available in the state. While the US Supreme Court lifted restrictions on sports gambling in 2018 and many states followed with legalization, California has not yet followed suit.

The current legal status of California online gambling. The Golden State hasn’t regulated gaming sites yet. As a result, California doesn’t offer any legal online casinos. Operating an internet-based casino in this state is illegal. No law directly addresses gambling at an unregulated gaming site.

Still, the state has a long history of card rooms, horse racing, a state lottery, and tribal casinos. Further, there was a push to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot in November of 2019 to legalize sports betting.

In the past few years, California has seen legislation proposing the legalization of online poker. California may be in the opening act of expanding gambling options in the state.

Does California Have State-Regulated Online Gambling?

California does not currently have state-regulated online gambling. While there have been attempts to adopt legislation in this area, so far, the state has not enacted laws regarding online gambling.

1. California legal online gambling is available through licensed offshore online destinations. The state hasn't officially moved on the opportunity to legalize state-regulated online gaming but will likely be pushed in that direction after several other nearby states express their interest in doing so.
2. An Explanation Of The Legal Gambling Age At California Land Based Casinos. California state law allows players as young as 18 years old to engage in casino gambling. Unfortunately, we cannot tell you that all brick and mortar casino destinations in the state have embraced the legal minimum gambling age of 18.

Legal Progress On Poker Gambling In California

In 2008, Assembly Member Levine introduced AB 2026 in the California State Assembly to perform a study on allowing intrastate poker. The study focused on regulatory oversight of online gambling, technology, economic benefits to the state, and the types of games that might be allowed, among other matters. Ultimately, the Assembly failed to pass AB 2026, and the study did not move forward.

Another bill was introduced in 2016 to legalize online poker. Assembly Members Gray and Jones-Sawyer introduced AB 2863, the Internet Poker Consumer Protection Act of 2016, to allow intrastate poker. Licensed operators would have been required by the Act to deposit $12.5 million into the California general fund while paying 10 percent of their revenues to the state. The Act also included a concession of $57 million to be paid into a fund for the benefit of California horse racing tracks. Unfortunately, the bill never went up for a vote.

Legal Progress On Sports Betting In California

There may be movement on sports betting in California in 2020, including online options. California legislators held a general informational hearing in January of 2020 in Sacramento on sports betting with representatives from online sportsbooks in attendance.

In addition, several of California’s Indian tribes filed a petition to place a measure for sports betting on the November 2020 ballot. That petition would limit sports betting to physical locations at tribal casinos and would not allow any type of online betting. The petition appeared to be well on the way to gathering enough signatures to appear on the ballot.

However, with the COVID-19 pandemic interrupting the collection of signatures, that began to seem uncertain. In June 2020, state legislators pressed pause on the bill. It will not be presented to the voters until November 2022.

Are Sweepstakes Allowed Under California Gambling Law?

Sweepstakes are legal under California law, although sweepstakes entities must be careful to meet the legal requirements for this type of contest. If the rules are not followed correctly, the contest could easily be construed as a lottery, which is illegal. The legal elements of a lottery are:

1. Giving a prize to a winner.
2. The contest is determined by chance.
3. A person pays “consideration” to participate in the contest.

Courts construe “consideration” broadly. It is more than just paying a fee to enter the contest. Consideration can include requirements such as opening a bank account to participate or even filling out a lengthy survey.

The main difference between an illegal lottery and sweepstakes is the lack of consideration for entering the sweepstakes. In fact, any solicitation materials for a sweepstakes entry in California must prominently display a “clear and conspicuous statement” that there is no purchase or payment for entering the contest. As long as online sweepstakes sites follow the relevant regulations, California does allow them to operate.

See our guides to Sweepstakes Casinos and Sweepstakes Poker in California.

How Do Tribal Casinos Work In California?

Thanks to a significant 1987 US Supreme Court ruling originating out of California, tribes may now operate tribal casinos on reservation lands throughout the country. The Supreme Court case overruled any restrictions on gaming on Indian reservations. In that case, two tribes (the Cabazon and Morongo Bands) were operating small bingo parlors and card rooms on reservation lands near Palm Springs. The State of California sought to close down the operations, stating they violated state regulations.

In its decision, the Supreme Court relied on its prior rulings from the 1830s that Indian tribes are independent political communities, thereby granting the tribes sovereign immunity. The Court held that since California did not prohibit gambling on a criminal basis, the state could not regulate gaming on reservation lands.

In response to that ruling, California voters approved Proposition 1A in 2000. Proposition 1A allows the governor to negotiate compacts with tribes on reservations in the state to offer various types of gambling. The State and tribes have since entered into a number of different compacts to permit gaming. As a result, there are now many tribal casinos operating in California.

See our Guide To Tribal Casinos In California.

Do Tribes Offer Online Gambling?

At this time, tribes in California do not offer online gambling. As noted previously, attempts to legalize online poker have thus far failed. Tribes were pushing for a ballot measure for the November 2020 election to allow sports gambling, but only in physical tribal casinos. It seems this measure will not be put to voters until November 2022.

What Games Can Tribes Offer At Casinos?

Under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) passed by Congress in 1988, tribal casinos can offer a number of different games defined by various classes. Class I games include games that are for minimal value and traditional forms of Indian gaming. They are only regulated by the tribes.

Class II games include bingo, lotto, and poker. In these games, the participants are competing against each other and not against the house. Tribes can offer as many of these games as they want. Class II games are not subject to regulation by the states.

The IGRA also allows tribes to offer Class III games. These include all other types of gambling like slot machines, electronic games of chance, and many banked card games like blackjack. To offer these games, the games must be legal under the state laws, and the tribe must negotiate a compact with the state to permit the games.

California negotiated some compacts with tribes, but many prominent Las Vegas-style games are missing. The State of California has previously held that craps, roulette, and dice-games based on chance are prohibited under the state constitution and laws. Thus, you will not see these types of games in California casinos. Many tribal casinos have come up with some interesting workarounds to offer substantially similar games.

Are All Casinos In California Tribal Casinos?

All legally defined casinos in California are tribal casinos. Some card rooms may contain the word “casino” in their names. Legally, they are not casinos but instead are regulated as California card rooms by state law.

How Do Card Clubs Work in California?

Card rooms in California allow players to gamble against each other instead of the “house.” At tribal casinos, the dealer working for the casino is also the banker, paying out winners and taking money from losers. This is different from card rooms. At most card rooms, an employee serves as the dealer, and an independent third party is the banker. The card rooms make money by assessing a fee on each hand.

What Games Do Card Clubs Offer?

Poker is the main game at California card rooms. Card rooms offer other casino table games like baccarat, pai gow poker, and blackjack, referred to generally as “California” games. These games are not played the same way as they are at casinos. Regulations require that the players take turns as the dealer. If a player does not want to deal, the dealer employee will take up the task. At a casino, an employee would be the dealer all the time.

Who Can Operate A Card Club?

A business that wants to operate a card room must obtain a valid state gambling license from the California Bureau of Gaming Control and the California Gambling Control Commission. The Bureau conducts a background investigation to see if the applicant is suitable for a license. The question of suitability is based on multiple factors, including:

1. Honesty.
2. General character.
3. Reputation.
4. Habits.
5. Financial and criminal history.

The Bureau ensures that gambling activities are conducted honestly and free from corruption and other interference. All supervisors working for a card room must also have a license as a critical employee by the Bureau.

Currently, and since 1995, there is a moratorium on new card room licenses. There is hope that the government will lift this moratorium by 2023.

Betting On Horse Races In California

California has a long history of horse racing. In 1933, California voters approved Proposition 5 legalizing pari-mutuel wagering on horse races. Since then, several iconic venues for horse racing have been operating in the state. The California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) is the governmental body that oversees horse racing.

The CHRB is responsible for enforcement of a number of different regulations. In June of 2019, Governor Newsom signed a bill into law granting the CHRB the power to suspend horse racing licenses for the safety of the horses. The Santa Ana venue had been in the news for a high number of horse deaths in 2018 and 2019. The CHRB also enforces the rules related to wagering on horse races.

See our Guide To Horse Racing In California.

Legal Online Betting In California

Online betting for horse races became legal in California in 2002. It is known as advance deposit wagering. This process allows a participant to place funds in an account with a licensee. The participant then directs the licensee to place wagers on behalf of the participant. The CHRB regulates advance deposit wagering both inside and outside of California.

Where Else Can You Place Horse Racing Bets?

Off-track betting is legal in California. California authorized satellite horse racing wagering in a law passed in 1984 and expanded in 1987. The satellite facilities offer off-track betting from horse races around the country. In addition, the state enacted legislation in 2007, allowing “mini-satellite” wagering facilities, as long as the location is not within 20 miles of another facility that offers betting. Card rooms may operate a mini-satellite facility.

The California State Lottery

California offers a state lottery. Proposition 37, passed in 1984, established the lottery. California voters approved the Proposition by a margin of 58 percent. It amended the California constitution to allow the state lottery to begin operating, with the first tickets sold in October of 1985.

Governor Schwarzenegger approved Assembly Bill No. 142 in 2010, which reallocated lottery revenues to maximize the benefit to public education. The bill also required 87 percent of revenue to be returned to the public in the form of prizes.

California began offering Powerball in 2013. Unlike other states participating in the Powerball, it offers pari-mutuel payouts for winners. A California Supreme Court case from 1996 upheld restrictions based on the California penal code that require the use of pari-mutuel payouts. As a result, a lottery winner in California may receive a different payout for a prize than a winner in other states.

Can You Buy Lottery Tickets Online In California?

A player cannot buy tickets online directly from the California lottery. Some services do offer the ability to purchase tickets online. These are known as courier services that buy the tickets on a participant’s behalf for a fee. They do not take any portion of the winnings. Further, neither the state nor the lottery endorses these services.

Who Regulates Legal Gambling In California?

A number of different governmental entities regulate legal gambling in California. The California Assembly and Legislature have the power to pass legislation impacting and authorizing new forms of gambling. The Bureau of Gambling Control and the California Gambling Control Commission regulate a lot of gambling activity in the state under a bifurcated system. The Bureau upholds the integrity of gambling in California. The Commission sets minimum standards for gambling in the state and grants licenses only for the appropriate individuals. These entities regulate the tribal casinos as well as card rooms.

As noted earlier, the California Horse Racing Board (CHRB) is responsible for regulating horse race betting. California established the CHRB in 1933. The governor appoints seven members to serve on the CHRB. The CHRB has broad regulatory authority over the horse racing industry. It regulates everything from the granting of licenses, to betting on races, to track safety.

With regard to the lottery, the governor appoints five members to the California Lottery Commission. The Commission approves the budget and business plan for the state lottery.

What Would It Take To Expand Gambling In California?

The California legislature needs to act to expand gambling in a meaningful way. Alternatively, a petition that would expand gambling could be put on the ballot. The main areas ripe for expansion are online poker and sports gambling. California may be more receptive to expanding in both those areas as it faces a severe budgetary shortfall due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Legislators may be looking at possible additional revenue to help during this uncertain time.

However, there are several different interests at play in the state. For example, it appears that tribal casinos want sports gambling only at physical locations, while other parties favor online options. The next few years will likely see movement and debate on the expansion of gambling in California. How this will play out remains to be seen.

California online gambling is not yet legalized and regulated within state borders. However, there are real money gambling sites available in CA. They’re just based elsewhere.

So if you’re wondering you can gamble online for real money in California, the simple answer is yes. We go into more detail in this guide to CA online gambling, which also includes our recommendations for the best California gambling sites currently available.

The legal situation regarding gambling online in California is, at best, a little confusing.

With a few exceptions, it’s the same in most American states. Although some have legal online gambling that is regulated by the relevant state government, most do not have legislation in place that directly relates to betting and gaming over the internet.

All this means, for the most part, is that gambling sites can’t actually base themselves within states that don’t have the appropriate laws and regulatory framework in place. They can still accept customers from those states, providing they’re licensed and operating legally where they ARE based.

So, if you’re looking to gamble online from CA, your search is over. We’ve analyzed all the sites available to players in the state, and ranked them based on various criteria. Our list of the best California online gambling sites is all you need to get started.

How can we contend that the sites we recommend stand above the rest? That’s a good question, and the answer is that we measure all of the important factors point by point when we’re engaged in the rating process.

Read on to find out more about how we identify the top California gambling sites.

Assessing Online Gambling Sites for CA

Our process for ranking real money gambling sites is extensive and effective. We look at all the factors that can affect your overall online gambling experience in one way or another, and apply ratings to sites accordingly. The sites that perform the best in key areas are the ones that we rank the highest.

We won’t cover every aspect of our ranking process here, as there’s too much involved. But here are a few details on some of the areas we considered when listing the best online gambling sites for CA.

When you’re gambling online for real money, you’re naturally going to be concerned about the safety of your funds. This is fully understandable, because it’s a bit unsettling to start a financial relationship with a company that has no physical presence.

This being stated, a measured look at the big picture should inspire confidence. Internet-based gambling sites are widely utilized by players around the world. So, in a very real sense, online gambling is firmly established as a completely legitimate industry with a solid foundation.

Of course, there are always going to be a few bad actors in any business niche. Our job is to provide our readers with SAFE California gambling sites, so of course we make sure that the rogue operations get nowhere near our recommended list.

An important part of our ranking process is to research the history of sites, and gather feedback from others who have used them. Although we thoroughly test themselves, this additional research can be very enlightening.

We have to be completely convinced that a site is reputable and treats its customers well before we recommend it.

Financial companies that hold your funds, like banks, brokerages, and insurance companies, hammer home the fact that they’ve been around forever. They know people want to be reassured that the company will be in business and solvent when they need their money.

To a lesser extent, the same principle applies to online gambling sites. The operators that we rank as the top-rated California gambling sites stand on very firm footing. We look for websites that have been around long enough to establish a reputation for absolute reliability.

The best CA gambling sites roll out the red carpet when it comes to financial incentives for their players. Our recommendations all offer eye-catching bonuses for new players, and we’re talking about hundreds of dollars or more.

Most businesses don’t give you free money to express their appreciation for your patronage, but the real money gambling sites are notable exceptions. In addition to the initial bonuses, there are ongoing promotions, so the rewards don’t necessarily stop after the initial sign-up.

While we’re on the subject of bonus money, after you collect your welcome offer from one site, you can register an account as a new player on another site to take advantage of their new sign-up cash promotions.

Safety, an established reputation, and generous bonuses offers are at the cornerstone of what makes for a top online gambling site. There are many, many more things to consider, though. Here are some more examples.

• Banking options
• Speed of payouts
• Customer service
• Range of gambling options

The best gambling sites for California all offer a choice of ways to deposit and withdraw your funds. They also make sure that any withdrawals are paid out in a reasonable timeframe.

They provide top-notch customer service on every level, too. Telephone customer support is there for you, and some sites have call centers operating around the clock. You can contact them by email, and live chat is available as well.

A range of gambling options is important, as people have different preferences for what they like to play and bet on.

Again, this is really just scratching the surface of what we look at. We’ll move on now, though, and look at reasons why you might want to gamble online from California in the first place.

Californians can engage in a few forms of real money gambling at physical locations throughout the state. There are more than 60 Native American casinos, and there are horse racing tracks and poker rooms.

It’s nice to have these options available, but there are several reasons why online gambling is the better choice in just about every instance.

If you’re fortunate enough to live in one of the major metropolitan areas where there are horse racing tracks, you can fight traffic and eventually bet the ponies. The only problem is, they’re hours away from most residents of the state.

There are poker rooms in all parts of California, but a relatively small percentage of people that like to gamble are live poker players. The Native American casinos offer some traditional casino games, but they’re usually spread out on tribal lands in more remote areas.

So, yes, there is gambling in-state, but it’s quite limited. On the other hand, when you open an account at one of the leading CA gambling sites, there are absolutely zero geographic limitations. You can dive into the action from anywhere, and this is a quantum leap that changes the playing field.

Even if there’s some type of betting or gaming venue relatively close to your home, the facility may not be all that inviting after you have visited it once or twice. The drive is inconvenient, and in some instances, there are parking fees. Once you make your way inside, another set of hassles greet you.

Large crowds and unruly behavior are commonplace in casinos, for example. This can be uncomfortable in a general sense, but you may also find it hard to snag a seat at the tables and slot machines.

Are Online Casinos Legal In California Today

There can be prohibitive rules with regard to drinking alcohol while gambling at Indian casinos. And refreshments are going to be overpriced at the gaming halls because of the “only game in town” factor.

You have the freedom to gamble at home in complete peace when using the best California online gambling sites, with all the affordable refreshments you could ever want just a few steps away.

The sites are designed for mobile adaptability, so if you want to place wagers while you’re in a coffee shop or a local watering hole, you’re good to go.

We know that many of our readers are interested in the future of online gambing because they have heard about the changing attitudes among government officials in many parts of the country. One huge development has definitely accelerated the shift that we are seeing in more and more states.

During the 1980s, the sporting world was rocked by a number of scandals that involved inappropriate gambling by participants for dishonest purposes. This culminated in the revelations about baseball great and former Reds manager Pete Rose betting on games that he managed (among others).

There was a congressional response presented in the form of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 1992. This made gambling on sports in the United States illegal in all parts of the country except Nevada, a state that already had numerous sportsbooks in place.

This statute remained unchallenged for the next two decades or so, but finally, New Jersey decided to throw down the gauntlet.

The court battle raged on for a few years, and it eventually reached the highest court in the land. On May 14 in 2018, the Supreme Court decided that the PASPA law violated the 10^th Amendment, and this effectively opened the door to all 50 states legalizing sports gambling.

Though US gambling laws now allow states to license sports betting facilities, it is up to each respective state to decide how to proceed. They can also choose to legalize and regulate online gambling.

There are some states that will likely never even give the possibility any consideration because of their overall stance toward gambling.

California doesn’t fit into this category, but there isn’t much momentum toward legalization and regulation right now. They’re planning on placing a referendum on the ballot in the near future to let the voters decide on the matter.

Even if they do vote in favor of the measure, it will take a significant length of time for the parameters to be established by the government. It should also be noted that state-sanctioned brick and mortar sports betting facilities are one thing, but online gambling is another.

Since the state is moving very slowly toward the regulation of sports betting at physical locations, it will probably take even longer for them to license online casinos and sportsbooks.

People that live in the Golden State don’t have to cross their fingers and wait for a miracle with regard to safe, trustworthy, regulated online gambling. The best California gambling sites that we listed are always open for business.

They’re licensed in reputable jurisdictions, and there are strict requirements for applicants. These operators are well-financed, managed by vetted industry professionals, and required to offer safeguards for players.

One of the factors we take into consideration when rating sites is the particular geographic focus. As an American, you want to frequent a site that’s designed for US players.

People that live in the Golden State don’t have to cross their fingers and wait for a miracle with regard to safe, trustworthy, regulated online gambling. The best California gambling sites that we listed are always open for business.

Online Casino Legal In California

We have an entire page dedicated to gambling laws in California. It’s worth a read if you want to know the details of all the current gambling legislation in the state. For a quick overview, see below.

Most of the top online gambling sites for California that offer just about every form of gambling that you would find in the world-class casino resorts that tower over the Las Vegas Strip.

The exact offerings vary a bit from site to site, but you can definitely find a resource on our approved list that has what you want.

Although each site typically offers multiple forms of gambling, some sites are better at one thing than they are at others. That’s why we also rank the best California gambling sites on other, more specific, categories.

Now that you know so much about California online gambling, and the sites available to you in the state, we wanted to leave you with a few concise takeaways.

Our research team puts all of the best gambling websites for California players under a microscope. We look at relevant factors and aim to provide you with a world-class gaming experience at the sites we listed.

Are Online Casinos Legal In California State

And when you establish an account at our recommended sites, you never have to drive to a physical betting or gaming facility. These sites are always up and running, so you don’t have to worry about rude people, long waits, or distance.

There’s also no shortage of betting options when you enter the online universe. If you like casino games, table games, slots, and video poker, they’re all readily available. And these CA gambling sites accommodate bettors of all bankroll sizes.

Are Online Casinos Legal In California Reopening

Sports betting is also another possibility, and you’ll find favorable odds here. You can bet on horses or dogs with all the standard types of wagers.

Are Online Casinos Legal In California Right Now

Anyone that has an interest in gambling should take full advantage of this exciting entertainment option.