Gambling Laws in California

Much like all other American states, California has a complicated relationship with gambling. While it doesn’t have draconian laws like some of its peers, it certainly isn’t progressive either. Californian bettors have several venues to practice their hobby, with some being more adequate than others. The state is an interesting case study, as far as American gambling is concerned. In this article, we will explore the gambling laws in California to see how the betting scene has developed in this state and what the future might bring.

You will learn all about the current state of gambling and what types of betting are legal in California. We will do a quick rundown of key laws and also go into detail about how some of those are negated by the industry. Find out more about California gambling below.

Overview of the Gambling Laws in California

California’s gambling laws are generally laxer when compared to other US jurisdictions. If you reside in the state, you have several options to get your gambling fix. However, not all of those will be as satisfactory as visiting Vegas, as we are about to see. Gambling in California is regulated by the Bureau of Gambling Control with the goal of ensuring the integrity of gambling in the state. The first statement in the Gambling Control Act makes the following assertion:

State law prohibits commercially operated lotteries, banked or percentage games, and gambling machines, and strictly regulates parimutuel wagering on horse racing.

This limits the operations of casino establishments, as we commonly understand them. Effectively, this leaves only several forms of gambling available to the public. California has a strange aversion to games of pure chance or such that involve a bank. For the most part, you can try your luck on horse racing, poker, hound racing (though this is not specifically defined in the legislature), and certain social forms of gambling. Below, you will find a rundown of the common types of gambling and their legal status in California.

While this might seem somewhat limited if you are reading from Europe, it is actually quite liberal when compared to other American states. It is commonly understood that gambling is illegal in most parts of the country, with the exception of bingo and state lotteries. By contrast, California allows certain skill-based games as long as you are playing with other players and not against the house. In the next point, we will explore what options Californian residents have at their disposal.

Permitted Forms of Gambling in California

California has a mixed stance on gambling as far as its legality is concerned. Currently, betting fans have several options to practice their hobby. Casino gaming is one of the most popular forms of gambling in the world, with casino resorts being major tourist attractions. California has casinos, as well. However, these are not what we traditionally associate with casino establishments.

In reality, Californian casinos are card rooms, where gamblers come to play poker or other similar games. The difference is that they play against each other, rather than against the house. The venue collects a rake which serves as its profits. Games that you will not commonly find in card rooms include craps, roulette, and other casino classics.

Another form of gambling currently available in California comes in the form of parimutuel horse wagering. California just loves its races and there are five tracks that hold events throughout the year, namely, Cal Expo, Del Mar, Golden Gate Fields, Los Alamitos, and Santa Anita.

Then there is also charitable gambling, which is considered as a milder form of wagering. This includes the State Lottery and various social gambling types, such as bingo. These generate considerable amounts of tax revenue for the state, which is then distributed to schools and other important institutions.

Slots are an interesting phenomenon in California, at least from a legal standpoint. The gambling laws in California do not allow for full-fledged slot gaming, with real money at stake. Private individuals may own slot machines only if the games are 25 years old or older. These are considered antiques and are not meant for real money play, but you can keep them in your home as a conversation starter. Of course, if you are interested in the genuine thing, you may have to visit a tribal casino, but more on that later.

Forbidden Types of Gambling in California

Now that we have covered the accepted gambling types, it is time we moved on to the restricted forms. As it happens, there are plenty of them to go around. Most casino games that we enjoy are not legal to play or host in California. Specifically, the list of forbidden types of gambling in California includes:

Establishments are not allowed to organize such games and players who participate in them are also subject to fines. In short, there is no legal way for you to enjoy your favourite casino games unless you go to a Native American reservation.

Interestingly enough, some venues have gone around the roulette ban by doing away with the wheel. Instead, they use cards where the winning number is decided at random. This gave rise to the California Roulette variation which is one of the more interesting ways to play roulette.

While the gambling laws in California permit horse wagering, the same cannot be said about sports betting. Both online and land-based bookmaking is illegal, as is engaging in the betting itself. Still, California residents are not happy with this state of affairs, as indicated by the online sports betting revenue generated from the state. Naturally, all of this is illegal, and the state does not benefit from it. Still, it shows that there is a strong demand for sports betting in California and recently, proposals have been introduced to legalise the scene.

Indian Casinos in California and Related Gambling Laws

While genuine casino gambling is forbidden in California, the same does not apply for Native American reservations. Since tribes are afforded sovereignty, they are not specifically bound by California gambling laws and regulations. This allows them to set up and operate traditional casinos where they would not be allowed in California proper.

As a result, dozens of casinos have popped up over the years, all offering full-fledged casino gaming. There are more than 50 tribal casinos currently running, ready to satisfy Californians’ desires to gamble. There you will find casino games not allowed in the state, such as genuine slots, blackjack, roulette, and more.

Currently, some of the major Native American casinos in California include:

California Online Gambling Laws and Regulations

As far as the California online gambling laws are concerned, you will not find many positives. Just like most other American states, California has not legalised online gambling in any capacity. It is illegal to operate or engage in any type of Internet betting, including casino gaming, sports betting, poker, and more. As a result, California does not have a regulated iGaming scene.

However, that does not mean that there is no interest in this type of activity. Online gambling is a major market for California residents, even if there aren’t any strictly legal sites. Hundreds of millions of dollars are wagered every year at unregulated platforms. At the same time, state authorities are not interested in cracking down on the activity. As a result, California bettors are more or less free to do as they please, until the state government deems to act on the matter.

Since these betting sites are not subject to online gambling laws, California residents have no protection when it comes to the integrity of the games. They rely more or less on the reputation and history of the platform than any legislature. As a result, many rogue casinos are currently active, which are happy to take your money but not so much as to let you withdraw it. Such sites are problematic for everyone and until proper regulations are established, the scene will remain in a morally grey area. If you wish to check out legal US online gambling, be sure to read our online casino USA guide.

FAQ About Gambling Laws in California

California’s gambling laws may be long and complicated, as well as boring, for some to read. This is why we have prepared a short FAQ section, which covers the most important information on the subject. Below, you will find answers to the most commonly asked questions about the legality of gambling in California.

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