- Only 20 miles away for this casino, the Barona Resort & Casino of Lakeside is a huge resort featuring thousands of slot machines and a great deal of gaming tables such as Rapid Roulette, Three Card Poker, Free Bet Blackjack, Craps or Let it Ride. After betting, players can relax in one of the 8 restaurants available within the complex.
- California Casino Guide California, otherwise known as the Golden State, has over 60 casinos operated by multiple Indian Tribes. Since CA was founded back in the 1850s, gambling has been around. Despite this, online casinos have still not been legalized in the state. Brick and mortar casinos built in the state are also considered to be illegal.
- Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa 32-250 Bob Hope Drive Rancho Mirage, California 92270 (760) 321-2000 888-999-1995. Augustine Casino 84-001 Avenue 54 at Van Buren.
On this page, we've compiled an in-depth summary of the current state of online gambling in CA, touching on various topics from the legality of gambling in the state to current regulatory debates. We've also compiled a list of safe and secure online casinos for California residents that you can view below, which have all been in business for 10+ years with no issues. If you're looking for a legal, safe, and trusted California online casinos, you're in luck!
What Are the Top Real Money Online Casinos in California?
Roulette in southern california. Roulette in southern california. Skip navigation Sign in. How to Play Card-Based Roulette, Newcastle Casino - Duration: 10:43. Newcastle Casino 10,829 views.
Rank | Online Casino | Key Info | Bonus Info | Visit Casino |
---|---|---|---|---|
#1 |
| |||
#2 |
| |||
#3 |
| |||
#4 |
| |||
#5 |
|
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
The entire reason you're probably here is to figure out which online casinos offer services to California residents. You've probably heard mixed answers about the legality of online gambling in California and, therefore, are not sure where you can and cannot play.
Because of that, the number one trait that makes California online casinos great is simply the fact that they offer services to California residents and visitors!
They Offer Games Californians Love to Play
What good is an online casino if it doesn't have the games that Californians love to play? We'll answer that question for you—it's no good at all. The California online casinos that we've recommended offer an extremely wide variety of games, including favorites like blackjack, craps, roulette, three card poker, keno, slot machines, pai gow, sic bo, and more! If you're looking for an easy way to play your favorite gambling games for real money in California, check out one of the recommended online casinos from the up-to-date list at the top of the page.
They Have Banking Options That Work Fast
Not every banking option works everywhere in the world. There are specific banking options that work better and faster for California residents. When we're analyzing the quality of California online casinos, we ensure that they have several high-quality online casino banking options that work great for Californians.
While we don't need tons of options, we do want to see at least a couple of great deposit options and a couple of great withdrawal options. You're only going to need one, but we want options just so you have a better chance of seeing an option that is a great fit for you.
The Ultimate in Convenience
The entire point of using online casino sites is to provide convenience. California is an extremely spread out state in some areas, which means you may be hundreds of miles from the closest land-based casino. Additionally, that land-based casino might not offer the games you want to play. This is where online casinos come in. The idea of an online casino is to solve these problems and bring convenience to players across the state.
But this convenience goes away if the online gambling site doesn't set things up properly. It should be super simple for you to create an account, make a deposit, find the games you like, play, and withdraw your winnings. If any of these things aren't super simple, we're not interested in the site and you won't see those California online casinos recommended on this page.
Is Online Gambling Legal in California?
These days, the United States is one of the more confusing countries in the world when it comes to online gambling laws, with dozens of states having different rules and nuances of how they treat the topic. When it comes to California, it is perhaps the unique exception. There are currently no specific regulations that explicitly prohibit online gambling for residents of the state.
Because of this, Californians have little worry when it comes to playing online casino games, and currently, there are a number of trustworthy sites offering online casino games, sports betting, and poker across the state.
Unlike the state lottery, casinos that operate online are not subject to any sort of government scrutiny and, in many ways, can operate without fear of legal ramifications. For this reason, many bills have been proposed with the end goal of legalizing and regulating the online casino industry in the state.
Up to this point, however, any and all legislation aimed at legalizing and regulating online casinos has either stalled or has been flat-out rejected.
What Does This Mean for You?
There are two important takeaways you should get from this. One, it is not illegal for you to gamble online in California. You are free to play the games you want for real money without fear of negative repercussions. Two, the market is unregulated, which means that you will not have some of the added protections and oversight you would get in a regulated market.
This makes it that much more important that you choose to gamble online in California. The good news for you is that casinos make a lot of money. For them to continue making money, they have to continue having happy customers that are getting the entertainment value they desire. If they are not operating reputably and taking care of their customers, word will get out, and their cash cow is going to dry up. This places a huge incentive for online casinos in California to do things the right way as if they were being regulated.
Still, not every online casino follows that mindset. There are some California online casinos that only look at the short term and don't care about their long-term sustainability. Because of this, it is also important that you take advantage of resources like this site to help you determine where the best casinos online are. If you want to ensure you're betting with one of these reputable sites, stick to the recommended list we've provided at the top of the page.
The Future of Online Gambling in California
Despite what has been a mostly fruitless endeavor up to this point, experts believe that California is one of the next states that will establish legalized intrastate online casinos. Each year, it seems as though a larger number of bills for the complete and total legalization and regulation of online casinos gets put into circulation.
It is only a matter of time until one of them is signed into law. With that being said, online gambling sites are what many would consider to be the least of California's governmental problems. With almost constant drought, severe debt, and many other issues on hand, it becomes difficult for activists to convince politicians and voters alike that establishing an online casino network is something that should be done soon. Many efforts have been made, and only few have succeeded.
The fact that the California government does not oversee them does not mean that the California online casinos which offer their games are not trustworthy. These casinos are regulated abroad and most are very reliable; you just have to sign up with time-tested ones with stellar reputations. To help you with choosing a legal CA online casino to play at, we have reviewed and researched dozens and recommend the best online casinos for California residents at the top of the page.
Legal Status of Brick and Mortar Casinos — California
In California, there are plenty of brick-and-mortar locations all over the state. One thing that all of these casinos have in common, however, is that they are all Native American-run and almost always located on Native American land. This sounds like a rather conservative policy for an otherwise liberal state, but the wider scope of gambling and casinos in California is not as restrictive as it may first appear. Of course, this all depends on where you reside in the United States.
The land-based casinos in California usually offer all the classic favorites such as slots, roulette, keno, baccarat, blackjack and the like.
Card rooms—as they are known in California—number in the tens of dozens and seem to be growing in number all the time. Poker is the dominant offering of California's card rooms, however, blackjack variants and other more obscure games can be found being played as well. Basically, so long as the game is centered around playing cards, the rule of thumb is that it can likely be found at a card room. Naturally, some card rooms are better than others, and thus, the offering of one card room is never equal to that of another.
Additionally, if you play non-poker, gambling-type games in one of these card rooms, you'll notice that the 'bank' or who you are playing against will actually be another player at the table who is being paid to be there. It's a confusing system and clearly a workaround for the state laws, but the outcome is the same. You are able to play your favorite games without fear of negative repercussions.
There are brick and mortar, Native American-run casinos all over the state, however, online gambling is still the easiest way to play any and all casino games at any time of day. When it comes down to it, someone who is looking to play casino games in California will either have to do so at CA online casinos or on Native American land. As you might have guessed, this predicament means that online casino play in California is quite widespread. It's this common knowledge that is driving the push to legalize and regulate real money online casinos.
In recent years, pro-casino activists have lobbied politicians to promote and/or vote for bills to expand the way in which Californians can gamble at brick-and-mortar sites, but most of those efforts have so far been for naught. This is interesting, too, because California is historically one of the more liberal states in the country. Some of the largest land-based casinos currently operating in California include the following:
Local California Land Based Casinos
Casino | Address | Phone |
---|---|---|
Pechanga Resort & Casino | 45000 Pechanga Parkway | (877) 7112-WIN |
Cache Creek Casino | 14455 CA-16 | (800) 452-8181 |
San Manuel Casino | 777 San Manuel Blvd | (800) 359-2464 |
Thunder Valley Casino | 1200 Athens Avenue | (916) 408-7777 |
Viejas Casino & Turf Club | 5000 Willows Road | (800) 847-6537 |
Morongo Casino Resort | 49750 Seminole Drive | (800) 252-4499 |
Pala Casino Resort | 11154 Highway 76 | (877) 946-7252 |
Red Hawk Casino | 1 Red Hawk Boulevard | (888) 573-3495 |
Barona Casino & Resort | 1932 Wildcat Canyon Rd | (888) 722-7662 |
Table Mountain Casino | 8184 Table Mountain Rd | (800) 541-3637 |
California Online Casinos and Gambling FAQ
- Abbreviation: CA
- State Motto: Eureka
- Capital City: Sacramento
- Population Estimate: 39.5 million (1st)
- Website: https://www.ca.gov/
California Gambling Roulette Poker
Most notably, the online casinos we recommend for California residents have all been operating for many years and have strong reputations to defend. In case of issues, they will resolve them immediately so that their stellar reputations are not sullied. These online casinos also use time-tested technology and reputable casino games, therefore, you can be sure that if you decide to make a deposit in one of these casinos, your depositing process will be safe and secure and the games you will play will be fair and give you an honest chance to win money!
In California, online casinos, online sportsbooks, and online poker gambling are all illegal. However, a few online gaming options are still available for California players including daily fantasy sports (DFS), sweepstakes online poker, sweepstakes online casino, horse race betting.
Beyond that, California gamblers are limited to brick-and-mortar tribal casinos and state-licensed cardrooms. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of what is and isn't legal in terms of betting in CA:
Type Of Betting Site | Legal Status In California |
---|---|
Sweepstakes Casino | Legal |
Sweepstakes Poker | Legal |
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) | Legal |
Online Horse Racing | Legal |
Online Casino | Illegal |
Online Sports Betting | Illegal (Exception: Daily Fantasy Sports) |
Traditional Online Poker | Illegal |
Online Lottery | Illegal (Exception: State-sanctioned Promotions) |
Online Bingo | Free Play Only |
Online Sweepstakes Casino & Poker for California
Sweepstakes sites offer online casino games and online poker for real cash prizes!
Sweepstakes allow players to win cash prizes by playing their favorite casino games including slots, blackjack, craps and roulette. The unique feature with sweepstakes gaming is that you can get free-play by signing up and get additional credit with mail-in entries. You also have the option to purchase gold coins and are given free sweep credit.
Chumba Casino – The #1 sweepstakes online casino. New players get 2 freep sweeps coins + $30 gold package for $10 dollars. Chumba Casino offers slots, blackjack, craps, roulette, and a whole lot more!
Global Poker – The #1 sweepstakes online poker site. Has thousands of players at any given time offering cash games and poker tournaments. New players that verify their account get a 20 gold package!
Luckyland Slots – A popular sweepstakes online slots casino it offers over 50+ slots games.
Funzpoints – Another sweepstakes slots sites with 30+ online slot games.
Online Horse Race Betting In California
Normally, when people think of online betting, they think of wagering real money for a chance to win real money. Since sweepstake websites do not qualify under this definition, we thought we'd highlight a form of legal real money online gambling that's more unique to California: horse race betting.
Brick-and-mortar horse racing in California includes four full-time tracks along the coast: Santa Anita Park, Del Mar Racetrack, Golden Gate Fields, and Los Alamitos Race Course. You can place bets on races remotely through these tracks themselves or from legal horse race betting websites.
The most popular legal horse racing sites include TVG, Xpressbet, TwinSpires, and BetAmerica. Each hosts a wide range of events that span the entire globe including races in Australia and Southeast Asia (on top of all the tracks within the United States).
These websites are popular outlets for two simple reasons: traveling to the track isn't always feasible, and the promotions are worthwhile. The legal horse racing sites available in California offer no deposit bonuses, risk-free betting, and loyalty programs, just like a traditional sportsbook.
The bets you can place at these horse racing sites are the same as if you visited the track itself. That means you can win small amounts on micro-bets as well as enormous payouts on long shot bets like the pick six.
An Overview Of Online Gambling Options In California
Although California has the largest daily fantasy sports (DFS) market in the country, the state offers only limited online betting options beyond that. Here's a rundown of each type of online betting and its legal availability for CA residents and visitors:
Online Casinos In California
Currently, online casinos are not legal in California. To play online casino games, California residents will need to travel to a nearby state that has legal online casinos. Although players in CA are still able to access online casino websites and even deposit money, placing a bet from within California state lines is against the law.
It's unlikely that California will legalize online casinos anytime soon. Because the federal government may not interfere with state laws regarding online casino gambling, it's up to the State of California to pass legislation, issue licenses, and regulate operators. Recent news coverage has not identified any online casino legislation in the works. If you want to play at California casinos, we suggest playing at a sweepstakes casino like Chumba Casino which gives a similar experience via sweepstakes games.
Online Sports Betting In California
Unfortunately, online sportsbooks are another betting option not yet available to those located in California. Land-based sportsbooks (aside from race tracks) are not available either.
In order to place sports bets, California residents must travel to states where sports betting is legal (like Nevada, New Jersey, and Pennsylvania). Fortunately, many people in California are an easy drive from Nevada, where they can place both sports bets online and retail locations.
Online Poker In California
Currently, online poker is not legal in California. However, poker fans can somewhat relax because legislation is at least moving forward in this area.
In November 2020, a bill to legalize online poker made its way into the state legislature, but deliberations were interrupted by the coronavirus pandemic. Discussions are likely to commence after the crisis has been dealt with.
For the time being, poker players in California are limited to poker tables at retail casinos. But that's okay, because Southern California is considered to be the brick-and-mortar poker capital of the world. It's one of the few places in the country that has allowed poker since the 1930s.
That's on top of this being one of the richest regions, inviting both international, national, and local high-rollers to some of the most sought-after seats in world poker. No wonder so many Hollywood celebrities double as professional poker players, including Tobey Maguire, Ben Affleck, and Jennifer Tilly.
Playing The California Lottery Online
The online lottery is not available in California. Lottery players in California can check online to see whether their ticket won by downloading the app and scanning the ticket's barcode. However, neither purchase nor play options are generally available on the app.
There are infrequent exceptions to this rule. In 2019, California launched a 'second chance' promotion for scratch-off tickets. After purchasing a ticket, players could login to the California Lottery app and try their luck at another chance to win. Two people won over a million dollars, so keep your eye out for the next time they roll out a similar promotion.
But, that said, you can't login to the California Lottery app and buy tickets online. You have to go to a local retailer (the nearest of which is probably around the corner from your home).
On a side-note, California residents should make absolute certain to avoid offshore lottery websites (of which there are many). Imagine if you got lucky and won a million dollars. What's to stop that site from keeping the money? They have possession of the ticket, and you have zero recourse because the website is unlicensed.
Online Bingo In California
Plenty of Bingo parlors exist across the state of California. Some even have payouts in the thousands of dollars, but most offer physical prizes.
Real money online Bingo, on the other hand, is not legal in California. Instead, legal Bingo sites are limited to sweepstakes, which will further explain in later sections of this page
Thankfully, a simple Google search will identify all the legal Bingo events going on in your area. Chances are there's one coming up soon nearby.
Online Horse Race Betting In California
The only traditional online betting option that's legal in California is horse racing. You can bet on local, national, and international tracks, from races in San Diego to locations on the other side of the world.
However, many betting websites that take horse racing bets from folks in CA are illegal and unlicensed, so it's important for you to do your due diligence before depositing.
It also might be worthwhile to note that horse racing could be nearing its finish line as a practice in California. The activist outcry against what many dub animal cruelty, particularly in a famously progressive state, could make horse racing illegal before the state legalizes online sportsbooks and casinos.
Still, even if horse racing goes the way of greyhound racing and gets outlawed in CA, betting on it online will almost certainly remain legal.
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) In California
Daily fantasy sports (DFS) are legal in most states because their operators have convinced legislators that DFS is skill-based rather than luck-based. As such, participation in DFS is not considered gambling. So, while online casinos, online sportsbooks, and poker sites are illegal in almost all US states, DFS is only unavailable in the following states:
- Hawaii
- Washington
- Nevada
- Idaho
- Montana
- Iowa
- Arizona
- Louisiana
- Alabama
- Delaware
In every other state as well as Washington, DC, you can legally play DFS with popular apps like DraftKings and FanDuel.
If you're wondering how sports betting isn't skill-based but DFS is, that's a hotly debated topic for another time. Similarly, if you're wondering how DFS is more skill-based than poker, no one has a good answer for you. It's a total mystery.
A Brief History Of Online Gambling In California
Interestingly, gambling is one of the few bipartisan issues in the United States. Republican, Democrat, and Independent politicians can be for or against legalization, political party notwithstanding. This is important to mention because online gambling legislation is a political issue, and California is a historically left-leaning state.
History Of Online Gambling According To Federal US Law
The Federal Wire Act of 1961 put federal restrictions on all forms of online gambling for decades. In September 2011, the Obama administration's Department of Justice (DOJ) declared that the law only applies to sports betting. Several years later in 2018, the Trump administration's DOJ retracted that opinion and declared that the law applies to all forms of online betting.
The question then fell into the lap of the Fifth Court of Appeals, which ruled that the law only applies to sports betting. Most recently, Trump's DOJ filed its intent to appeal. Is there any strategy to roulette sites. If you're confused, welcome to the club.
History Of Online Gambling According To California State Law
Ever since US states began legalizing online casinos and online sportsbooks, California has been slow to the punch. This isn't due to a lack of demand. Rather, it's due to a lack of political will. Passing new legislation requires cutting through a mountain of red tape, and the recent push toward legalized online poker in 2020 was stymied by the coronavirus pandemic.
Basically, the history of California's online gambling is yet to be written. Online poker seems to be the most likely legalization in the near future. The growing demand for legal online sportsbooks will also likely reach a fever pitch across the US, and this won't exclude California.
The Legality Of California's Brick-And-Mortar Gambling
California Cardrooms
The most liberal aspect of legal gambling in California compared to other states is the cardroom. Cardrooms are retail locations that allow poker, blackjack, pai gow, and baccarat but do not permit slots or table games.
Cardrooms also serve food, drinks, and host events, which gives them the feel of a casino. However, if you like the digital games or roulette, you'll have to travel one state over to Nevada. Furthermore, since 1995, no new cardrooms can open up. So, what currently stands is all the state is going to get. That means if one goes out of business, a new one can't pop up.
Casinos On California Native American Reservations
Another option is to travel to Native American reservation casinos. In California alone, there are 63 different tribal casinos that span the state.
California State Lottery
You can also purchase tickets to play the California State Lottery at a wide range of retail locations. Tickets are available for purchase and cash-in only within the state borders. However, you can also play Mega Millions and PowerBall, which are both multi-state competitions open to 45 states.
Quick Facts On CA Gambling
Are retail casinos legal in California? | Cardrooms only |
How many tribal casinos are in California? | 65 |
How many horse tracks are in California? | Four |
Can you play the lottery in California? | Yes |
What is the legal gambling age in California? | 18-years-old |
Who regulates California gambling? | California Gambling Control Commission (CGCC) |
How Many Casinos Are Located In California?
Within the California state lines, there are two different types of casinos: tribal casinos and cardrooms. Currently, you can bet at 65 full-sized tribal casinos and 89 state-licensed cardrooms. These establishments vary in size dramatically, especially when you compare small cardrooms to enormous casino resorts.
Unlike cardrooms, tribal casinos host every type of casino game, including slots, video poker, roulette and craps. That's on top of the blackjack and poker that are offered at cardrooms.
How Has The California Casino Industry Grown?
California's casino industry has skyrocketed in growth since the ratification of the Tribal-State Gaming Compacts in 1999. Since then, dozens of casinos have opened across the state on reservation land.
Because no new cardrooms can open as of 1995, the only way a new casino can open is if it's tribal-run or the state passes new legislation. That means, for now, the California casino industry has, by all indications, plateaued.
Who Owns California Casinos?
Right now, 61 Native American tribes own the 64 casinos located within California state lines. The names of the casinos normally are not related to the name of the tribe.
As for the cardrooms, the ownership is even more varied, but they're often named after the location. For example, Commerce Casino is located in Commerce, CA, while the Napa Valley Casino is located in Napa.
An Overview Of The California Lottery
'Winning the lottery' isn't as unlikely as the term often connotates. Of course, winning huge jackpots hold incredibly small odds, and most people who play Powerball or Mega Millions every week for their whole lives never come close to winning the jackpot. But playing the lotto in California is a much different experience.
Daily 3
There are two drawings per day (every day). You can select three numbers or let the computer do it for you. One number can win you over $50, while the three numbers in order can pay out a few hundred dollars or more.
Daily 4
The same as Daily 3 except with four numbers. The prizes are also larger due to the increased difficulty of correctly guessing four in a row.
Daily Derby
This virtual horse racing game allows bettors to guess which 'horse' (number) will come in first, second, and third. The results come in twice per day.
Fantasy 5
The same as Daily 3 and 4, except that the drawing is once per day, and the minimum win for the top prize is $65,000.
SuperLotto Plus
The California-only version of the MegaMillions. The drawing occurs twice per week, and the minimum top prize is $7 million.
Hot Spot
In California, lottery retailers host screens with a Keno game called Hot Spot that allows you to bet every four minutes from 6 a.m. to 2 a.m. every day. Payouts are determined by both the price of the ticket and the amount of correctly guessed numbers.
Non-profit Casino Nights In California
According to California Gambling Law, a non-profit can use casino games to raise money in what is commonly known as a 'casino night.'
However, 90 percent of gross revenue has to go to a registered charity, individual cash prizes cannot exceed $500, and total prizes can't exceed $5,000.
You also can't host any aspect of it online.
Are Raffles Legal In California?
Yes. However, raffles are held to similar laws as charity casino nights in that 90 percent of revenue must go toward charity. However, the Bureau of Gambling Control also allows and regulates 50/50 raffles at sporting events.
Online raffles are not legal in most cases. Even charitable online raffles are illegal if any form of marketing for the raffle is done online. You can legally advertise an in-person raffle, as well as list all the details of the raffle, such as prizes, rules, and even entry forms, which need to be printed out and completed manually.
Is An Office Pool Legal In California?
Yes. Office pools are legal in California so long as:
- It's not done online
- No one profits off of the pool
- The total pool money doesn't exceed $2,500
So, if you and your friends want to hold a pool for events like March Madness or do a Super Bowl board, there's nothing stopping you if you operate within those rules.
Online Gambling In California FAQ
Is online gambling in California safe?
California Gambling Roulette Sites
No. Not unless you're betting on horse racing or participating in a state-stationed lottery promotion. Otherwise, you're gambling at an illegal betting site.
While it's not illegal to gamble at an offshore casino, you won't have any recourse if you're ripped off. Many Californians still choose to bet at unlicensed sites and receive their winnings without issue. But is it safe? Strictly speaking, it is not.
How do US online casinos know that I'm in California?
In order to ensure the user base is in compliance with local regulations, online sportsbooks and casinos require members to let them know their location. Others will use geolocation software. Otherwise, there's no way of knowing whether the person is inside the state – or even within the country.
Allowing bets from people located outside of the state of licensing is illegal. Even those who legally reside in states where online casinos or sportsbooks are legal cannot bet if they're outside of state lines.
Can I be a California resident but legally play at a Nevada online casino?
Yes. The second you cross the border into Nevada, you can play at any of their licensed betting websites. Many who live close to the border can feasibly drive over state lines, place their sports bets, drive home, then drive back into the state to collect their winnings.
Can CA residents bet online in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, or Indiana?
Yes. State residency does not matter. All that matters is that you're located within the state lines. That means you don't even need to be a United States citizen to legally bet at licensed online casinos.
Do I have to pay California state tax on my casino winnings?
Yes. California's standard income tax applies to any gambling winnings. The only exception is the CA Lottery, wherein the 24 percent tax (or 30 percent for non-US citizens or legal residents) is automatically withheld if the winnings exceed $600.
So, if you're a US citizen and win $1,000 on the CA Lottery, you'd receive $760, and you would not have to pay any additional taxes.
Do I have to pay a federal tax on my casino winnings?
If your net winnings for the year exceed $5,000, then they are subject to a flat tax rate of 25 percent.
California Casino Roulette
It's important to note that 'net winnings' means your winnings subtracted by your losses. If you won $10,000 but lost $5,001, you would not have to pay federal taxes for gambling.
How are California casinos different than Nevada casinos?
Tribal casinos in California are virtually the same as the casinos you'd find in Reno or Vegas. The biggest difference is the number of options. If you're in a more rural part of California, you may be a long drive from the closest tribal casino. If you're on the Vegas Strip, you're a stone's throw away from dozens of casinos.