• Legal Age To Gamble Online
• Is It Legal To Gamble Online In California Secretary Of State
• Is It Legal To Gamble Online In California Right Now
• Is It Legal To Sports Bet Online In California
• Can You Gamble Online In The Us
• Is It Legal To Gamble Online In California

California is the most populous state in America, with almost 40 million people living there.

California is sometimes portrayed as having a vacation lifestyle and being carefree. Because of this, it’s hard to believe that any casinos other than tribal ones are prohibited. They also have strict laws regarding race betting, slot machines and other forms of gambling.

One type of gambling that’s completely legal in California, though, is online gambling.

You can learn everything you need to know about California gambling sites on this page.

Online Gambling and California Law

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.

Is Online Gambling Legal in California?

• Currently, California’s laws on online casinos are unclear. You won’t be prosecuted for betting on slots at offshore gambling sites, but you can’t open and run an online casino in the Golden State. Your best bet are offshore sites that are safe and regulated, but not by US laws.
• California residents can enjoy a large choice of casinos games but not online. Betting on horses is allowed, both on-track and recently online as well. Lottery betting is big business in CA with a number of regular draws and scratch-cards.
• Additional gambling laws and regulations in California specifically state it is illegal to participate in online gambling under current state law. This includes casino games, sports betting, raffles and other forms of charitable gaming.

Yes, online gambling is legal in California.

In fact, California laws don’t prohibit, regulate, or ban any type of online gambling. You can feel free to play on any online casino and enjoy your favorite casino or card games that you can’t find in the state.

The only law regarding online gambling in California is the age limit. You must be 21 years or older to legally gamble online.

Can I Get Arrested for Gambling Online in California?

Legal Age To Gamble Online

No, but starting an online casino or gambling business in California is illegal – you can definitely get arrested for that.

You can also be arrested if you don’t pay taxes on revenue earned from any online gambling you do.

If you’re just a player and not an owner, and if you pay your taxes, you’re in the clear.

Also On This Page

More Gambling Laws in California

• Casino Games (Legal)
• Slot Machines (Illegal)
• Sports Betting (Legal)
• Racing Betting (Parimutuel Only)
• Lottry (Legal)
• Bingo (Legal With Restrictions)
• Draw Poker (Legal With Restrictions)
• Social Gambling (Illegal)

Section 19801 of The Gambling Control Act says:

“(a)State law prohibits commercially operated lotteries, banked or percentage games, and gambling machines, and strictly regulates parimutuel wagering on horse racing. To the extent that state law categorically prohibits certain forms of gambling and prohibits gambling devices, nothing herein shall be construed, in any manner, to reflect a legislative intent to relax those prohibitions.

(b)The State of California has permitted the operation of gambling establishments for more than 100 years. Gambling establishments were first regulated by the State of California pursuant to legislation which was enacted in 1984. Gambling establishments currently employ more than 20,000 people in the State of California, and contribute more than one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) in taxes and fees to California’s government. Gambling establishments are lawful enterprises in the State of California, and are entitled to full protection of the laws of this state.”

Casino games: Legal

California only allows tribal casinos. The tribal casinos usually offer poker, blackjack, bingo, keno, video poker and slot machines.

Card rooms are allowed in California. These are different from casinos because players bet against each other and not the house. These establishments make their money by charging players a fee to play. This often takes the form of a 5% contribution from each pot, which is called the rake.

Card rooms are state regulated, and offer games like poker and pai gow.

Here’s what the State of California Department of Justice says about card rooms:

“All controlled games (pai-gow, poker, etc.) and gaming activities (jackpots, bonuses, tournaments, etc.) must be approved by the Bureau and must comply with local gaming ordinances prior to their play at a licensed gambling establishment within California.”

Slot Machines: Illegal

Slot machines are illegal to own unless they’re antiques. Antique slot machines must be over 25 years old, and must not be used for real money gambling.

Here’s what section 330.7 of the California Law, Regulations, Resource Information says about antique slot machines:

“(a) It shall be a defense to any prosecution under this chapter relating to slot machines, as defined in subdivision (d) of Section 330b, if the defendant shows that the slot machine is an antique slot machine and was not operated for gambling purposes while in the defendant’s possession. For the purposes of this section, the term “antique slot machine” means a slot machine that is over 25 years of age.”

Sports betting: Legal

Betting on sports in California is legal, but accepting bets on sports or bookmaking is illegal.

Here’s what section 337a of the Penal Code says about bookmaking:

“Except as provided in Section 336.9, every person who engages in one of the following offenses, shall be punished for a first offense by imprisonment in a county jail for a period of not more than one year or in the state prison, or by a fine not to exceed five thousand dollars ($5,000), or by both imprisonment and fine:

(1)Pool selling or bookmaking, with or without writing, at any time or place.”

Online sports betting is legal in California. No legal sports book in the United States takes bets online because of the Federal Wire Act. But you can find plenty of online sports books who would be happy to take your action from California. We suggest several trustworthy offshore California gambling sites. You can play at any of them with confidence.

Racing betting: Parimutuel Only

What is parimutuel betting?

It’s when player’s bets are put together in a pool, the taxes and track fees are deducted and the pool is then divided among the winning players.

Here’s what section 19590 of the Business and Professions Code says about wagering on horse racing:

“The board shall adopt rules governing, permitting, and regulating parimutuel wagering on horse races under the system known as the parimutuel method of wagering. Parimutuel wagering shall be conducted only by a person or persons licensed under this chapter to conduct a horse racing meeting or authorized by the board to conduct advance deposit wagering.”

Dog racing is illegal in the state of California.

Lottery: Legal

California has a state regulated lottery that provides a variety of games. A few of these games include SuperLotto Plus and Mega Millions.

Here’s what section 8880.1 of the California Government Code says about the lottery:

“The People of the State of California declare that the purpose of this Act is support for preservation of the rights, liberties and welfare of the people by providing additional monies to benefit education without the imposition of additional or increased taxes. The People of the State of California further declare that it is their intent that the net revenues of the California State Lottery shall not be used as substitute funds but rather shall supplement the total amount of money allocated for public education in California.”

Bingo: Tribal Casinos and Charitable Games Only

You can find regular gambling bingo in approved tribal casinos.

You won’t find regular bingo halls in California–the only approved bingo is when played for charity. Charitable bingo games can only be held once per year, and no cash prizes can be given out.

Here’s what section 19985 of The Gambling Control Act says about nonprofit organization fundraisers:

“(a)Nonprofit organizations provide important and necessary services to the people of the State of California with respect to educational and social services and there is a need to provide methods of fundraising to nonprofit organizations so as to enable them to meet their stated purposes.

Is It Legal To Gamble Online In California Secretary Of State

(b)The playing of controlled games for the purpose of raising funds by nonprofit organizations is in the public interest.

(c)Uniform regulation for the conduct of controlled games is in the best interests of nonprofit organizations and the people of this state.”

Social Gambling: Illegal

Illegal forms of gambling in California include:

• Faro
• Monte
• Roulette
• Lansquenet
• Rouge et noire
• Rondo
• Tan
• Fan-tan
• Seven-and-a-half
• Twenty-one
• Hokey-pokey

If you’re caught betting in any of these games you can end up paying $1,000 in fines and spending six months in jail.

Here’s what section 330 of the California Gambling Law, Regulations, and Resource Information says about illegal forms of gambling and the punishment for it:

“Every person who deals, plays, or carries on, opens, or causes to be opened, or who conducts, either as owner or employee, whether for hire or not, any game of faro, monte, roulette, lansquenet, rouge et noire, rondo, tan, fan-tan, seven-and a-half, twenty-one, hokey-pokey, or any banking or percentage game played with cards, dice, or any device, for money, checks, credit, or other representative of value, and every person who plays or bets at or against any of those prohibited games, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be punishable by a fine not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months, or by both the fine and imprisonment.”

Draw Poker: Legal With Restrictions

California counties that have more than 4 million residents prohibit draw poker.

Here’s what section 337 of the California Law, Regulations, and Resource Information says about it:

“(a) This section applies only in counties with a population exceeding 4,000,000. (b) Every person who deals, plays, or carries on, opens, or causes to be opened, or who conducts, either as owner or employee, whether for hire or not, any game of draw poker, including lowball poker, is guilty of a misdemeanor.

(e) The Legislature finds that in counties with a large, concentrated population, problems incident to the playing of draw poker are, in part, qualitatively, as well as quantitatively, different from the problems in smaller counties. The Legislature finds that counties with a population exceeding 4,000,000 constitute a special problem, and it is reasonable classification to adopt prohibitory legislation applicable only to such counties.”

Gambling Venues in California

65 active tribal casinos and 94 gaming establishments or card rooms operate in California.

Here are some of the current tribal casinos in the state:

1) Win-River Casino

2100 Redding Rancheria Road

Redding, California 96001-5530

2) Winnedumah Winn’s Casino

135 South Highway 395

Independence, California 93526

3) Table Mountain Casino

8184 Table Mountain Road

Friant, California 93626 800-541-3637

4) Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino

17225 Jersey Avenue

Lemoore, California 93245-9760

5) San Pablo Lytton Casino

13255 San Pablo Ave

San Pablo, CA 94806

6) Santa Ysabel Resort and Casino

25575 Highway 79 PO Box 600

Santa Ysabel, California 92070

7) Red Fox Casino & Bingo

200 Cahto Drive

Laytonville, California 95454

8) Red Hawk Casino

1 Red Hawk Boulevard

Placerville, CA 95667

9) Paiute Palace Casino

2742 North Sierra Highway

Bishop, California 93514

10) Pala Casino Spa Resort

11154 Highway 76

Pala, California 92059

History of Gambling in California

Is It Legal To Gamble Online In California Right Now

Horse race betting becomes legal at six tracks and many offtrack betting establishments.

The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act helps bring casino gambling business to California by forming compacts with over 50 tribes. The tribes start their casinos with bingo-style games.

Casino gambling is fully legalized on tribal land. Individual compacts are formed with each tribe to agree on the type and number of games the casinos can run.

Horse race betting online is officially legalized for California residents.

Attempts to regulate online poker are put before the California Senate. They fail.

Another attempt to regulate online poker is put before the California Senate. They fail again.

Additional Resources

California’s Gambling Future

Brick and mortar establishments are pushing heavily for state regulated online gambling. Because of the large population, having state regulated gambling would allow huge online tournaments and promotions at California gambling sites.

One setback of the state regulated online gambling is the tribal casinos. The tribal casinos have run casino gambling in California for years, so they want to be responsible for online gambling too.

Aside from regulating online gambling, we don’t foresee much change in the California gambling law. You can find plenty of casinos and card rooms throughout the state. The state lottery and horse racing venues aren’t going anywhere soon, either.

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.

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.

Is It Legal To Sports Bet Online In California

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.

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.

Can You Gamble Online In The Us

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.

Is It Legal To Gamble Online In California

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.

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.

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.

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