Casinos in California – A Look at Both Online and Land Based Options Available In 2024
Las Vegas style gambling casinos in California have existed since the Gold Rush days of 1849, long before Las Vegas existed. Back when the Golden State got its nickname because of the mad rush of pioneers intent on becoming rich overnight, California casinos sprung up in gold mining towns.
Fast-forward to current times and we find more than 150 California casinos and card rooms operating, half a dozen horse tracks and over 20,000 lottery retail outlets. The desire to strike it rich in California is as strong today as it was more than 150 years ago.
It is safe to say that gambling in California is flourishing, both with land based gambling and options to gamble online legally in California.
Best Legal Online Casinos Available To California Residents In 2024
| Rank | Site Name | Bonus Offer | Our Rating | US Allowed | Play Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slots.lv Casino | $5,000 | 4.9 | Yes | Play Now |
| 2 | Bovada Casino | $3,000 | 4.8 | Yes | Play Now |
| 3 | Cafe Casino | $2,500 | 4.6 | Yes | Play Now |
| 4 | Ignition Casino | $3,000 | 4.6 | Yes | Play Now |
| 5 | Lucky Red Casino | $4,000 | 4.2 | Yes | Play Now |
Is Casino Gambling Legal in California?
While California state gambling laws do not look upon gambling as a legal or illegal enterprise as a whole, it allows for a mishmash of gambling options. For example, brick-and-mortar casinos in California that offer a full range of table and card games can only be built on Indian owned land, not state owned. And even then, roulette and craps are not allowed.
But with ocean-going cruise vessels which operate outside the three-mile international waterway limit, over 100 poker rooms, pari-mutuel and OTB horse track betting, physical tribal casinos and access to one of the biggest lotteries in the world, California’s gambling industry creates more revenue than almost any other state in the US.
While brick and mortar and floating casinos are legal in California, it is currently not legal to operate an online casino within the state. This may change in the near future as the Golden State is currently considering the possibility of an online gambling industry that is state based, but as of right now, to launch an online casino or gambling state inside of the state would be illegal.
There are no laws however prohibiting players from participating in legally licensed and certified online casinos that are regulated outside of the US. This guide features several of those types of options, each having been personally vetted and reviewed by our team of professionals. Because these online casinos are legally operating within the industry and hold legitimate licensing, they are able to legally offer their services to players in CA and the US in general.
What is the Legal Gambling Age for California Brick And Mortar Casinos And Age Requirements For Playing For Real Money Online?
California casino gambling laws require that all participants are at least 21 years of age. There are no exceptions to this rule when it comes to land based casino options. The only variations to the California legal gambling age is when it comes to playing lottery games and engaging in pari-mutuel wagering.
For playing online casino games as a California resident, you must be at least 18 years old and up.
Legal California Casinos Operated By Indian Tribes
California poker rooms are also called poker casinos in California, and in Butte County in the northern part of the state Angie’s Poker Club offers Texas Hold ‘Em, Omaha, Seven Card Stud, Five Card Stud, Five Card Draw, Lowball, Option Alley, and Dealer’s Choice. And right down the road are a couple of examples of California Indian casinos owned by native American Indian tribes.
Operated by the Tyme Maidu Tribe of the Berry Creek Rancheria, the Gold Country Casino and Hotel in Oroville is more than 240,000 square feet, and offers 27 table games and 900 gaming machines. The facility also has a bingo room and bowling alley with 24 lanes.
And also in Oroville is the Feather Falls Casino managed by the Mooretown Rancheria of Maidu Indians. The site offers over 1,000 slot machines, 12 blackjack tables, multiple poker tables and a non-smoking poker room.
The southern part of the state boasts some of the largest casinos in California, with more than two dozen tribal casinos present. The Viejas Casino Resort is run by the Viejas Band of the Kumeyaay Indian Nation is one of the California casinos which offers OTB horse betting as well as Las Vegas style casino entertainment.
The casino is open 24 hours a day, covers more than 210,000 square feet, and has an incredible 2,000 slot machines, 82 table games and 18 table poker room.
Also located in San Diego County is a poker casino called the Ocean’s Eleven Casino. The site is also open 24 hours a day, and is home to 50 table card games in the form of Texas Hold’ Em, Omaha, No Bust Blackjack, 3 Card Poker, Pan, Pai Gow Poker and others.
Are Online Casinos Legal in California?
The answer to this question is both yes and no. It is currently illegal to operate an online casino within the state of California, hence any in-state online casino gambling would be illegal at this point. However, there are no laws prohibiting players in California from participating in online casino gambling that is played from a legally licensed and compliance certified online casino that is regulated and located outside of the United States.
Currently multiple virtual destinations of this nature exist, and they have been legally and professionally providing their services to players in the US for years. It is legal for residents of the US, including those in California to engage in casino gambling entertainment at these internet casino destinations. This guide includes a listing of top rated online casinos that have been reviewed and approved by our team of review specialists.
We have verified that they are legitimately licensed and subject to strict regulatory oversight from an authentic governing jurisdiction. They provide high quality and secure online casino gambling to players all over the world, including here in the US. Once California completes their decision making concerning the possibility of legalizing online gambling in the state, there may be an extended range of options available to players in the Golden State.
Summarizing The Casino Gambling Industry In CA
Casinos in California exist in many different forms. Residents and visitors to the Golden State can enjoy the full Las Vegas style casino experience at the many Indian tribal casinos, or play all their favorite card games at one of the many poker casinos the state has to offer.
As an important part of the overall gambling environment there, California casinos and poker rooms employ tens of thousands, and provide responsible wagering excitement in a state with a rich gambling history.
In addition, California players will continue to have the option of existing legally licensed offshore online casinos while the potential of state sanctioned online casinos currently hangs in the balance.
You can keep up with the unfolding state based gambling legislation as it is presented and voted on in our CA online gambling news section where we will chronicle California’s journey to legalizing online gambling at a state level.