California Online Casinos – Gambling in California
If you want to read the latest news on licensed online casinos in California, you’ve come to the right website. Unfortunately, online gambling is still illegal in the Golden State. The good news is that not all gambling options are illegal in California. In this article, you’ll learn how soon online casino gambling is likely to become legal in CA, and we’ll explore some of the best legal options for you at the moment.
Are Any Forms of Online Gambling Legal in CA in 2021?
However progressive and liberal, the state of California hasn’t dealt with the issue of online gambling. Of course, it doesn’t mean that there weren’t any attempts to do that, as California’s laws are continuously being challenged, adjusted, and reinvented. Unfortunately, none of the attempts really managed to go all the way and reach the Governor.
Strictly speaking, the only form of gambling that’s available to everyone located within the borders of California is daily fantasy sports. Mind you, it’s technically not legal, as no legislative pieces are regulating this type of gambling. Nevertheless, big DFS providers, such as DraftKings and FanDuel, still accept players from California who can take part in all DFS-related activities. However, they cannot access the sportsbook and the casino.
There’s an ongoing three-way legal battle that includes the Native American tribes in the CA, 3 large operators (DraftKings, FanDuel, and BetMGM), and the cities. This will continue well into 2022, which makes the road towards online gambling legalization even more difficult.
California is home to 40 million people, and it’s the wealthiest state in the US. Therefore, it’s no wonder that every side wants to grab the biggest piece of the cake. We’ll be able to see the progress in terms of online gambling only when the dust settles down and all sides are happy with the piece they get, which could take a while.
Are any forms of land-based gambling legal in California in 2021?
Even though it’s not as developed as many would expect it to be, California’s land-based casino industry is still present. The residents of the Golden State have plenty of options if they don’t mind actually visiting gambling properties instead of having them at the tip of their finger.
Casino Gambling in CA
There are currently no commercial casinos in California. Instead, the only full-scale gambling properties are tribal casinos. In fact, CA is the largest tribal gaming state in the US, with approximately 76 casinos. We’ll list some of the most popular ones in the section below.
Poker in CA
California offers specialized cardrooms where players can play gambling card games against each other, with poker being the most popular option. There are currently 66 cardrooms available in the state. Moreover, there are approximately additional licensed cardrooms that do not operate at the moment.
Horse Racing in CA
Pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing is available at racetracks or in one of the facilities offering satellite wagering. Another way to place bets is via advance deposit wagering providers. There are currently five racetracks and 27 satellite wagering properties, which are usually part of tribal casinos, card rooms, or fairgrounds.
Bingo in CA
Bingo is listed under charitable gambling in California, and it can be operated by eligible non-profit organizations, along with raffles and poker nights. However, every city has different rules for regulating bingo games.
What Are the Largest Brick-and-Mortar Casinos in California?
Even though California hasn’t legalized online casino gambling, Californians have plenty of land-based options, which are all tribal casinos owned and operated by Native American tribes in the state.
Yaamava’ Resort Casino
Located in Highland, San Bernandino County, this Californian tribal casino is one of the biggest in the state. It features more than 6,400 slot machines, 135 table games, and 38 poker tables. The gaming floor takes up 121,300 square feet. In addition to the casino, the facility also offers five different restaurants, bars, a hotel with 429 rooms, and an event center. It’s located at 777 San Manuel Blvd, Highland, CA 92346.
The casino started just as a bingo hall in 1986 and grew into an iconic property visited by thousands of Californians and beyond.
Pechanga Resort & Casino
Pechanga Resort & Casino is the largest casino in the state if we take casino floor size, which is 188,000 square feet. The property features 5,000 slots, 158 table games, and 38 poker tables. Pechanga Resort & Casino is located southwest of Riverside County, in a town called Temecula, California.
Apart from the great casino offer, the facility also features 11 great restaurants, three bars, and more. There’s also a great golf course that’s considered one of the best in California. Also, there are 13 pools, spas, and a hotel with 1,090 guest rooms. The property is located at 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula, CA 92592.
Morongo Casino Resort & Spa
Located at 49750 Seminole Drive, Cabazon, California 92230-2200, Morongo Casino Resort & Spa is part of the Morongo Indian Reservation. The property features a 148,000 square foot of gaming space with 4,000 slot machines, 80 table games, and 13 poker tables. The property is located 20 miles away from Palm Springs.
Besides the casino, Morongo Casino Resort & Spa is home to a 310-room hotel and a bowling alley with 24 lanes. Golf fans can also enjoy a 36-hole golf course, in addition to a travel center.
What Nearby States Have Legalized Online Gambling?
Unfortunately, to experience online gambling in all its glory, the residents of California have to travel to the East coast. The next best thing is Nevada. Let’s check out your options.
Nevada
Even though sports betting and poker are available online in Nevada, online casinos still aren’t, and it seems they won’t be in the near future. Then again, it’s Nevada, and there are land-based casinos almost everywhere. That actually might be the exact reason why online casinos aren’t legalized. Nevertheless, Nevada is bordering California, so it’s the usual go-to destination for Californians who want to enjoy casino games.
New Jersey
New Jersey was the first state to legalize online gambling. The residents and visitors of the Garden State have been able to legally enjoy online casinos, poker, and sports betting for a while now. Almost all online casinos have their land-based counterparts, so it’s safe to say that NJ is heaven for gamblers. Then again, you’ll have to travel 2,840 — from West to East coast (from Sacramento to New Jersey) if you want to play online casino games.
Pennsylvania
Pennsylvania is currently the largest online gambling market at the moment. It also legalized all types of online gambling, including online casinos, sports betting, and poker. However, there’s the issue of distance for Californians, as they would need to travel 2,788 miles (Sacrament to Philadelphia) if they wanted to play online casino games.
Michigan
Michigan is the newest and smallest market out of those listed here. Nevertheless, it has huge potential and will probably grow in the future, given that it licensed and enabled online casino gambling and sports betting.
History of gambling legislation in New York
New York’s relationship with legal gambling have a long and somewhat rocky history. Here’s a short overview of all the important dates.
A voter referendum chose to legalize the first form of gambling.
Satellite wagering on horse races legalized at fairgrounds.
The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was passed by the federal government, regulating tribal casinos.
Future of Online Gambling in California
It’s difficult to make any claims about the future of online gambling in California, given the ongoing legal battles. For now, it seems that there won’t be any big moves in 2021 and even in 2022. However, with many neighboring states offering some kind of sports betting, it’s safe to assume that it would be the first gambling vertical to become available on the Internet for Californians.
One thing is certain — once online gambling becomes legal, it’s going to thrive in California, as it is going to become the largest US market. This especially applies to sports betting, given that there are so many successful sports franchises with millions of die-hard fans in the state.