- Can I Play Online Casino From California Today
- Play Online Casino For Free
- Can I Play Online Casino From California Online
- Can I Play Online Casino From California Lottery
- Can I Play Online Casino From California State
Online Casinos Regulations. But, in the end, the simple question remains: can you gamble online in California, can you play real money mobile slots? Fact is, that even though the matter is kept in the grey area, with no decisive conclusion on other sides, no operator or gaming software provider risks setting up real money online casinos in CA. Online casino games are a fantastic invention: they allow you to play anywhere, anytime, for as long or as short a time as you want to, with no added expenses or noisy casino crowds. Playing at an Internet casino can be a wonderful pastime.
With more than 40 million people living in California this is the most populated state in America. It’s also a place where gambling is incredibly wide spread as hundreds of different gambling establishments are operating in the state. We’re talking about tribal casinos offering thousands of slots, numerous table games and regular poker tournaments, as well as card clubs offering table games and amazing poker action. With all of these venues around there can’t be much to wish for or can there? It seems so.
Even though gambling is easily accessible in California many of us are looking to play casino online – for many reasons. It’s not only incredibly convenient, but it’s also the only way of playing roulette and craps, and betting on sports as these gambling activities are illegal in the state. There are many other benefits as well which we have taken a closer look at on the following page. In addition to this, we have gathered all of the best casinos in California that can be played at online and shared plenty of other valuable information.
Best online casinos in California listed and reviewed
If you’re looking for a world class casino experience all of the gambling sites that we have listed below are great choices. These have been carefully picked by us for offering top qualify safety standards; a wide variety of games; 24/7 support; fantastic bonus rewards among many other things.
225% Pokies Bonus +50 Free Spins on Cash Bandits 2
Aussi Play is one of the latest launches in the world of online casinos, with many promotions and high bonuses.
No deposit bonus
Diamond reels is the newest addition to an online casino group with over 10 years of experience and strives to produce the best in online casino entertainment.
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Platinum Reels adds more games each month, so there is always something new and exciting for everyone.
100% Bonus up to $7,777 +300 Free Spins
This casino offers a reasonable choice of real money slot machines and table games, including both old classics and new releases.
250% Bonus up to $1,000
Wild Casino takes pride in its state-of-the-art gaming platform, a pool of specifically selected games, the best management and incredible user experience.
What’s the experience like at the above listed casinos?
When we choose the best California casinos to list we take a lot of factors into consideration with some of these factors weighing more heavily towards our decision than others. Safety and reliability is for instance incredibly important. We do, however, try to provide a somewhat versatile list of gambling sites so that every type of gambling enthusiast can find their perfect match.
While many things are similar such as a professional customer support always being available and plenty of casino games always being offered, this means that the experience will vary a bit. Some of our listed sites do for instance have banking options that others don’t and some do for instance offer sports betting and poker against other players while others only offer casino games.
All in all you can, however, expect the following from our recommended gambling sites:
- More than 200 different slots, including progressive jackpot machines
- Plenty of table games such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat and craps
- A live dealer section where you can play table games against real dealers
- Several banking options such as Visa, Mastercard, Wire Transfer & Bitcoins
- A very valuable welcome bonus giving you extra cash on your first deposit
- Regular cashbacks, lottery draws, competitions and deposit bonuses
- Exclusive rewards and good will bonuses for being a loyal player
- Smooth cash outs that are usually approved within 48 hours
- Professional support available on chat, e-mail & phone 24/7
- Betting on more than 20 sports, eSports and horse racing
- Plenty of tournaments and cash games in Texas Hold’em and Omaha
- SSL encryption; stable servers; ID verification and RNG approved games
How do I gamble at online casinos in California?
Gambling over the internet is incredibly easy and shouldn’t be a problem for anyone no matter their level of experience. With that being said there are a couple of things that are good to know about. To cover these as well the very basics of playing online we have created a step-by-step guide below.
Step 1. Choose a gambling site to play at
All of the best California casinos that we have listed for online gambling are top quality sites that are likely to provide you with a satisfying experience. As mentioned earlier they do, however, have some differences between them. If you’re looking for something in particular, like combining casino games with sports betting, you may want to check out a couple of sites before deciding where to play.
Step 2. Create a casino account
Similar to land based casinos in California you need a personal account to gamble online. This is easily fixed by clicking the sign up button at the casino. You’ll be asked to provide some personal details about yourself such as name, date of birth and home address. Make sure that you enter correct ones as these will have to be verified before your first withdrawal request can be approved.
As soon as you have an account created you’ll be able to play the vast majority of the casino’s games for free. Should you like to you can just click on a slot machine or table game and you’ll get the option of enjoying it with demo credits.
Step 3. Take part of bonus offers
While this step is optional it’s highly recommended that you take part of as many bonus offers as you can as these will boost your long term chances of winning. Many online casinos in California have a wide selection of different promotions that are regularly replaced by new ones. As a new player you will also get an exclusive welcome bonus that will match your first deposit with extra cash.
Before funding your account with money we suggest that you check out the casino’s promotional page to see what they have in store for you. Make sure to read through the terms and conditions that the bonuses come with. These will tell you how the offers are activated and if there’s something special that you have to do with them such as fulfilling a wagering requirement.
Step 4. Fund your account with money
Depositing money into your casino account is just as easy as making any type of online purchase. You’ll find a cashier in the menu of the gambling site and here you’ll get the option of funding your account with several different payment methods. If you choose to use a debit card your account will be instantly funded, while bitcoins can take up to 2 hours and wire transfers a couple of days.
Step 5. Let the real money gambling begin
There’s not much to say about this step. All of the casino’s games can be instantly enjoyed in your web browser – there’s no need to download any software. Just indulge in whatever type of gambling you’re interested in and don’t be afraid of trying out something new. Learning a new game is usually easy as all of them have detailed rules and pay tables explaining everything you need to know.
Step 6. Request a cash out of your winnings
If lady luck has been treating you nicely you want to secure your profits by cashing out. This is a similar process to depositing. Just head to the cashier and choose the payment method that you would like to withdraw with. You usually won’t find debit cards as an option, but alternatives normally include bitcoins, wire transfer, check by courier and person to person.
Once your withdrawal is requested this will be handled by the casino within 48 hours. For any money to be sent to you your account does, however, need to be verified. This leads us to the next step.
Step 7. Verifying your casino account
All legitimate online casinos in California take measures to keep their players safe by preventing underage gambling and fraud. They do this by verifying the identity of everyone. This means that you are required to provide the casino with a photo copy of a valid ID such as a driver’s license, passport or any other government issued document.
Your ID can be conveniently uploaded under your account settings at the casino. Once done the gambling site’s risk department will review it – usually within 48 hours. If everything is alright your account will be approved and all of your withdrawal requests handled as soon as possible.
Quick facts about gambling in California
- All types of gambling officially have a minimum age requirement of 18. However, for casinos to be able to serve alcohol many of them have set their own age requirement to 21.
- Roulette and craps are banned in the state. California has a law prohibiting games where a ball or dice is solely determining the outcome. It doesn’t make much sense – we know.
- Annual revenue from all types of gambling is around $7 billion dollars. Approximately $1.4 billion of this is being generated as tax profits.
- California has close to 150 different casinos and poker rooms with many of these being quite large scale venues.
- Legalizing online poker has been up for discussion almost every year since 2010, but as of now it is still not legal in the state.
Is it legal to play casino online in California?
The story of online casino gambling is the same as with playing poker and betting on sports over the internet – it’s not legal but it’s extremely unlikely that you’ll get in trouble for indulging in it. Like many American states the laws of California aren’t directly addressing internet gambling. While there are some old ones that possibly could be used to claim its illegality, it is a bit of a long shot.
At the end of the day it’s pretty much irrelevant if playing casino online in California is illegal or not. Hundreds of thousands – if not millions – of state residents regularly gamble over the internet and as far as we know no one has ever been faced with any legal charges for doing so. The golden state’s long arm of the law simply doesn’t care about single individuals gambling online.
Should you, however, against all odds be penalized for enjoying casino, sports betting or playing poker online there’s not much to fear. The first two offences would only result in a $50 fine.
A brief look at the history of gambling in California
1933: Betting on horse racing is legalized.
1984: A state lottery is introduced.
1988: As the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act passes on a federal level gambling compacts are signed with more than 50 tribes in California. At the time being these are only allowed to offer bingo-style casino games.
2000: With the exception of roulette, craps and some historic games all types of casino games are legalized on tribal land. All gambling compacts with the Native American tribes are re-negotiated to decide the amount and types of games they are allowed to offer in their casinos.
2010: This year made it legal for residents to bet on horse racing online. Senator Roderick Wright also introduced a bill to legalize online poker.
2012 – 2019: Several online poker bills are introduced by several different people, but none of them make it very far.
Advantages of playing casino online
As much as the golden state is offering hundreds of poker rooms and casinos that are easily accessible for most residents, there are many perks to be had playing online at any of the best California casinos that we have recommended on top of the page. We have listed most of these advantages below.
The RTP of slot machines is generally higher
If you don’t know what RTP is this is a percentage based value that all casino games have which shows you how much you’re expected to win in the long run. If a game has an RTP of 95% this means that you would win $95 for every $100 staked. This is on average of course. In the short run you could win anything from $0 to several thousands of dollars. The gist of it all is that the higher the RTP a game has the more likely you will be winning from it.
When you’re gambling online more or less all slot machines will have an RTP of 95 – 97%. This is not the case when playing at a land based casino in California. Here the payback percentage can vary widely and in best case scenario the average RTP won’t be higher than 94%. It’s not unusual though to stumble upon slot machines that have a payback percentage as low as 85% or even lower.
Gambling online is incredibly convenient
This is self-explanatory. When you’re gambling online you can do it from anywhere at any time as long as you have a mobile device and an internet connection. There’s no dress code to follow and no distance to travel. A click of a button and you’re all set.
Slot machines tend to be more advanced
Can I Play Online Casino From California Today
There are hundreds of different companies that manufacture slot machines, but only a small portion of these create land based slots. If you ask us all of the best and most creative providers are solely making slot machines for online casinos. This means that gambling over the internet comes with a wider variety of games and much more interesting ones.
It’s easier to get a lot of promotional offers
Playing casino games there are basically two ways that you are able to increase your long term chances of making a profit; choosing to play games with as high of an RTP as possible and taking part of as many bonus offers as you can. It doesn’t matter if we’re talking about a lottery draw, cashback or promotional offer giving you extra money on a deposit. All bonuses are beneficial in the long run.
The beauty of gambling over the internet is that you are able to switch between casinos in a blink of an eye. This almost gives you an unlimited amount of bonus offers as if you run out of bonuses at one gambling site you can just visit another.
It’s the only way of betting on sports
While land based gambling venues in the state aren’t allowed to offer sports betting many of the best online casinos in California have a wide selection of odds. We’re talking about betting on more than 20 different sports and eSports as well as horse racing and political events.
It’s the only way of playing roulette and craps
Since roulette and craps are illegal in the golden state no gambling establishments are offering these games. You can, however, find them at all Californian online casinos as these are located outside of America and not within the state.
You can deposit and withdraw with Bitcoins
As much as cryptocurrencies are becoming more and more popular they are yet to make it to the land based casinos in California. If you’re into them you can, however, use them at several online gambling sites. Especially Bitcoins is commonly offered as a deposit and withdrawal method, but you’re also able to come across Ethereum, Litecoin and Ripple.
Downsides of playing casino online
While gambling over the internet has many advantages over land based gambling establishments all things that are good do also have their downsides. As our ambition is to provide you with a comprehensive guide to online casinos in California we have listed these drawbacks for you. There are a total of three that we can think of.
The experience is not as authentic and social
With the introduction and expansion of live dealer games gambling over the internet has become more and more real. These games allow you to play roulette, blackjack and other games against real, professional dealers through a live video stream. But even though this is possible it’s not comparable to the authenticity that you experience when physically visiting a land based gambling establishment.
There’s something special and charming about the atmosphere that land based casino venues embrace you with. The flashing lights; sounds of big wins and all the people that you share the experience with. Not to mention standing face to face with a dealer and chitchatting with him or her as you place your bets on whatever table game you’re enjoying.
You won’t receive your winnings instantaneously
When you’re playing at a land based casino in California it doesn’t take many minutes to get all of your winnings in your pocket. At online casinos it’s a different story. There’s not only a transaction time which varies from a few hours to several days depending on the cash out method that you use. The casino will normally have to approve your withdrawal as well, which can take up to 48 hours.
Fees on deposit and withdrawals may occur
While it varies from one gambling site to another it’s quite common to experience fees when playing at Californian online casinos. The exception is if you use Bitcoins as this rarely comes with any. Should you, however, deposit with a debit card or by making a wire transfer it’s very likely that you’ll have to pay a few percentages of your deposited amount in fees. You may have to when cashing out as well even though this isn’t as common of an occurrence.
Land based poker rooms and casinos in California
As one of the most gambling friendly states in America there’s a huge amount of venues offering great gambling opportunities in California. You won’t find sports betting of course as this is yet to be legalized. You will, however, find anything from enormous card rooms to massive slot parlors and full-fledged Las-Vegas style casinos offering slots, table games, poker and bingo.
All in all you have more than a hundred different venues to choose from in the golden state. With the ambition of guiding you to a suiting gambling establishment we have listed most of them below with details about their location and the games that they’re offering.| Casino | City | Address | Slots | Table games | Poker tables |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| San Manuel Casino | Highland | 777 San Manuel Blvd | 4800 | 130 | - |
| Pechanga Resort Casino | Temecula | 45000 Pechanga Pkwy | 4000 | 154 | 54 |
| Graton Resort & Casino | Rohnert Park | 288 Golf Course Dr W | 3300 | 131 | 20 |
| Thunder Valley Station Casino | Lincoln | 1200 Athens Ave | 3100 | 114 | 27 |
| Sycuan Casino Resort | El Cajon | 5469 Casino Way | 2800 | 50 | 17 |
| Morongo Casino Resort & Spa | Cabazon | 49500 Seminole Dr | 2700 | 74 | 13 |
| Cache Creek Casino Resort | Brooks | 14455 CA-16 | 2360 | 108 | 14 |
| Pala Casino Spa Resort | Pala | 11154 CA-76 | 2250 | 84 | 8 |
| Red Hawk Casino | Placerville | 1 Red Hawk Parkway | 2190 | 75 | 7 |
| Soboba Casino | San Jacinto | 22777 Soboba Rd | 2025 | 20 | - |
| Viejas Casino & Resort | Alpine | 5000 Willows Rd | 2000 | 35 | - |
| Table Mountain Casino | Friant | 8184 Table Mountain Rd | 2000 | 40 | 10 |
| Chumash Casino Resort | Santa Ynez | 3400 CA-246 | 2000 | 40 | 14 |
| Barona Resort and Casino | Lakeside | 1932 Wildcat Canyon Rd | 2000 | 75 | 15 |
| Fantasy Springs Resort Casino | Indio | 84-245 Indio Springs Dr | 2000 | 40 | - |
| Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino | Lemoore | 17225 Jersey Ave | 2000 | 24 | 7 |
| Valley View Casino & Hotel | Valley Center | 16300 Nyemii Pass Road | 2000 | 22 | - |
| Soboba Casino Resort | San Jacinto | 22777 Soboba Rd | 2000 | 38 | - |
| Harrah’s Resort Southern California | Valley Center | 777 S Resort Dr | 1750 | 59 | 12 |
| Chukchansi Gold Resort and Casino | Coarsegold | 711 Lucky Ln | 1700 | 36 | - |
| Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort | Jackson | 12222 New York Ranch Rd | 1700 | 36 | 15 |
| Spotlight 29 Casino | Coachella | 46-200 Harrison Pl | 1600 | 39 | - |
| Jamul Casino | Jamul | 14145 Campo Rd | 1600 | 43 | 10 |
| Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain | Wheatland | 3317 Forty Mile Rd | 1587 | 57 | - |
| Agua Caliente Casino Resort | Rancho Mirage | 32-250 Bob Hope Dr | 1400 | 39 | 20 |
| San Pablo Lytton Casino | San Pablo | 13255 San Pablo Ave | 1301 | 9 | 2 |
| Black Oak Casino | Tuolumne | 19400 Tuolumne Rd N | 1300 | 24 | 6 |
| Colusa Casino Resort | Colusa | 3770 CA-45 | 1273 | 10 | 3 |
| Eagle Mountain Casino | Porterville | 681 S Reservation Rd | 1200 | 10 | 3 |
| River Rock Casino | Geyserville | 3250 CA-128 | 1150 | 20 | - |
| Spa Resort Casino | Palm Springs | 401 E Amado Rd | 1000 | 29 | - |
| Win-River Resort and Casino | Redding | 2100 Redding Rancheria Rd | 1000 | 12 | 8 |
| Casino Pauma | Pauma Valley | 777 Pauma Reservation Rd | 1000 | 19 | - |
| Quechan Casino and Resort | Winterhaven | 525 Algodones Rd | 1000 | 26 | 10 |
| Feather Falls Casino and Lodge | Oroville | 3 Alverda Dr | 1000 | 12 | - |
| Harrah’s Northern California | Ione | 4640 Coal Mine Rd | 950 | 20 | - |
| Gold Country Casino and Hotel | Oroville | Olive Hwy | 900 | 27 | - |
| Augustine Casino | Coachella | 84-001 Avenue 54 | 804 | 10 | - |
| Blue Lake Casino & Hotel | Blue Lake | 777 Casino Way | 800 | 15 | 5 |
| Rolling Hills Casino | Corning | 2655 Everett Freeman Way | 800 | 12 | - |
| Golden Acorn Casino & Travel Center | Campo | 1800 Golden Acorn Way | 750 | 20 | - |
| Hopland Sho-Ka-Wah Casino | Hopland | 13101 Nokomis Rd | 570 | 8 | - |
| Twin Pine Casino and Hotel | Middletown | 22223 CA-29 | 500 | - | - |
| Tortoise Rock Casino | Twentynine Palms | 73829 Baseline Road | 490 | 5 | 2 |
| Mono Wind Casino | Auberry | 37302 Rancheria Ln | 349 | - | - |
| Rain Rock Casino | Yreka | 777 Casino Way | 349 | 8 | - |
| Chicken Ranch Casino | Jamestown | 16929 Chicken Ranch Rd | 349 | - | - |
| Paiute Palace Casino | Bishop | 2742 N Sierra Hwy | 340 | 4 | 2 |
| Bear River Casino Resort | Loleta | 11 Bear Paws Way | 331 | 16 | - |
| Lucky 7 Casino & Hotel | Smith River | 350 North Indian Road | 330 | 3 | 4 |
| Konocti Vista Casino | Lakeport | 2755 Mission Rancheria Rd | 325 | 6 | - |
| Elk Valley Casino | Crescent City | 2500 Howland Hill Rd | 320 | 3 | 6 |
| Havasu Landing Resort & Casino | Havasu Lake | 13145 Havasu Lake Road | 310 | 6 | - |
| Cahuilla Casino | Anza | 52702 CA-371 | 300 | 5 | - |
| Cher-Ae-Heights Casino | Trinidad | 27 Scenic Dr | 300 | - | - |
| Robinson Rancheria Resort, Casino & Bingo | Nice | 1545 State Hwy 20 | 300 | 12 | - |
| Running Creek Casino | Upper Lake | 635 State Hwy 20 | 300 | 5 | - |
| Coyote Valley Casino | Redwood Valley | 77 BIA Rd 228 | 250 | 10 | - |
| Sherwood Valley Casino | Willits | 100 Kawi Pl | 222 | - | - |
| The Garcia River Casino | Point Arena | 22215 Windy Hollow Rd | 200 | - | - |
| Desert Rose Casino | Alturas | 901 Co Rd 56 | 150 | - | - |
| Pit River Casino | Burney | 20265 Tamarack Ave | 150 | 3 | - |
| Lucky Bear Casino | Hoopa | 12510 CA-96 | 110 | 2 | - |
| Hidden Oaks Casino | Covelo | 77285 Commercial St | 93 | - | - |
| Red Fox Casino | Laytonville | 200 Cahto Dr | 75 | - | - |
| La Jolla Trading Post & Casino | Pauma Valley | 22003 CA-76 | 75 | - | - |
| Coyote Valley One Stop Shop | Redwood Valley | 60 Coyote Valley Boulevard | 50 | - | - |
| Morongo Travel Center | Cabazon | 49020 Seminole Dr | 47 | - | - |
| Bear River Pump & Play | Loleta | 10 Bear Paws Way | 38 | - | - |
| Yokut Gas Station | Lemoore | 17051 Jersey Ave | 24 | - | - |
| Napa Valley Casino | American Canyon | 3466 Broadway | - | 4 | 7 |
| Golden West Casino | Bakersfield | 1001 S Union Ave | - | 20 | 25 |
| Bicycle Casino | Bell Gardens | 888 Bicycle Casino Dr | - | 45 | 130 |
| Casino 99 Chico | Chico | 175 E 20th St | - | - | 5 |
| Commerce Casino | Commerce | 6131 Telegraph Rd | - | 83 | 160 |
| Crystal Casino & Hotel | Compton | 123 E Artesia Blvd | - | 37 | 2 |
| Garlic City Casino | Gilroy | 8630 San Ysidro Ave #100 | - | 17 | 5 |
| Parkwest Casino Lotus | Sacramento | 6010 Stockton Blvd | - | 10 | 5 |
| Artichoke Joe's Casino | San Bruno | 659 Huntington Ave | - | 21 | 17 |
| Bay 101 Casino | San Jose | 1788 N 1st St | - | 19 | 30 |
| Casino M8trix | San Jose | 1887 Matrix Blvd | - | 33 | 14 |
| Stone's Gambling Hall | Citrus Heights | 6510 Antelope Rd | - | 15 | 17 |
| Seven Mile Casino | Chula Vista | 285 Bay Blvd | - | 20 | 9 |
| The Gardens Casino | Hawaiian Gardens | 11871 E Carson St | - | 115 | 110 |
| Larry Flynts Lucky Lady Casino | Gardena | 1045 Rosecrans Ave | - | 53 | 24 |
| Hollywood Park Casino | Inglewood | 3883 W Century Blvd | - | 125 | - |
| Aviator Casino | Delano | 1225 Airport Dr | - | 12 | 7 |
| Limelight Cardroom | Sacramento | 1014 Alhambra Blvd | - | 7 | 3 |
| California Grand Casino | Pacheco | 5988 Pacheco Blvd | - | 19 | 14 |
| Capitol Casino | Sacramento | 411 N 16th St | - | 7 | 11 |
| Casino Real | Manteca | 1355 N Main St | - | 7 | 6 |
| Players Casino | Ventura | 6580 Auto Center Dr | - | 22 | 14 |
| Lake Elsinore Casino | Lake Elsinore | 20930 Malaga Rd | - | 6 | 16 |
| Diamond Jim's Casino | Rosamond | 118 20th St W | - | 5 | 13 |
| Shamrock Card Room | Tracy | 125 W 11th St | - | - | 2 |
| Parkwest Casino Sonoma | Petaluma | 5151 Montero Way | - | 9 | 9 |
| Oaks Card Club | Emeryville | 4097 San Pablo Ave | - | 15 | 25 |
| Livermore Casino Card Room | Livermore | 3571 First St | - | 5 | 5 |
| Lucky Lady Casino and Card Room | San Diego | 5526 El Cajon Blvd | - | 4 | 8 |
| Ocean's Eleven Casino | Oceanside | 121 Brooks St | - | 12 | 38 |
| FLB Entertainment Center | Folsom | 511 E Bidwell St | - | 2 | 4 |
| Parkwest Casino 580 | Livermore | 968 N Canyons Pkwy | - | 10 | - |
| Rogelio's Dine & Sleep Inn Casino | Isleton | 34 Main St | - | 1 | 4 |
| Bankers Casino | Salinas | 111 Monterey St | - | 11 | 5 |
| Casino Monterey - The Marina Club | Marina | 204 Carmel Ave | - | 4 | 3 |
| Paso Robles Casino | Paso Robles | 1144 Black Oak Dr | - | - | 5 |
| Club One Casino | Fresno | 1033 Van Ness Ave | - | 51 | - |
| Nineteenth Hole Casino | Antioch | 2746 W Tregallas Rd | - | 2 | 5 |
| Marysville Casino | Marysville | 515 4th St | - | - | 3 |
| Parkwest Casino Lodi | Lodi | 1800 S Cherokee Ln | - | 21 | 6 |
| Stars Casino | Tracy | 775 W Clover Rd | - | 8 | - |
| 500 Club Casino | Clovis | 771 W Shaw Ave | - | 10 | 18 |
| Delta Casino | Stockton | 6518 Pacific Ave | - | - | 4 |
| Empire Sportsmen's Association | Modesto | 5001 McHenry Ave | - | 5 | 3 |
| Merced Poker Room | Merced | 1459 Martin Luther King Jr Way #5 | - | 2 | - |
| The Deuce Lounge and Casino | Visalia | 30435 Rd 68 | - | - | 4 |
| Turlock Poker Room | Turlock | 2321 W Main St C | - | - | 7 |
| Towers Casino and Card Room | Grass Valley | 115 Bank St | - | 3 | 5 |
| Stones Gambling Hall | Citrus Heights | 6510 Antelope Rd | - | 21 | 17 |
| Larry Flynt's Hustler Casino | Gardena | 1000 W Redondo Beach Blvd | - | 30 | 50 |
FAQ about gambling and casinos in California
Is it safe to gamble over the internet?
As long as you pick a trusted gambling site like any of the best California casinos that we have listed on top of the page it’s totally safe. Like all businesses it is of course possible to find gambling sites that aren’t running their operations in a perfectly honest way, but they are few. The vast majority of online casinos want nothing more than their players to be happy as that will keep them coming back, which of course will generate a profit for the casinos.
If you’re concerned about playing at any of the gambling sites that we have recommended – don’t be. These are operators with a great reputation that have been around for a long time. We wouldn’t suggest them if we weren’t sure that their websites are well protected and the management honest.
How much do I have to pay in taxes on my winnings?
With the exception of winnings made from the state lottery, the standard income tax rates will apply to all of your gambling profits in California. As of 2020 these rates vary between 6.5% and 10.5% depending on the county that you live in. It’s only the net profits that are taxed so if you won a total of $25,000 in a year and lost $10,000 you would only have to pay taxes on the $15,000 profits. In addition to this, a federal tax of 25% will also apply to your profits if these exceed $5,000.
To get a better understanding, check out the two examples below:| Winnings | Losses | Net profit | State tax | Federal tax | Total tax | To pay |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Example 1. Casino winnings with a net profit lower than $5,000 | ||||||
| $15,000 | $12,000 | $3,000 | around 8.5% | 0% | 8.5% | $255 |
| Example 2. Casino winnings with a net profit higher than $5,000 | ||||||
| $20,000 | $12,000 | $8,000 | around 8.5% | 25% | 33.5% | $2,680 |
When it comes to the state lottery any winnings that exceed $600 will be automatically taxed at 24%. In other words, if you would win $1,000 from a lottery draw $240 would be withheld and only $760 paid out to you.
What’s charitable gambling like in California?
There are three types of gambling activities that fund-raiser organizations are allowed to offer in the state; bingo, raffles and poker tournaments. They are quite limited though. For starters poker nights are only allowed to be hosted once a year. In addition to this, prize pools in bingo games are limited to $500 which is quite low.
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Are tribal casinos offering horse betting?
As far as we know none are. You do, however, have a lot of different options to bet on horses in California. You can either visit one of the state’s four racetracks or one of a handful off-track betting facilities. In addition to this, betting on horses is the only type of gambling activity that is legalized to be partaken in online. There are several gambling sites that you can do this at.
Can I play at any online casino from California?
No, far from. There are thousands of gambling sites operating online with several new ones launching every month. Only a small portion of these allow residents of the golden state to sign up and play with them.
More Casino Website by StatesCurrently, California doesn’t offer legal online casinogames. The state’s legislative efforts on internet-based gambling have only revolved around poker, so far.
However, California’s push for online poker could be a sign that the GoldenState could regulate online casino gaming in the coming years.
What can you expect when this scenario comes to fruition? Here, we’ll cover what may be coming to California, from online casinos to available games, mobile apps and more.
Playing casino games online in California
At the moment, everything regarding California online gaming is pure speculation. However, multiple states already offer regulated online casinos and serve as models for what we might expect from the process.
If these other states are any indication, then you shouldn’t have trouble getting started with CA gaming sites. Below are the key aspects of playing at these online casinos.
Account registration
Every online casino requires you to complete accountregistration before becoming a customer. This process involves filling out an account form and submitting it for approval.
Here’s some information that you must provide to open an account at the casino:
- Your name
- Date of birth
- Gender
- Address
- Username and password
- Mobile number
- Bonus code (if applicable)
You also need to agree to the site’s general terms and conditions before submitting your account. Once the casino approves your account, you become eligible to receive emailoffers and make a deposit.
Play within California borders
You need to be within California’s state lines to register and play at a legal online casino. California would face legal issues if it allowed neighboring states to play at its future internet-based casinos.
Casinos use geolocation technology to determine whether you’re within state borders; otherwise, you won’t be able to access legal CA online casinos if and when they become available.
Minimum gambling age
You must be 18 years or older to gamble in California. This age limit would likely extend to online casino games.
Some land-based casinos that serve alcohol will likely raise their minimum gambling age to 21 years to comply with the state’s drinking age law. However, we don’t foresee this being an issue at online casinos since they can’t serve alcohol.
Free California online casino games
Every regulated online casino lets you play free games. California shouldn’t be any different in this respect.
Some sites let you try free games regardless of whether you’re a member, while others require you to complete the account registration before enjoying free gaming.
Can I play for real money?
You need to make a deposit before becoming eligible to play real money casino games. California, like other states, should offer plenty of deposit methods.
Various casino banking options include ACH (e-checks), creditcards, debit cards, e-wallets and bank transfer.
Regulated states also give players the ability to make cash deposits at casinos. Dubbed “cash at the cage,” this option is perfect for those who don’t own a bank account or credit card.
What casino games can you anticipate?
The online gaming industry tends to feature the same types of games across the board. Slots, tablegames, livedealer gaming (discussed later), videopoker and even virtualsports are available.
Slots are the most popular games at online casinos, and most regulated gaming sites offer hundreds of slots.
Table games consist of baccarat, blackjack, craps, let it ride, roulette, and pai gow poker. Blackjack is especially popular, with many casinos featuring several variations.
Standard video poker variations include:
- Bonus poker
- Deuces wild
- Draw poker
- Double bonus poker
- Double double bonus poker
- Jacks or better
- Tens or better
Virtual sports is a new category that’s hitting the regulated gaming market. You bet on these virtual 3D sports matches, then watch the action play out as your wager hangs in the balance.
The game selection at every casino depends on the size of the operation and the number of software providers they feature. Most sites offer several hundred games that come with plenty of options.
Land based vs. online casinos
California became the first state to feature tribalgaming in 1987. Since then, nearly 70 tribal casinos have sprung up, along with dozens of state-licensed cardrooms.
Assuming online gaming becomes legal in CA, residents will undoubtedly compare internet- and land-based casino options. Here are a few main differences between brick-and-mortar and online casinos.
Online casinos offer lower stakes
The “low” stakes for brick-and-mortar table games range from $5 to $10. Meanwhile, online casinos let you play table games for as little as $1 per round.
Land-based slot machines typically cost anywhere from 50 cents (50 credits) to $3 (300 credits) to play. Online slots can cost just one penny to play (1 line/1 cent).
Land-based casinos guarantee a unique atmosphere
Internet casinos offer many likable qualities; however, they can’t replace the atmosphere of brick-and-mortar casinos.
Land-based venues involve a social atmosphere that includes dealers, cocktail waitresses and fellow players. They also feature amenities, restaurants and luxury hotel suites.
Online casinos are open 24/7
Some California brick-and-mortar casinos are open 24/7; however, not all of them fall into this category.
Internet-based casinos, on the other hand, never close for the night. You can rely on gaming sites during twilight hours and holidays.
One casino games offer lower house edges
Brick-and-mortar casinos have a lot more expenses to cover than their online counterparts; however, they earn some of this money back by providing games with high house edges.
This aspect is most noticeable with penny slot machines, which come with house advantages ranging from 8% to 12%. Even blackjack, which traditionally carries a razor-thin house edge, now gives land-based casinos up to a 2% advantage.
Meanwhile, online casinos offer much lower house edges across the board. Most online slots carry a 3-5% house advantage, while blackjack features between a 0.5% and 1% edge.
Brick-and-mortar casinos offer interesting comps
Both internet- and land-based casinos give loyalty rewards to players. However, the latter feature more exciting comps.
Players can earn free drinks, meals, limousine rides, choice nightclub tables and hotel stays at land-based casinos. Gamblers can even speak to the VIP host about customizing their rewards.
Gaming sites are limited in what they offer but offer cashback, freespins and depositbonuses as the primary rewards.
You can get a welcome bonus at gaming sites
Online casinos offer welcome bonuses to attract new players. These deals usually consist of deposit bonuses and free spins.
A deposit bonus offers an amount based on a match percentage of your deposit (e.g., 100% match bonus of up to $200). Free spins give you the chance to generate winnings that you can cash out upon meeting specific terms and conditions.
Land-based casinos offer plenty of loyalty rewards. Unfortunately, they don’t feature welcome bonuses like gaming sites.
Online casinos let you play free games
You can play free online casino games without betting a dime. Some gaming sites don’t even require you to register for an account before playing.
Online casinos hope that you’ll eventually decide to make a deposit and play for real money. Again, though, you’re not obligated to deposit money.
Land-based venues sometimes offer instructional tables where you can learn to play blackjack or another table game. However, in every other case, brick-and-mortar casinos require you to place real bets to play.
Mobile casino games in California
Mobile gaming has helped propel online casinos to new heights; therefore, legal California online casinos are sure to be compatible with mobile devices.
Most gaming sites are available through Android and iOS. You should be able to play at CA online casinos as long as your smartphone or tablet runs one of these operating systems.
As mentioned, you will need to be within California’s borders because casinos use geolocationtechnology to determine where your mobile device is before allowing you on their site.
Depending on the operator, you may need to download an app. Some casinos let you play directly through your mobile browser (via HTML5), while others require you to obtain the app through GooglePlay (Android), the Apple appstore (iOS) or the operator’s website.
One significant benefit of California mobile casinos is that you’ll be able to play from anywhere in the state. You won’t need to visit a land-based venue or sit at a desk and play on a PC or Mac.
Some gamblers prefer to play on a bigger screen. However, most online casino games are perfectly visible on smartphone and tablet screens.
Will California offer live dealer games?
If online casinos are legalized in California, you’ll likely see slots and virtual (software-based) table games hit the market first. However, live dealer gaming shouldn’t be far behind these virtual games.
Live dealer casinos feature a human dealer and real casino tables. If you’re playing blackjack, for example, a realcroupier will deal the cards.
Some aspects of these games are generated by software, including the chips and table layout (typical with live roulette). Overall, though, the action is far more real than virtual tables.
The games stream on your smartphone or PC. This setup puts you closer to a land-based casino environment, all without leaving the comfort of your home.
California’s live dealer casinos would probably offer basic games like baccarat, blackjack and roulette in the beginning. They might eventually feature an expanded selection, including casino hold ’em, Caribbeanstud and three-card poker.
Benefits of live dealer gaming
Can I Play Online Casino From California Online
The best part of live casinos is that they offer an authentic feel: the dealer, table, cards and equipment are all real.
Live dealer gaming may not entirely replicate the feeling of sitting in a land-based casino, but it’s the next-closest thing when playing on a mobile device or computer.
Another advantage of live dealer games is that they offer a mild socialelement. You can communicate with the dealer and fellow players through a chat box.
Finally, live gaming serves as the perfect bridge when you’re working up the courage to play land-based table games. The latter can be intimidating, which is why you should consider starting with live dealer casinos.
Downsides of live dealer casinos
One drawback of live gaming is that you can’t always play for free. Some providers force you to bet real money – just like a land-based casino – because they need to pay their dealers.
Another disadvantage is that the stakes are typically higher than in virtual gaming. Live dealer blackjack, for example, often requires between a $5 and $10 minimum bet.
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One more downside of live dealer casinos is the limited game selection. Live dealer outfits are costlier operations, which means they can’t offer the same game variety as virtual gaming.
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Despite the drawbacks, live dealer casinos are worth trying if you’re looking for a more realistic experience on your mobile device or desktop computer.