Online Casinos in California

Top Online Casinos in California for 2024

Online Gambling in California: Facts, Laws, and Help

It’s not easy to understand the US laws and it gets even more complicated when you start talking about gambling as legislation is different in every state. Some states are pretty strict and don’t allow any gambling activities except for the state-owned lottery while some, like California, are more liberal and don’t look at gambling as at the main evil. Wherever you live, it’s better to learn the local gambling laws before you make your first bet to fully understand the consequences and not get into any trouble. As always, SlotsUp is here to help with the shortest guide to the Californian gambling rules.

Laws Affecting Online Gambling in California

California is doing quite a great job at regulating gambling activities on the territory of the state. The California Gambling Control Commission is responsible for issuing licenses and controlling the operation of gambling venues. According to the current Penal Code, there are several kinds of gambling allowed such as charitable gambling, state lottery, and card clubs. Card clubs are allowed to provide gambling services to players but with no machinery involved meaning slots are illegal in these venues. But don’t get upset if you are a fan of slots or roulette — all these games are allowed in Indian casinos which can be found pretty much everywhere in California.

As for the California online gambling laws, they are not clearly defined yet so if you were wondering is online gambling legal in California or not, there is no clear answer. But as a liberal state, California doesn’t prevent players from making bets in the international online casinos so there is no point in waiting until the local online gambling laws appear — you can start wagering today with just a couple of clicks.

Sports Betting in California

Things are pretty hot when it comes to California sports betting as the legalization is still in process and it looks like not everyone is happy about it. Before only pari-mutuel betting was allowed on California horse racing tracks but then the attempts were made to legalize other kinds of sports betting in the state, including land-based bets in the Indian casinos and mobile bets. The news was met rather cold by the tribes worrying that the introduction of mobile betting will draw the players out of the casinos, which will lead to significant financial losses. The bill hasn’t been voted yet and the result can be unexpected, though experts predict that sports betting will more likely be legalized.

Luckily, SlotsUp readers don’t have to wait until the voters do their voting thing and can bet on their favorite sports in many international online casinos, all checked and proved to be safe and reliable.

Interesting Facts About Online Gambling in California

California is a unique state in all manners and gambling is not an exception. Even though the only thing that really matters is that gambling is legal and betting in foreign casinos is not banned as well, it’s always nice to know more about the place you live in or visit, even if it’s just some random facts about California online gambling to share at parties.

• California card rooms are quite unusual gambling venues. Unlike regular casinos, players are not allowed to play against the house here, only against each other. That’s why such rooms often hire people to play and pay them money for it. By the way, there are 65 card rooms in the state which generate around $850 million in revenue every year.
• Every organization can legally hold a charitable gambling event but the number of charitable poker nights is limited to one per year only.
• There are 63 tribal casinos in California owned by 61 Native-American tribes. The revenue of the casinos sums up to $8 billion per year after payouts. A part of the revenue is shared with tribes that have no casinos or have casinos with less than 350 slot machines.

Getting Help for Problem Gambling in California

As California is about to legalize the new gambling activity, the state can become America’s sports betting capital in the future, as gambling experts see it. As the number of possible betting opportunities increases, the public concern increases as well, as it’s not a secret that some of the US gambling sites visitors are suffering from gambling addiction.

Just like most of the states, California has a special institution that helps those struggling with this unpleasant issue. The California Council of Problem Gambling provides consultation and medical help to gamblers and their families so they are the ones you can contact if you feel like gambling stopped being just fun and started creating problems in your life or the lives of your loved ones.

Land-Based Gambling Regulations in California

We personally believe that online gambling in California is a much more convenient way to make bets than going to brick-and-mortar casinos. Judge for yourself — you can play slots, roulette, blackjack, and whatever else you want without leaving the house and getting all dressed up. Or you can even make bets on your smartphone while being stuck in a traffic jam. But we also can’t argue that land-based casinos have their unique flair and if you are in the mood for it — check out the following venues.

Pechanga Resort Casino

Located on the Pechanga Indian Reservation, Pechanga Resort Casino is the largest brick-and-mortar gambling venue in the state. There are more than 5000 slot machines located on 200000 square feet of gaming space, as well as 164 game tables. There is a separate non-smoking floor with almost 500 slots and a poker room with 43 tables. Players can also enjoy a bingo hall with 700 seats and a high-limit gaming area for those who prefer to go all-in.

Gambling is not the only thing that attracts guests to the Pechanga Resort, even though it’s probably the main one. Players can stay in the luxurious hotel with more than a thousand rooms and get some rest after the long casino night in a just-built spa where one can get massages, facials, hair and nail jobs, and professional yoga sessions. Do you need to find some zen after a big loss or pamper yourself after a huge win? This is exactly the place to do it. And after you are done with wellness, treat yourself in one of 17 dining places — from sushi and oysters to steaks and desserts.

Red Hawk Casino

Red Hawk Casino is located 20 minutes east of Sacramento and is another place definitely worth visiting if you are a gambling fan living in California. It’s not as big as the Pechanga Resort but it has everything one might be looking for in such place:

• 88000 square feet gaming floor;
• 2300 slot machines;
• 70 table games;
• High-limit area;
• Non-smoking floor.

There is no hotel on the territory of the Red Hawk casino though there are some nice options around. You should consider visiting Red Hawk if you are planning a family weekend as there is the Kids Quest offering professional care for children meaning everyone will have something to do — while parents are making their bets, children will be entertained by well-trained staff. Don’t forget to visit one of many dining options of Red Hawk (they say the burgers in The Burger Spot are quite good) and download the Red Hawk mobile app to get special offers and rewards before you even get to the place.

Cache Creek Casino Resort

Located in Brooks, Cache Creek Casino Resort is operated by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. It was founded in 1985 as a bingo hall and since then has turned into a large casino with everything a real gambling fan can dream of. Here, you can choose among 2700 slot machines, 120 table games, and a separate poker room. There is a four-diamond hotel to book a room in with a variety of pricing options for every budget. The 700-seat indoor concert hall is the perfect place for all kinds of concerts and shows in case you’ll need something for a change from gambling.

The distinctive feature of the Cache Creek casino is the whole 18-hole championship golf course so there is not a single chance to get bored here. The renovation process is still going one so future visitors will probably see even more dining and gaming opportunities, one more pool (in addition to the already existing one), and more meeting places in case you want to have your professional conference in a great place like this and then gradually turn it into a Vegas-like fun night.

Top 3 Online Casinos for California Players

Finally, it’s time to reveal our secret list of the best websites to try online gambling in California. These online casinos are not worldwide-known yet but they have a great future and we want you to learn about them first. We can’t help repeating that all the casinos we recommend to our readers are 100% fair and safe, are licensed by the reputable international institutions, and generally offer the highest level of service.

• Desert Nights. Desert Nights is an online casino though you can also download some software from the website to get the fooler gaming experience. The casino offers a long game list with all kinds of slots and table games as well as a juicy welcome bonus — 250% deposit match on your first payment. Besides, you can claim a $10 no-deposit bonus to take a look around and see whether you like it here (we hope you do).
• Eclipse. The Eclipse casino is known for the unique and beautiful design of its website and real generosity when it comes to bonus offers. There is a 300% welcome bonus, weekly 350% slots match, monthly promotions, and a mysterious special bonus changing regularly. As for the games, there are a lot of them, including the specialty one — fun and lucrative games you can rarely find in other casinos.
• Supernova. Supernova is the cosmic-themed online casino powered by Rival. It offers more than 150 games of all kinds as well as a 300% welcome bonus for slots and a 120% welcome bonus for card games. Give it a try and play your favorite games on desktop or any mobile device as Supernova is a mobile-compatible casino.