California Online Gambling Laws

On this page, we’ve compiled an in-depth summary of the current state of online gambling in CA, touching on various topics from the legality of gambling in the state to current regulatory debates. We’ve also compiled a list of safe and secure online casinos for California residents that you can view below, which have all been in business for 10+ years with no issues. If you’re looking for a legal, safe, and trusted California online casinos, you’re in luck!

What Are the Top Real Money Online Casinos in California?

Gambling Age in California. The legal age to gamble at a casino on native land is 18, however many native gambling halls and all card houses have set the age at 21 to match the legal drinking age. Players of the lotto must also be 18 years old. 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.

1. Is Online Gambling Legal in California? 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.
2. California’s gambling laws also do not prevent residents from enjoying online sports betting at legitimate bookmakers located outside of the US. This means that betting on sports at offshore online sportsbooks that are legally licensed and regulated is not a violation of any state or federal laws.
3. There aren’t currently any laws in California prohibiting online gambling. However, this also means that it is not state sanctioned or regulated. You cannot legally start a gambling business in the state, but technically there are no laws saying you cannot bet online.

California is known for being a trendsetter when it comes to most industries in the United States. It’s no surprise that legalized online gambling in California has grown far ahead of many other locations in the United States.

Why These CA Online Casinos Are The Best

They Offer Legal, Trusted Gambling Games to Residents and Visitors

The entire reason you’re probably here is to figure out which online casinos offer services to California residents. You’ve probably heard mixed answers about the legality of online gambling in California and, therefore, are not sure where you can and cannot play.

Because of that, the number one trait that makes California online casinos great is simply the fact that they offer services to California residents and visitors!

They Offer Games Californians Love to Play

What good is an online casino if it doesn’t have the games that Californians love to play? We’ll answer that question for you—it’s no good at all. The California online casinos that we’ve recommended offer an extremely wide variety of games, including favorites like blackjack, craps, roulette, three card poker, keno, slot machines, pai gow, sic bo, and more! If you’re looking for an easy way to play your favorite gambling games for real money in California, check out one of the recommended online casinos from the up-to-date list at the top of the page.

They Have Banking Options That Work Fast

Not every banking option works everywhere in the world. There are specific banking options that work better and faster for California residents. When we’re analyzing the quality of California online casinos, we ensure that they have several high-quality online casino banking options that work great for Californians.

While we don’t need tons of options, we do want to see at least a couple of great deposit options and a couple of great withdrawal options. You’re only going to need one, but we want options just so you have a better chance of seeing an option that is a great fit for you.

The Ultimate in Convenience

The entire point of using online casino sites is to provide convenience. California is an extremely spread out state in some areas, which means you may be hundreds of miles from the closest land-based casino. Additionally, that land-based casino might not offer the games you want to play. This is where online casinos come in. The idea of an online casino is to solve these problems and bring convenience to players across the state.

But this convenience goes away if the online gambling site doesn’t set things up properly. It should be super simple for you to create an account, make a deposit, find the games you like, play, and withdraw your winnings. If any of these things aren’t super simple, we’re not interested in the site and you won’t see those California online casinos recommended on this page.

Is Online Gambling Legal in California?

These days, the United States is one of the more confusing countries in the world when it comes to online gambling laws, with dozens of states having different rules and nuances of how they treat the topic. When it comes to California, it is perhaps the unique exception. There are currently no specific regulations that explicitly prohibit online gambling for residents of the state.

Because of this, Californians have little worry when it comes to playing online casino games, and currently, there are a number of trustworthy sites offering online casino games, sports betting, and poker across the state.

Unlike the state lottery, casinos that operate online are not subject to any sort of government scrutiny and, in many ways, can operate without fear of legal ramifications. For this reason, many bills have been proposed with the end goal of legalizing and regulating the online casino industry in the state.

Up to this point, however, any and all legislation aimed at legalizing and regulating online casinos has either stalled or has been flat-out rejected.

What Does This Mean for You?

There are two important takeaways you should get from this. One, it is not illegal for you to gamble online in California. You are free to play the games you want for real money without fear of negative repercussions. Two, the market is unregulated, which means that you will not have some of the added protections and oversight you would get in a regulated market.

This makes it that much more important that you choose to gamble online in California. The good news for you is that casinos make a lot of money. For them to continue making money, they have to continue having happy customers that are getting the entertainment value they desire. If they are not operating reputably and taking care of their customers, word will get out, and their cash cow is going to dry up. This places a huge incentive for online casinos in California to do things the right way as if they were being regulated.

Still, not every online casino follows that mindset. There are some California online casinos that only look at the short term and don’t care about their long-term sustainability. Because of this, it is also important that you take advantage of resources like this site to help you determine where the best casinos online are. If you want to ensure you’re betting with one of these reputable sites, stick to the recommended list we’ve provided at the top of the page.

The Future of Online Gambling in California

Despite what has been a mostly fruitless endeavor up to this point, experts believe that California is one of the next states that will establish legalized intrastate online casinos. Each year, it seems as though a larger number of bills for the complete and total legalization and regulation of online casinos gets put into circulation.

It is only a matter of time until one of them is signed into law. With that being said, online gambling sites are what many would consider to be the least of California’s governmental problems. With almost constant drought, severe debt, and many other issues on hand, it becomes difficult for activists to convince politicians and voters alike that establishing an online casino network is something that should be done soon. Many efforts have been made, and only few have succeeded.

The fact that the California government does not oversee them does not mean that the California online casinos which offer their games are not trustworthy. These casinos are regulated abroad and most are very reliable; you just have to sign up with time-tested ones with stellar reputations. To help you with choosing a legal CA online casino to play at, we have reviewed and researched dozens and recommend the best online casinos for California residents at the top of the page.

Legal Status of Brick and Mortar Casinos — California

In California, there are plenty of brick-and-mortar locations all over the state. One thing that all of these casinos have in common, however, is that they are all Native American-run and almost always located on Native American land. This sounds like a rather conservative policy for an otherwise liberal state, but the wider scope of gambling and casinos in California is not as restrictive as it may first appear. Of course, this all depends on where you reside in the United States.

The land-based casinos in California usually offer all the classic favorites such as slots, roulette, keno, baccarat, blackjack and the like.

Card rooms—as they are known in California—number in the tens of dozens and seem to be growing in number all the time. Poker is the dominant offering of California’s card rooms, however, blackjack variants and other more obscure games can be found being played as well. Basically, so long as the game is centered around playing cards, the rule of thumb is that it can likely be found at a card room. Naturally, some card rooms are better than others, and thus, the offering of one card room is never equal to that of another.

Additionally, if you play non-poker, gambling-type games in one of these card rooms, you’ll notice that the “bank” or who you are playing against will actually be another player at the table who is being paid to be there. It’s a confusing system and clearly a workaround for the state laws, but the outcome is the same. You are able to play your favorite games without fear of negative repercussions.

There are brick and mortar, Native American-run casinos all over the state, however, online gambling is still the easiest way to play any and all casino games at any time of day. When it comes down to it, someone who is looking to play casino games in California will either have to do so at CA online casinos or on Native American land. As you might have guessed, this predicament means that online casino play in California is quite widespread. It’s this common knowledge that is driving the push to legalize and regulate real money online casinos.

In recent years, pro-casino activists have lobbied politicians to promote and/or vote for bills to expand the way in which Californians can gamble at brick-and-mortar sites, but most of those efforts have so far been for naught. This is interesting, too, because California is historically one of the more liberal states in the country. Some of the largest land-based casinos currently operating in California include the following:

Local California Land Based Casinos

California Online Casinos and Gambling FAQ

• Abbreviation: CA
• State Motto: Eureka
• Capital City: Sacramento
• Population Estimate: 39.5 million (1st)
• Website: https://www.ca.gov/

Most notably, the online casinos we recommend for California residents have all been operating for many years and have strong reputations to defend. In case of issues, they will resolve them immediately so that their stellar reputations are not sullied. These online casinos also use time-tested technology and reputable casino games, therefore, you can be sure that if you decide to make a deposit in one of these casinos, your depositing process will be safe and secure and the games you will play will be fair and give you an honest chance to win money!

The legalization of sports betting in California has been a slow, arduous process but may finally be nearing the finish line. Assembly member Adam Gray brought forth an amendment to the California state constitution in 2017, which would allow the state to “permit sports wagering only if a change in federal law occurs.”

The federal law was changed in May 2018 with the U.S. Supreme Court’s repeal of PASPA, the federal law prohibiting states from legalizing sports betting, and Gray, just hours following the Supreme Court decision, stated he wanted to push forward with a sports betting amendment to the state constitution. 'All other gaming activities in California are subject to regulations that ensure the safety of consumers,' said Gray in a press release. 'Sports wagering should be treated no differently.'

Currently, California has a voter referendum pending on whether to legalize sports betting but will not be on the ballots until 2020. However, there are no state laws prohibiting the placing of a wager at a legally licensed, offshore online sportsbook. Below are the brands we’ve reviewed and guarantee are 100% legal, safe and guarantee payouts for winning bets.

Best Sports Betting Site
Accepting California Players

Betonline is one of the top shelf sports betting sites in the industry and our top recommended online sportsbook. With only a handful of truly 5 star sportsbooks available to US players, Betonline is right at the top of that list. They offer all sorts of action for players under one betting account to include one of the best sportsbook platforms around, a full racebook, a busy online poker room with tons of fish, and an online casino featuring live dealer table games. They even offer scratch cards and skill games, so whatever you're in the mood for, Betonline has got you covered. New players enjoy a 50% signup bonus up to $1,000, plus 25% reload bonuses for life if you aren't running so hot.

Offers sports betting, poker, casino, horses, scratch cards and more

Over 20 years of top level management experience in the industry

Legally Licensed Online Sportsbooks
For California Residents

Is Online Sports Betting Legal In California?

With California’s obvious interest in the online gambling platform and silicon valley being one of their claims to fame, it would be logical to assume that state-licensed online sports betting is on the horizon for the Golden State. Despite California’s openness to online betting, there are not any regions in the US that can legally allow state-regulated online sports betting to operate within their borders, no matter how willing or technologically advanced they are. The DOJ’s 2011 formal opinion hammered the final nail into that coffin when they clarified that the Federal Wire Act makes it illegal for any type of US-based online sportsbooks to accept bets from the nation’s citizens.

Unfortunately, we do not anticipate any changes taking place concerning the federal laws that govern sports betting in the United States. Despite many leaders of various professional sports leagues calling for changes, and the controversy surrounding DFS contests and their resemblance to sportsbook gambling, the feds are a tough nut to crack. The good news is that sports fans in California are not reliant on a state-regulated version of sportsbook gambling in order to enjoy this form of betting entertainment. There are viable and legal alternatives that offer sports betting options to bettors in California and the US in general.

The one thing that the Federal Wire Act did not achieve was preventing US residents from legally betting on sports at licensed offshore sportsbooks offering their services online. California’s gambling laws also do not prevent residents from enjoying online sports betting at legitimate bookmakers located outside of the US. This means that betting on sports at offshore online sportsbooks that are legally licensed and regulated is not a violation of any state or federal laws. The legitimate online sportsbooks you see listed in this guide legally accept customers from California and include coverage on a wide range of sports categories, a strong selection of betting lines and wagering options, with odds and pay lines that are easily comparable to the Vegas bookmakers.

How Federal Laws Affect the Betting Atmosphere in California

As part of the United States, California is certainly subject to the federal regulations against gambling. Since PASPA's repeal, there are two still main pieces of legislation which are working together to enforce federal law in California: The Federal Wire Act, and the UIGEA. Together, these federal gambling laws combine to restrict domestic online sports betting in the US. The good news is that none of these laws prohibits California residents from placing bets on sports at legally sanctioned offshore sportsbooks that accept American bettors.

These laws do not extend to gambling businesses located outside of United States jurisdiction, therefore any casino or sportsbook or other gambling location to open up outside of the US is perfectly legal to gamble with as long as they possess the appropriate regulatory oversight and licensing to allow them to operate legally within the industry. It is important to understand that the federal government does not punish the act of gambling itself; they instead punish the act of offering unregulated gambling services. So, as long as you want to gamble, the government will not stop you, providing that you're gambling with a licensed site that is outside of the United States' jurisdiction. There's really nothing they can do to stop you from gambling at any of the online sportsbooks accepting USA players that we recommend.

State-Specific Gambling Laws in California

According to the Constitution of California, the state has the right to allow state lotteries, certain types of horse betting, and a variety of casino games that are operated on tribal lands. Other than that, the state is pretty much at the mercy of the federal government and its regulations against gambling. Gambling that is legal in California is regulated by the California Gambling Control Commission. This is a commission that basically oversees the different lotteries and horse betting options.

Anyone interested in reading the entire range of gambling legislation can do so from the Commission's website, but everything is basically straightforward. The language of the law explains how California has the right to control lotteries, horse racing, and then allow for Indians to have their casinos, while every other type of gambling is basically illegal. There is some stuff in there specifically aimed at Internet sweepstakes in certain cafes and other odds and ends, but nothing that pertains to the whole of the state or an activity like sports betting. Unfortunately, betting on sports is something that is expressly prohibited in the state, unless you either find sports betting options at an Indian casino or sign up with a sportsbook that's located offshore, outside of US jurisdiction.

So, for future reference, remember that gambling in California is legal for the lotto, horse betting, and on Indian casinos, while anything else that is based within state lines is illegal. However, finding a licensed gambling site outside of US jurisdiction with which to bet is the backdoor you need to gamble legally and freely on any sport you want. You can learn more about which states offer legal online sports betting here.

History Of California Sports

With a population of nearly 40 million people, the Golden State has 15 professional sports franchises across the four major professional sports (NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL), which is more than any other state, along with 4 college football teams (Cal, Stanford, UCLA, USC) in a Power 5 Conference (Pac-12). In addition to the numerous sports teams, 14 Heisman Trophy winners were born and played high school football in the state with football talent such as O.J. Simpson, Marcus Allen, Ricky Williams, and Carson Palmer. California said goodbye to the Las Vegas-bound Oakland Raiders after the 2019 NFL season.

Currently, California is in the process of building the Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park located in Inglewood, which will be the most expensive stadium complex ever built at $4.96 billion. The stadium is scheduled to open in 2020 and will be the home stadium for both the L.A. Chargers and the L.A. Rams NFL teams. In addition, the stadium will host several events, including Super LVI in February 2022, the College Football Playoff National Championship in January 2023, and the opening ceremony and various sporting events for the 2028 Summer Olympics.

NFL Teams in California

California is currently home to three NFL teams and has won a combined nine Super Bowls between them (49ers - 5, Raiders - 3, Rams - 1, Chargers - 0). The Rams are the most recent addition, moving back to Los Angeles from St. Louis before the 2016 season (after previously leaving L.A. for St. Louis after the 1994 season).

The Chargers recently relocated, too, but they remained in the state after moving from San Diego to Los Angeles before the start of the 2017 season. The San Francisco 49ers recently built Levi’s Stadium and have called it home since 2014.

However, the Raiders left Oakland following an announcement in 2017, where they chose Las Vegas, Nevada, as their new home. The 2019 NFL season was the Raiders' last in Oakland, and they were fittingly booed off the field in their season finale.

Betting on the 2020 Los Angeles Chargers

After going 12-4 in 2018, the Chargers had high expectations for 2019. Unfortunately, they finished the season with a record of 5-11, good for last place in the AFC West. Longtime quarterback Philip Rivers moved on from the Chargers after the season, with his new NFL destination remaining a question mark. While Rivers threw for over 4500 yards in 2019, he also tossed 20 interceptions and finished with a 48.6 QBR, good for 22nd in the league. It is unlikely Rivers will play again for another California team.

The Chargers are in a rebuild mode at the QB position and perhaps beyond, and bettors are not high on their chances to win the 2020 Super Bowl or their division, particularly as the AFC West's Chiefs just won it all and are a considerably stronger team across the board.

Super Bowl LV Odds to Win: +2500

Betting on the 2020 Los Angeles Rams

The Rams went to the Super Bowl in 2019 after a surprise 2018 season that saw top-tier play from franchise QB Jared Goff. However, after losing Super Bowl LIII to the Patriots due to a historically bad offensive showing, the team struggled to find its rhythm in the 2019 regular season. The Rams started the year as near favorites to win Super Bowl LIV, but they were quickly out of the running, finishing with a record of 9-7.

In the NFC West dominated by strong Seattle Seahawks and 49ers teams, the Rams' odds for a quick return to championship-level play seem pretty long. Still, Goff's 2019 stat line of 4638 yards, 22 TDs, and 16 INTs was promising, and he could put together an MVP type season in 2020.

Super Bowl LV Odds to Win: +3000

Betting on the 2020 Oakland Raiders

RIP Oakland Raiders. We hardly knew ye. Here's to bigger and better things in Sin City!

Betting on the 2020 San Francisco 49ers

San Francisco had a poor 2018 season, finishing 4-12 on the year. However, this can mostly be attributed to franchise QB Jimmy Garoppolo’s injury early in the season. In 2019, with a healthy Garoppolo under center, the 49ers went 13-3 and made it to the Super Bowl. Unfortunately, a guy named Patrick Mahomes was having none of it, and the Kansas City Chiefs beat the Niners 31-20 to win Super Bowl LIV.

Right now, as we prepare for the 2020 NFL season, the 49ers are sitting high atop the odds boards at most USA sportsbok sites, trading spots with the Baltimore Ravens as runners up to the Chiefs, who maintain the best odds to win the next Super Bowl. By all accounts, the 49ers are in a good place and should be perennial contenders for several years to come.

Super Bowl LV Odds to Win: +750

NBA Teams In California

Since the 1980s with Showtime with the Lakers, CA has been head over heels in love with the National Basketball Association. There are four professional NBA teams in California: The LA Lakers, the LA Clippers, the Sacramento Kings, and the Golden State Warriors. The Lakers, far and away the most famous team in the NBA, had seen hard times of late, though the addition of Lebron James and The Brow have them atop the odds boards once again after years of Golden State dominance. Unfortunately, Lakers legend Kobe Bryant died in helicopter accident in early 2020, putting a marked damper on the team's resurgent 2019-2020 season.

After the Lakers, the most popular team in CA is the Golden State Warriors. The Warriors were the super team of the 2010s, going to five straight championships from 2015-2019 and winning three of them. However, after losing Kevin Durant to free agency and both Steph Curry and Klay Thompson to injury, the Warriors are one of the worst teams in the league in 2020. While they could be back to championship form in a year or two, between the Lakers and the Clippers coming on strong, that might be too late.

About those Clippers. Long an also-ran to the Lakers, the Clippers finally seem like a real contender, having courted and come away with the most prized free agent in basketball, Kawhi Leonard. With the addition of Leonard and fellow superstar Paul George for the 2019-2020 season, the Clips are trending just behind the Lakers and the Milwaukee Bucks on the NBA title odds boards.

Last and definitely least, the Sacramento Kings aren't really worth mentioning. They gave the Lakers a run for their money a few times in the early 2000s, but that's about it. Still, Kings fans abound in CA, and you can make good money betting on (or against) Sacramento if you pick your spots.

Betting Odds To Win 2020 NBA Finals

LA Lakers +250
Los Angeles Clippers +350
Sacramento Kings +75000
Golden State Warriors +100000

Major League Baseball Teams In CA (MLB)

Californians also love their baseball, evidenced by the five different Major League Baseball teams in the state. Golden State baseball fans have almost three full seasons to watch America's Pastime, from the start of April to the end of October. California's MLB teams include the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (LA Angels), the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Oakland Athletics (A's), the San Diego Padres, and the San Francisco Giants.

Of all these teams, the A's have the best track record for winning the fewest games. They always seem to be out of post-season contention early in the season, often trading away star players per their vaunted and much ballyhooed 'moneyball' analytics system. If you're going to bet on A's games this year, you should probably be betting against them. Ditto for the Padres.

The Angels are interesting, primarily because they've done less with more than any other MLB team over the last few years. While they've had exclusive access to the greatest player of this generation in Mike Trout, they haven't actually done anything with him. And with the record money tied up in Trout, Anaheim doesn't seem like they'll be fishing for championship rings any time soon.

The Giants are CA's second most popular baseball team, though they seem to have peaked a few years ago, giving way to the state's favorites, the Dodgers. The Dodgers, of course, have gone to the World Series in each of the last two seasons, losing both times. However, those series' victors, the Houston Astros and Boston Red Sox, were recently penalized for cheating

2020 Odds To Win World Series

LA Dodgers +400
LA Angels +2500
Oakland Athletics +3300
San Diego Padres +3300
San Francisco Giants +10000

Power 5 Conference College Football Teams in California

There are four major universities in California who play in the Pac-12: California, Stanford, UCLA, and USC. Notable professionals to come out of these programs include NFL QB Aaron Rodgers, TE Tony Gonzalez, RB Marshawn Lynch, Hall of Fame QB John Elway, QB Andrew Luck, DB Richard Sherman, Hall of Fame QB Troy Aikman, RB Maurice Jones-Drew, and 2018 first round pick QB Josh Rosen.

USC has been a particularly dominant force in college football throughout history, winning 11 national championships and having more players selected in the NFL Draft (506), as well as more first rounders (81), than any other school in the country.

Betting on the 2020 California Golden Bears

The Golden Bears went 8-5 in 2019, though they were only 4-5 in conference play, finishing well behind Pac-12 North champion Oregon. Nevertheless, Cal looks to be sitting pretty in their division, and a decent bowl berth in 2020 is all but assured. While California is not expected to contend for a major bowl or the College Football Playoff, they'll give bettors plenty of excitement all season long.

2020 NCAA Championship Odds to Win: TBD

Betting on the 2019 Stanford Cardinal

The once-proud Stanford Cardinal were seeing red in 2019 after finishing with a Pac-12 North record of 3-6 and an overall record of 4-8. They are not expected to compete in the division in 2020, though they still have plenty of talent and a large betting fan base. If they can improve on last year's numbers by just two wins, the Cardinal will again be bowl eligible after missing the postseason for just the first time since 2008.

2020 NCAA Championship Odds to Win: TBD

Betting on the 2020 UCLA Bruins

Chip Kelly took over for UCLA in November 2017, but his 3-9 season in 2018 was one of the worst in school history. In 2019, Kelly's team was almost as bad, finishing with an overall record of 4-8 (4-5 in the Pac-12 South).

Kelly is still the head coach, though he's undoubtedly on the hot seat. While a return to bowl eligibility may be enough to save his job, conference domination and a major bowl or CFP berth is unlikely for the foreseeable future.

California State Laws On Online Gambling

2020 NCAA Championship Odds to Win: TBD

Betting on the 2020 USC Trojans

In 2018, USC had its first losing season since 2000, going 5-7. In 2019, they righted the ship, going 8-5 overall and 7-2 in the Pac-12 South, nearly winning the conference. Bettors are naturally high on USC, as they're one of the 25-30 teams that betting sites are giving title futures to for 2020.

Bingo Laws In California

2020 NCAA Championship Odds to Win: +10000

California Online Gambling Laws For Real

Other Sports To Bet In In California

Your sports betting options in California don't stop where this article ends. California also has multiple professional hockey teams, professional soccer teams, and plenty of other collegiate teams that are always in contention in certain sports, like field hockey, volleyball, etc. What we aimed to cover throughout this article were the most popular sporting franchises in California. And we touched on quite a few. However, when it comes to the options you have available for betting on sports, there are dozens of alternative routes you can take. Not to even mention literally hundreds of collegiate athletic programs outside of Division 1 contention, including D2 through NAIA. So, you're not without a slew of options here when it comes to sports betting. No matter what you want to bet on, you can find options.