California Gambling Sites For 2023
California has permitted the operation of gambling establishments for more than 100 years, and began regulating the gambling industry in 1984. Gambling establishments are lawful businesses that generate millions of dollars in tax revenue and fees every year. California regulates certain types of gambling, and when, where, and how it may occur. In general, California regulates lotteries, casino gaming, horse racing, and “controlled games,” such as poker.
There are nearly 100 licensed card rooms throughout California, and more than 50 licensed casinos on Indian tribal lands. However, there is no mechanism to allow these gambling establishments to offer online gambling to California residents.
While no person within California may currently operate a gambling establishment without a license, including legal gambling websites, California law does not specifically prohibit Californians from gambling online through websites that are licensed in other jurisdictions. Below, we answer some of the questions you may have about online gambling websites that cater to Californians.
Bovada Casino

Best CA Online Gambling Site For 2023
Bovada is our most recommended online gambling site for numerous reasons. Their parent company has been in business pretty much since the advent of online gambling in the 1990's, so if trust and longevity is important to you, Bovada is a great choice.
Why We Love Bovada Casino
- All California Players Accepted
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Read the current gambling laws and regulations that affect online gambling in the US.
FAQ's About Gambling Online Legally In CA
In general, online gambling websites use specialized software to offer casino-style gaming, sports betting, racetrack wagering, and online poker games. Many countries, including Canada, allow online gambling websites to operate as licensed online entities.
Under U.S. law, states can authorize the operation of intrastate online gambling websites, if they wish to do so. Only players physically located in states that legalize online gambling can participate, and only three states have legalized online gambling: Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware.
Thus, Californians cannot currently gamble online through California-based gambling websites for money. However, online gambling websites in non-U.S. jurisdictions welcome California players.
Federal law does not permit persons “engaged in the business of betting or wagering” from accepting bets through credit, electronic funds transfers, or other financial instruments from individuals who live in states where Internet gambling is illegal. This federal law targets online gambling websites; it does not make it a crime for U.S. citizens to gamble online, under federal law. However, U.S. states have the power to ban online gambling, or to legalize it.
Thus, some online gambling websites won’t accept players from U.S. states that specifically ban Internet gambling. And because this is a legal gray area, some websites won’t accept U.S. players at all. As explained below, California has not expressly banned its residents from gambling online, so there are plenty of online gambling websites that accept California players.
California has not specifically banned online gambling by California residents through websites located in other jurisdictions. It is unlawful to play certain games, or to bet or wager on sporting events. But online gambling, as a separate activity, is not expressly legal or illegal in California. And in general, enforcement of California state gambling laws is largely focused on those who conduct illegal gambling rings.
The state regulates gambling by prohibiting the operation of unlicensed gambling establishments, and there is no mechanism to license online gambling websites. Thus, any online gambling website that currently operates in California for profit would be considered illegal, and players should not gamble through California-based websites for money.
There are legislative efforts to regulate online gambling within California, and the ability of Californians to gamble on California-based websites may become a reality in the near future.
For instance, SB 51 would allow entities to apply for a license to operate an intrastate online casino websites offering authorized games to registered California players.
Another bill, SB 678, would authorize Internet poker websites to operate in California. States such as Nevada and New Jersey have already legalized the operation of intrastate online gambling.
There is also a push to legalize online gambling at the federal level. Recently, a New York congressman introduced the Internet Gambling Regulation, Enforcement and Consumer Protection Act. It would create uniform standards for online gambling websites in the U.S. However, until California allows online gambling websites to operate within the state, California players who want to play online must do so through websites hosted in other countries, and there are plenty that cater to California players.
Gambling Resources For California Residents
See Bureau Of Gambling Control California: https://oag.ca.gov/gambling
Office Of Problem Gambling California: https://www.cdph.ca.gov/Programs/OPG/Pages/opg-landing.aspx
See the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), 31 U.S.C. § 5361-5367.
See the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act (UIGEA), 31 U.S.C. § 5363.
See Cal. Penal Code § 330.
See Cal. Penal Code § 336.9 and § 337(a).