California is the richest and most populous state in the U.S., and therefore an important market for gambling. However, its political landscape is complex, and competing interests have tended to sink most attempts at gambling expansion, despite the state’s overall liberal politics.
Retail poker is huge in California, thanks to its many cardrooms, which can legally offer only player-vs.-player, card-based forms of gambling. Many of the biggest tournaments and most popular poker streams in the U.S. take place at venues in California, like Bay 101, Commerce Casino, the Bicycle, and Stones Gambling Hall.
Online poker is a different story, being illegal for real money in the state. For a time, sweepstakes poker rooms targeted California residents, but the state banned that business model in September 2025.
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California is the latest state to propose a legislative ban on sweepstakes poker and casino sites, and that bill has… Continue reading California Ban on Sweepstakes Poker Sites Begins to Move
Yaamava Resort and Casino at San Manuel in California is giving away a copy of the most valuable comic book… Continue reading California Casino Giving Away Graded Copy of Action Comics #1
California cardrooms’ ability to deal blackjack and other non-poker games is under threat. However, one potential outcome of this year’s… Continue reading California Cardrooms May Need to Invent a New Game to Replace Blackjack
The latest lawsuit from California Native American tribes — which aimed to force the state to crack down on cardrooms for… Continue reading Despite Dismissal Of Lawsuit, Tribes Not Done Fighting Against California Cardrooms
