California Online Gambling Guide For 2024
Gambling in California goes all the way back to the advent of the California gold rush. San Francisco had become a very populous town as prospectors hoped to strike it rich, and by the 1850s the city had surpassed New Orleans as the gambling mecca of the United States, with gamblers trading in their picks and shovels for dice and cards.
As gambling restrictions became heavy in the Golden State, gambling moved underground, and it wasn’t until 1987 that the United States Supreme Court gave Indian tribes the right to operate gambling ventures in the US on tribal land.
Currently 58 Indian managed California casinos deliver a strong brick-and-mortar gaming experience.
Learn more about how gambling has evolved in the Golden State in our section on California gambling history.
Top Rated California Friendly Online Gambling Sites For 2024
Each of the following sites are located offshore and can legally accept all CA residents. They also offer some huge signup bonus offers for any player who signs up a new account and makes their first real money deposit.
| Rank | Site Name | Bonus Offer | Our Rating | US Allowed | Play Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Slots.lv Casino | $5,000 | 4.9 | Yes | Play Now |
| 2 | Bovada Casino | $3,000 | 4.8 | Yes | Play Now |
| 3 | Cafe Casino | $2,500 | 4.6 | Yes | Play Now |
| 4 | Ignition Casino | $3,000 | 4.6 | Yes | Play Now |
| 5 | Lucky Red Casino | $4,000 | 4.2 | Yes | Play Now |
Is Online Gambling Legal In California As Of 2024?
California hasn’t passed any laws yet to legalize or regulate online gambling in the state. However, there is nothing illegal about gambling online for real money as long as the site you are betting at is located offshore.
The federal laws state that you can’t own and operate an online gambling site if you are located inside the borders of the United States. That is, unless it’s a state regulated and approved website. But the laws don’t make it illegal for the actual player to gamble online, just illegal to own and operate an online gambling site in the US.
What Is The Minimum Legal Gambling Age In California?
Players must be a minimum age of 18 years old to gamble online legally. All online gambling sites have this stipulation as well and won’t allow players to signup an account unless they are at least eighteen years of age.
Some sites have a minimum age requirement of 21. Be sure to check the terms and conditions of any online casino, poker room or sportsbook that you signup with.
Legal California Gambling Options
California gambling is now offered in these same tribal casinos, including slots as well as physical table and card games. That is thanks to California gambling laws, specifically the Proposition 1A amendment to the California Constitution that passed in March of 2000, allowing casino style gaming on Indian land as long as that gaming experience is authorized by tribal ordinance and regulated by a gaming compact agreed upon between the tribes and the state of California.
Of course California gambling online is also legally offered by websites such as Lucky Red Casino, ClubUSA, and Aladdin’s Gold. By locating their headquarters outside of the United States, these online casinos can offer access to US players, and they deliver one huge advantage over brick-and-mortar gambling facilities. Online casinos will match a portion of your deposit, adding to your bankroll immediately.
Lottery Gambling Options in California
While the traditional Las Vegas casino experience of slots, card and table games is available at the many CA tribal casinos in the state, gambling in California also takes the form of one of the largest lotteries offered anywhere in the world.
The Mega Millions lottery is offered twice a week, and is very appropriately named. A record $640 million Mega Millions jackpot was won in March of 2012, and lottery tickets are available both online and off.
California gambling online delivers access to the Mega Millions lottery 24/7 from any computer through websites which employ messenger services to purchase your tickets on your behalf. There are also options to participate in the California state lottery games as well.
Poker Gambling Options in California
And any discussion of California gambling online or off would not be complete without mentioning poker. Online gambling at California poker rooms like Bovada Poker delivers your favorite card games like Texas Hold ‘Em, Caribbean Stud and Black Jack, and California visitors and residents can also enjoy some sit down play at the multiple brick-and-mortar locations where wagering on your favorite card game is allowed.
Physical poker room access is provided nearly everywhere in the state, with more than 100 licensed poker rooms scattered from Alpine to Watsonville and all points in between. One of the most well-known among professional poker players is the Hollywood Park Casino poker room in Inglewood.
Gambling Cruises Available In The State Of California
California gambling online and traditional brick-and-mortar gambling in California, as well as in floating gambling halls offered by both Princess Cruises and Crystal Cruises in Santa Clarita and Los Angeles, provide a plethora of wagering options. You will find a host of casino games and poker options aboard.
These cruises that feature gambling opportunities offer a unique experience that is not found in most gambling regions in the US, providing California with a well rounded set of options for gamblers in the state. From floating casinos, to poker rooms, lottery and online gambling options, California residents have access to a pretty decent selection of gambling options. Their range of options may be changing in the near future to include state licensed and regulated online gambling sites.
The state is currently considering the option, and legislation is already prepared to be presented with hopes of launching such a platform by 2024. You can keep up with the progress of state sanctioned online gambling in California through out California gambling news section.
This section will contain news and articles to keep our visitors well informed concerning the gambling industry in California, both online and offline.