By volume, California has the most casinos, slots, and table games of any state. However, these are all operated by tribal enterprises, as there are no commercial casinos in the Golden State (and won’t be until CA gambling laws change). As such, most state residents, when they want to gamble, turn to the Internet.

But since none of the gambling houses or California cardrooms available to you actually offers online play, gamblers naturally look for offshore CA casino reviews to inform their decisions about where they can bet real money safely and legally online.

California Online Casinos Live casinos are scattered around the state of California, all licensed and regulated by the state. The California online casinos are also vast in quantity, but they are not currently licensed by the state, as there are no laws pertaining to web based casinos in the state of California. Realtime Gaming Casinos. Over the past 5 or more years, the most prominent and successful US-friendly online gaming network has been Realtime Gaming.RTG was founded in Atlanta in 1998, but after the UIGEA law was passed in 2006, the company was sold to Hastings Ltd out of the Netherlands Antilles and their company headquarters was moved to Heredia, Costa Rica, found 6 miles outside the capital. Bovada Casino is our top recommended California online casino for a variety of reasons, including the following: Welcome bonus worth up to $3000 Caters exclusively to USA players Owned and operated by the Bodog brand, licensed by the Kahnawake Gaming Commission.

To help residents of the Golden State find the best gambling service providers, our online California casino reviews provide a fair, unfiltered look at the best sites and service providers in the industry. There are lots of scams out there, but our recommended operators are fair-play adherent and offer bettors and gamblers the best bang for their buck, by far!

California is not just about fun in the sun, sometimes residents want to have a little fun indoors, which is where legal California Online Casinos come into play. California is one of the more relaxed states when it comes to gambling and gambling avenues can be found no matter which direction you take. 1 Agua Caliente Casino – This casino is in Rancho Mirage which is in the County of Riverside in the US State of California and is licensed as a Native American casino and its address and phone number is 32-250 Bob Hope Dr, Rancho Mirage, CA 92270, USA. Phone: +1 760-321-2000.

Bonus Offer: $3000 Casino Welcome Bonus $1000 Poker Welcome Bonus

Bovada is the most popular online casino in California, and it’s been serving the state for over a decade. The site operates legally under the licensing of the internationally respected Bodog brand, and they adhere to provably fair iGaming standards.

In addition to being more convenient to access and use than any domestic California casino, Bovada’s online experience is 100% mobile-friendly, and the site can be accessed outside of the state, as well. If you’re looking for the best CA gambling destination, you’ve found it!

Pros:

• Low-rollover bonuses
• Bovada Rewards perks
• Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash accepted
• 150+ slots and table games
• Fair-play certified RNG software
• State-of-the-art data encryption
• Mobile-friendly
• 18+ age limit for new CA members
• 24/7 customer care including live chat
• Includes sportsbook and racebook

Cons:

• Residents of DE, MD, NJ, NV not accepted
• Limited deposit options compared to other sites
• Limited bonus selection compared to other sites

Bonus Offer: 250% Match Welcome Bonus Up To $1500

Café Casino, founded in 2016, is one of the premier California online casinos. As part of the Bovada family, the site’s pedigree is second to none, and despite its relatively recent launch, it already boasts hundreds of thousands of dedicated players from the Golden State.

Of course, Café Casino is more than a refreshing, relaxing place to play your favorite online casino games – it’s also one of the fairest, offering the best odds and biggest payouts for every CA gambler aged 18 and up. The site boasts over 300 of the top RNG casino games in the industry, developed by the best game designers like Realtime Gaming (RTG).

With games for every kind of player of all financial and skill levels – from nickel slots to high-roller blackjack tourneys – Café Casino is sure to become your new favorite BAR BAR BAR-ista!

Pros:

• Legally regulated and licensed in Costa Rica under world-famous Bodog brand
• Reliable deposit and withdrawal options
• Zelle-To-BTC support
• Guaranteed payouts
• Premium Bitcoin-Exclusive Membership
• 300+ slots and table games
• 24/7 live dealer casino games with interactive A/V + chat
• All CA residents welcome aged 18-plus

Cons:

• Restricted States: DE, MD, NJ, NV
• Same-day payouts only available via Bitcoin
• No cash poker tables or tournament poker room
• No international sportsbook or racebook

Bonus Offer: 300% Welcome Bonus Up To $9,000

Casino Max has been delivering top-notch online gaming since it was first launched in 2017. Licensed by Curacao's government, Casino Max offers fair and regulated online gambling services to anyone over the age of 21.

Casino Max is known for its numerous gaming titles ranging from table games and slots to specialty games like Keno or Bingo. There is something for everyone with over 400 game titles, including live dealer games and penny slots.

Pros:

• All CA residents welcome (21+)
• 400+ slots and table games
• Live-dealer casino games
• Realtime Gaming (RTG) software – Best in the world!
• Regularly audited for fair iGaming compliance
• Part of the ESG family of gaming sites
• Download custom Windows/Mac app or play through mobile browser
• Huge selection of online betting bonuses
• Bitcoin + Altcoins accepted

Cons:

• Players must be 21+ to join
• Non-crypto payouts take 3-5 days
• No online poker room or online sportsbook

Bonus Offer: 100% Match Welcome Bonus Up To $1000

Ignition Casino has quickly become the go-to online casino for many California residents looking for a trusted site that accepts players over 18.

In addition to its trusted service, Ignition offers numerous bonus incentives to match your play style and give you some extra playing cash. Ignition also utilizes several banking methods to make depositing and withdrawing easy and convenient for US players.

Pros:

• Licensed under world-famous Bodog brand of online casinos
• Robust banking suite including Bitcoin, Bitcoin Cash, Bitcoin SV
• Same-Day cryptocurrency gambling payouts (BTC, BCH)
• Premium Bitcoin-Exclusive Membership tier – NEW FOR 2020!
• Browser-based - No Ignition Casino download required to play
• CA residents welcome aged 18+

Cons:

• Restricted states: DE, MD, NJ, NV
• No sportsbook or racebook
• Non-BTC payouts can take 2-5 days to process

Bonus Offer: $5000 Slots Welcome Bonus

Slots.lv is owned by and operates under the license of the prestigious Bodog brand, and it’s by far the biggest and best California slot site. While Slots.lv does offer live dealer table games and other specialty games, the service is designed around the digital real-money slots experience, with hundreds of different titles from the most respected RNG developers in the business.

At Slots.lv, you’ll never have to wait your turn to crank the handle, and the sheer selection of games and game types – including 3-reel, 5-reel, 3D, and progressive slots – means you’ll never get bored with the variety on hand. If slots are your game, Slots.lv is the place to play.

Pros:

• Multiple bonuses
• Bitcoin and Bitcoin Cash accepted
• 300+ slots and table games
• Live dealer games
• Regularly audited for fair-play RNG iGaming
• Mobile-friendly – no downloads required
• CA Gamblers 18+ accepted
• 24/7 customer support

Cons:

• Residents of DE, MD, NJ, NV not accepted
• No live poker rooms or poker tournaments
• No sportsbook or racebook
• No on-site live chat assistance

What To Look For In An Online Casino

There are several criteria to consider when you’re looking for the best online gambling site to join. And as reviewers, these are the things we look for, as well. Remember, we’re players and casino advocates, too! If you want to find the best online casino in California, you’ll want to ensure that your pick employs the following standards and features:

• License to operate legally
• Provably fair gambling
• Large game selection
• Multiple game types
• Full mobile support
• Cutting edge encryption
• Bitcoin and crypto support
• Valuable bonus options
• Stellar online reputation
• Experience in the industry
• 24/7 customer support

How We Rate CA Gambling Sites

When we rate online California casinos, we take all of the above points into consideration. However, that’s only part of the equation, and we’re not interested in “good enough.” For our money, we demand the best, and we know you do, too.

That’s why we will never offer a casino review or put forth a rating for any gambling site that we haven’t thoroughly tested and which we don’t regularly use ourselves.

In a market with so many competitors, only a handful of operators rise above the rest, and we’ve spent years sifting through the good, the bad, and the ugly to bring you our favorite sites for CA gambling.

FAQs

Are online casinos safe for California players?

If you use a reputable offshore gaming site, yes, they are. The best CA casinos use the same SSL and TLS encryption standards employed by the biggest players in the financial sector, and they don’t sell user data to third parties. Further, user privacy is paramount for these operators, as their product sinks or swims on their reputations with their customers.

All of this, coupled with the fact that the top sites only use accredited, audited iGaming software made by the most notable global RNG (random number generation) developers like Realtime Gaming, Microgaming, BetSoft, and others, is why you know your experience will not only be safe but completely fair, as well.

Are online California casinos legal to use?

Yes! While some believe that California gambling laws prevent state residents from using offshore gaming sites or online casinos, that isn’t actually the case.

Though there are a couple of federal gambling restrictions (Wire Act, UIGEA), these don’t criminalize individual gamblers from accessing and using these sites to bet real money, and there is no state gambling legislation that does, either.

To our knowledge, nobody in the state has ever been fined or arrested for gambling at an online casino that is operating legally.

Can I trust all online California casino reviews?

California Online Casino Real Money

No way, Jose!

The online gambling market is full of untrustworthy sites and hucksters who promote them. Thankfully, it’s easy enough to tell which sites are reliable and which sites aren’t. Similarly, you can usually tell when a California casino review is blowing hot air. But we’re more about that cool SoCal sea breeze, and that’s why we keep it real.

No casino sites – even the best ones – are perfect. They all have pros and cons, and we strive for transparency in pointing those out. If you ever see a review that has no negatives, you know it’s not legit. Honest CA casino reviews are better for you and the industry alike, and that’s why we take pains to get it right, every time.

Which CA casino site reviews are trustworthy?

Trust is earned, and we hope to earn yours with our suggestions. But when it comes to figuring out which CA casino reviews are trustworthy, we can only recommend that you look for straightforward answers, thoughtful pros and cons, and ratings and conclusions that jibe with the words on the page. And most of all, you should look for reviews written by gamblers, for gamblers.

We believe that the California gaming community is a great one, and we want as many people to be a part of it as possible. Without a trustworthy casino review, you aren’t likely to find a trustworthy online gambling experience. Here, we hope you’re able to find both.

Why do online CA casinos rate better than land-based venues?

There are so many reasons why online casinos score better in the review process than land-based venues.

Domestic California casinos, or Tribal casinos, are limited in what they can offer, and none of them is allowed to host any online gaming whatsoever. Offshore casinos operate outside of US jurisdiction and can offer literally any game type they wish, all accessible over the Internet. Because convenience and variety are both so important in our scoring criteria, online has a tremendous edge there.

In addition to that gaming variety, of course, online offshore CA gambling sites offer things no land-based casino can. These include Bitcoin support, mobile gaming convenience, the ability to gamble from anywhere in the country, various bonuses and perks not available at brick-and-mortar venues, and a constant influx of the newest slot titles.

Why are Northern California casino reviews different than Southern California casino reviews?

The Golden State is relatively bifurcated geographically and culturally. When a gambler in NorCal is looking for a Northern California casino experience, they’re expecting a different environment than somebody in Los Angeles who’s looking for a Southern California casino. As such, most reviews will point out these differences and illustrate how CA casinos accommodate their disparate audiences.

However, online casinos don’t exist in this market model, as each site is simply that site. Internet-based gambling is all about the games and options offered, not the setting or environment (beyond ease-of-use and mobile access considerations). In this context, online casinos are designed to cater to all Californians, regardless of their location within the state.

What other CA gambling site criteria do users look for?

Honestly, there isn’t too much more that CA casino goers look for that isn’t already covered above. Honesty, integrity, fair-play iGaming compliance, fast payouts, and crypto support is what most users want in an online casino.

As long as you stick with a tried-and-true, time-tested online casino brand that offers the features and guarantees discussed here, you should be more than satisfied with your Internet gambling and betting experience.

California boasts a rich and diverse land-based gambling industry, which is both a blessing and a curse for local gambling enthusiasts. On the one hand, they have access to 100+ card rooms, 60+ tribal casinos, race tracks, and state lottery products. On the other hand, there are many conflicts of interest preventing local businesses from forming a unified front that could lobby for new, favorable legislation and allow the industry to expand. For example, in November 2018, the local tribal casinos filed a lawsuit against the commercial card rooms, stating that they shouldn’t be allowed to offer casino-style games like blackjack or pai-gow poker.

As a result, California doesn’t have a regulated online gambling market in the same vein as New Jersey or Nevada. What’s more, the Golden State isn’t likely to pass any iGaming legislation anytime soon. Politicians like Asm. Lloyd Levine, Sen. Roderick Wright, Sen. Lou Correa, Asm. Reggie Jones-Sawyer, Asm. Mike Gatto, Asm. Adam Gray, or Sen. Isadore Hall have attempted to legalize internet poker sixteen times since 2008, but each of those pushes has failed. It seems that 2018 marked the end of these efforts as no online poker bill was put on the agenda that year. The California sports betting bill, which is expected to be introduced in 2020, may share the same fate, especially if it ends up bundled with regulations that would allow local cardrooms to introduce more Vegas-style games. Even though the United Auburn Indian Community signed a partnership deal with MGM-GVC Interactive to provide sports betting in its casino, other tribes have already stated that their primary goal is to protect their established brick-and-mortar businesses, which could put them in opposition to any such legislation.

California regulations are convoluted in defining illegal gambling, and local judges tend to fall back on the federal Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act when dealing with unregulated gambling sites. This was the case when the court shut down the Desert Rose Bingo site operated by the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel tribe. The tribe argued that it had the right to offer internet versions of all Class II games, including bingo and poker, because the 1999 gaming compact signed in accordance with the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act gave it complete authority over these forms of gambling. Ninth Circuit Judge Carlos T. Bea agreed with some of the tribe’s arguments but indicated that the patrons’ “act of placing a bet or wager on a game of Desert Rose Casino while located in California, violated the UIGEA, and was not protected by the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act.”

According to California Penal Code Sec. 330, “every person who plays or bets at or against any (…) prohibited games, is guilty of a misdemeanor, and shall be punishable by a fine not less than one hundred dollars ($100) nor more than one thousand dollars ($1,000), or by imprisonment in the county jail not exceeding six months, or by both the fine and imprisonment.” Some casino games are listed as prohibited, but this status can be applied to “any banking or percentage game played with cards, dice, or any device, for money, checks, credit, or other representative of value.” The “any device” part is crucial here – in theory, this could allow the local authorities to punish an individual player for using an offshore gambling site, such as Bovada or BetOnline.

Is Online Casino Legal In California

California Gambling Law Summary

Online Casino California Legal

California gambling laws are a mess of state regulations and town-level laws, but in most cases participating in an illegal game of chance would be considered a misdemeanor. Nevertheless, the California code does not mention online gambling specifically and the state doesn’t really have all that many broad regulations that could be applied to online gambling. Consequently, most experts agree that Californians are free to enjoy their favorite iGaming sites, as there’s no law that would directly criminalize doing so.

All laws related to gambling can be found in California Penal Code 330 et seq.; Bus and Prof Code 19400 et seq., and Gov’t Code 98001 et seq. The minimum gambling age is 18, but most casinos don’t accept customers who are younger than 21 in order to legally serve alcohol to all patrons.

California Casinos

Tribal casinos in California are spread across 30 counties, so residents enjoy fairly even access to them. The largest such venues are located in Temecula (Pechanga Resort and Casino), Highland (San Manuel Indian Bingo and Casino), Lincoln (Thunder Valley Casino), Cabazon (Morongo Casino Resort and Spa), Brooks (Cache Creek), and Pala (Pala Casino Resort and Spa). In addition, certain card rooms offer casino-style card games, such as blackjack or pai-gow poker, but the tribes are doing everything in their power to shut those games down.

Californians don’t have access to any state-sanctioned online casino options, and playing on offshore sites likely constitutes a violation of California Penal Code Sec. 330.

California Poker

California is an important hotspot on the US poker map. Many of the tribal casinos operate large poker rooms that can host major tournaments, and poker is the main attraction at local cardrooms. For this reason, many local politicians have tried passing favorable internet poker laws since 2008, but each of the proposed bills has been abandoned due to the local gaming industry’s atomized nature and the opposition from powerful anti-gambling lobbyists, such as Sheldon Adelson. The Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel tribe tried launching an online poker site under the existing regulations, but this attempt was shut down by the courts.

As a result, there’s no way for a California resident to play poker over the internet legally.

California Sports Betting

Sports betting in California is limited to on-site pari-mutuel horse race betting. Off-track betting is prohibited. When the Professional and Amateur Sports Betting Act, which banned sports betting in the United States on a federal level, was defanged by the Supreme Court, California lawmakers began working on a new sports betting bill, which is expected to be introduced in 2020. The new bill will likely include additional provisions expanding the array of games that can be offered by cardrooms. If this proves to be the case, the Indian tribes will fight it tooth and nail, which might prolong the legislative process or even sink the bill altogether. Still, the United Auburn Indian Community already signed a partnership deal with MGM-GVC Interactive to provide sports betting at the Thunder Valley Casino Resort.

The new bill might introduce online sports betting to California, but at the moment, local sports enthusiasts don’t have access to any state-sanctioned betting platforms. Using offshore sportsbooks is a risky proposition as it could constitute a violation of California Penal Code Sec. 330.

California Daily Fantasy Sports

These days, California lawmakers can’t seem to agree on anything regarding gambling, which is demonstrated by the 2015 DFS bill’s fate. Bill A 1437, was introduced in September 2015 by Asm. Adam Grey. It passed through all the committees and was approved by the Assembly in a 62-1 vote, but the Senate never took it up. Thus, the legal status of DFS contests remains undetermined. As usual, this doesn’t seem to bother DFS companies such as FanDuel or DraftKings, which continue to offer their services to California-based sports fans. However, this doesn’t mean that using these platforms is 100% legal – it merely means that this issue hasn’t been settled by a California court.

California Lotteries

The California State Lottery offers local and multi-state draw games, including Mega Millions and Powerball, as well as scratchers and Second Chance games. Unfortunately, the Lottery doesn’t sell any tickets online, so if you want to join the action, you need to visit one of the land-based retail shops.

California Bingo

Bingo is available both as a charity game and commercially in casinos. The Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel tribe used to operate an online bingo site called Desert Rose Bingo, which was shut down by a court decision in 2016. At the moment, California residents don’t have access to any legal online bingo platforms.

California Online Gambling FAQ

What types of gambling are available in CA?

California is a great state for poker enthusiasts and casino game fans, as the Golden State is packed with tribal casinos, card clubs and prestigious poker rooms. In fact, the Commerce Casino is believed to host the biggest live poker room in the world. If that wasn’t enough, California also has horse racing, a state lottery and bingo. However, when it comes to internet play, California is yet to follow in Nevada’s footsteps and introduce new laws that would create a regulated intrastate iGaming industry.

What laws cover online gambling in CA?

All of the laws that deal with gambling and games of chance are listed in the California code. The most important thing about California regulations is the fact that none of them apply specifically to iGaming services, which means that California-based players are pretty much free to join the action on Bovada or any other offshore site.

Is real money online gambling legal in CA?

In all likelihood, real money gambling conducted via offshore sites doesn’t break any California laws.

Which offshore gambling sites accept CA residents?

If you’re a California resident, you should be able to join all the important offshore gambling sites.

What are the most popular banking options supported by California-facing sites?

In many cases, the only available deposit method is debit/credit card payment. MoneyGram or Western Union is sometimes an option with the biggest sites, such as Bovada. Offshore sites offer cash-outs via a wire transfer and via a check by courier.

Does CA offer any intrastate online gambling?

Online Casino For California Residents Travel

No. While California lawmakers don’t really care about individual players, they do care about keeping all the local gambling operations in check. Consequently, the current regulations make it impossible for local businesses to operate iGaming sites and to offer internet gambling services.

Is it likely for CA to regulate online gambling?

Online Casino For California Residents 2020

California is guaranteed to regulate online gambling in 2015 or 2016, as the local lawmakers are more than interested in creating a new source of income for the state that way. However, negotiating the shape of the new bill is very hard and time-consuming, as the Californian land-based gambling operators and other interest groups proved to be unwilling to compromise and reach an agreement that’d be acceptable for every party involved.

Best Online Casinos California