Casinos in California

Discover all there is to know about California casinos

With over 150 casinos offering all the best slots and table machines, you’re really in for a treat when you choose to gamble in California. California has long been serving up a whole host of fabulous casinos in order to add new elements of entertainment and excitement to the state.

Note that most of the casinos in California are run and operated by Native American’s, many of which are eligible for tax cuts and rights offered by the Federal government. These casinos offer an abundance of games as well as magnificent bonus offers in some cases too. As well as this, there are a wide selection of casinos that are stunningly beautiful to look at, and ooze chic style and sophistication to ensure that gamblers are enjoying an all round superlative experience.

What to avoid when registering with a casino in California

As with anything in life, there are always certain establishments that should be avoided at all costs. The same goes with California casinos. There are, however, a few tattletale signs to look out for before you make the decision to enter the casino, and certainly before you make the decision to hand over any personal details or money:

• Be aware of a casino that offers too many promotional incentives—if something seems too good to be true, it most likely is!
• Be wary of those casinos that have bad online reviews.
• Don’t play at a Californian casino that doesn’t offer a great selection of games.
• Make sure the casino allows you to withdraw your winnings. (This may seem strange, but you’d be surprised at some of the actions of untrustworthy and dishonest casinos.)
• Ensure that the casino in California fully accepts all USA players, no matter what state they are from.

You may have to agree to the terms and conditions of the Northern and Southern California casinos prior to your registering. This said, it is imperative that the legality of the casino is thoroughly checked. Your research on selecting the appropriate casino will surely pay off as you will be safeguarding your money at all times.

California Gambling Laws

Gambling laws have evolved over the years, and although there are restrictions in place it still proves to be a healthy industry compared to that of other states. These five forms of gambling are considered as legal in the State of California.

Card Rooms

The most common game offered in card rooms is poker, with Texas Hold ‘Em, Omaha, and other forms available. A lot of card rooms also offer PaiGow, California 21 (which is said to be a modern twist to the classic Black Jack game), Super Pan 9 and a whole lot more. Games offered are usually “player-banked games”, which means that the players only play against each other and not against the house. The house only charges a specific service fee but does not pay nor take any bets or winnings. You may find a few places across California that add the word “Casino” to their name, but these are still mostly card rooms that offer player-banked games and only do so because it is a more popular term.

Native American Casinos

Because Native American land is self-governed, they are not covered by the restrictions imposed by the state when it comes to gambling. Therefore, best 60 Native American casinos can offer a lot more to players compared to the card rooms. These casinos offer slot machines, bingo, off-track betting, poker, and other forms of gambling that you can usually find in a regular casino. It’s important to know that state laws allow the Native Indian American Casinos to have Class 1 and Class 2 gaming. So, they can have slot machines, card games, and bingo, but roulette and craps are still illegal in California because they use the ball (roulette) or a dice (craps). But legal variations of these games (using cards) have been already developed and can also be found in Native American Casinos. Pechanga Resort and Casino in Temecula is the largest casino in the state with 3,000+ slot machines.

State Lottery

Also one of the most popular games of chance in other states, the state lottery in California is also considered as a legal form of gambling. There are over 21,000 outlets all over the state where people can purchase tickets, such as Lucky Retailers, one of the most popular lottery retail chains. You also have two ways to win – by choosing numbers and waiting for these numbers to be drawn, or you can purchase scratch cards and win instantly.

Horse Racing

California also allows people to bet on horse races – the state legalized betting on horse races in 1933 with a constitutional amendment (1997). Today there are 6 major racetracks and approximately 30 off track betting, although attendance has declined considerably over the past couple of years. Despite this fact, betting on the horses that run in these races is still considered legal, as long as it comes in the form of pari-mutuel betting. This means that players pool their bets and play against each other, and not against the house. The total pool is then divided among the winners.

Charitable Gambling

Gambling organized for charity is still considered as legal in California, but Bingo is the only game permitted here. The total amount of prizes that is available for each separate bingo games shall not exceed $500 in cash.

The gambling industry in California rakes in more revenue compared to its counterpart in other states, considering all 21,000 lottery retail locations, six horse tracks, and around 160 card rooms and casinos. This is why California remains to be a great location for those who enjoy gambling, whether it’s a regular habit or just an occasional form of entertainment.