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Best Online Casinos for California Residents In 2024
Players in California can gamble online at a variety of online casinos.
Online casinos available in California are operated by offshore companies, many of which are regulated by various non-US jurisdictions. While Californians wait for legislation to open up online gambling in their state, they can enjoy slots, poker, and other table games at a handful of safe and legitimate offshore online casinos.
Our Top Picks
California Gambling OverviewCalifornia Gambling Overview
Here’s a quick look at the availability of gambling options players have in California:
Type of Gambling Availability Reason Online Casinos Offshore Only California has not passed any laws permitting local operators to provide online casinos. There are no laws to prevent you from using casino sites based overseas. Online Poker Offshore Only There are no laws permitting locally regulated online poker rooms, but you can use offshore sites. Land-Based Casinos Available Land-based casinos have been legally operating in the Golden State since 2001. State Lottery Available The California State Lottery began in 1985 after voters approved it, while Powerball launched in 2013. Online Sports Betting Offshore Only A measure aiming to legalize locally regulated online sportsbooks failed in 2022, but there are no laws that would stop Californians from using reliable offshore sports betting sites. Land-Based Sportsbooks
Not Available A measure seeking to legalize land-based sports betting in California failed to gain the requisite support on the ballot in 2022. Fantasy Sports Available California does not have any laws that prohibit Daily Fantasy Sports, which are games of skill. What is the Gambling Age in California?
The legal gambling age in California is 18. That includes lotteries and casino games, although most land-based casinos serve alcohol, so you need to be 21 or older to visit them.
CA online casinos will also require you to be 18 or older if you want to play slots and casino games.
Best Online Casinos Available in California
Our team has reviewed dozens of online casinos, and we’ve narrowed down the selection. These are the top eight online casinos California players can sign up with today:
Affiliate Disclosure:At GamblingSites.org, we want to help you pick the best casino or sportsbook by providing you with quality and trustworthy information. If you choose one of our recommendations, we may earn a commission from them at no cost to you.Best Overall Online Casino
Casino Games: Slots, Blackjack, Baccarat +2 more Live dealer, Keno.Live Dealer: NoPayment Options: Visa, MasterCard, American Express +8 more American Express, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, Secure Voucher, Check, American Express.Ignition is the best overall online casino that welcomes players in the Golden State because it offers a neat, stylish online casino lobby and a great selection of games. Not many competitors offer such a seamless or simple platform for slots, poker, and table gaming.
Ignition’s gaming library is stocked by Rival Gaming, RTG, and Genesis Gaming, and includes a broad variety of slots, many of which have an exciting Hot Drop Jackpots feature.
There are also 28 table games, spanning blackjack, baccarat, Andar Bahar, and Sic Bo. Californians can play roulette and craps at Ignition, both of which are banned from tribal casinos in the state. In addition, Ignition hosts a vibrant live dealer casino and a dedicated poker room with weekly tournaments.
Suffice to say, Ignition is the one-stop-shop for California gamblers, with plenty of games, a healthy 200% up to $2,000 welcome bonus, responsive customer service, and more than a dozen accepted deposit and withdrawal methods.
- 300% welcome bonus up to $3,000
- Virtual sports betting option
- 300 + games available
- Hot Drop Jackpots
- Low withdrawal limits ($10)
- Not available in Delaware, Maryland, New Jersey, Nevada, or New York
- Limited and slow customer service (only live chat, 10 minute wait)
Best Online Casino for Beginners
Casino Games: Slots, Live dealer, Roulette +2 more Keno, Blackjack.Live Dealer: YesPayment Options: Visa, MasterCard, American Express +5 more Ethereum, Litecoin, Flexepin, Neosurf, Tether.It’s easy for first-time gamblers to be overwhelmed by flashy online casinos, but Las Atlantis offers a very simple and accessible lobby, set against an attractive undersea-themed backdrop. New players can access customer support from any page with the live chat widget, and the support staff are fast-to-respond and helpful.
There are quick links to the latest games, popular games, slots, poker, table games, specialties and blackjack. These sections are very easy to navigate, and you can quickly search for individual games too.
The game library from RealTime Gaming is relatively modest, but features some of the best slots like Fortunate Buddha and Plentiful Treasure. Players can easily find the games they enjoy before spending real money with Las Atlantis’ demo feature, which gives players a fake bankroll to test out new games.
And to top it off, Las Atlantis has low minimum deposit limits ($10 to $40 depending on the method), so players can start off their gambling journey with a small sum.
- Hundreds of RTG games
- No withdrawal fees
- Five welcome bonuses with high match percentages
- Withdrawal limits are high
- Table games are limited to blackjack, roulette, and casino poker
Best Online Casino for Game Variety
Casino Games: Slots, Live dealer, Progressive jackpot +4 more Roulette, Blackjack, Video poker, Keno.Live Dealer: YesPayment Options: Visa, MasterCard, American Express +8 more American Express, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, Dogecoin, Interac e-Transfer, Bank Transfer.Californians can enjoy 400 slots, 14 live dealer games, 14 video poker games, and 9 table games. DuckyLuck has one of the largest gaming libraries around, and users can easily choose the best games based on detailed player reviews hosted on the site. The site is powered by a wide range of providers, including Rival, Betsoft, Saucify, Fugaso, Felix Gaming, Tom Horn Gaming, Dragon Gaming, Fresh Deck Studios, and Qora Games.
The slots selection is diverse, featuring many different themes and levels of volatility, not to mention the free spin and cashback bonuses available for slots players.
However, if table games are more your speed, you can check out blackjack, roulette, card clash, and a dozen different video poker machines. Plus, DuckyLuck has a live dealer section powered by Fresh Deck with BJ, baccarat, and roulette tables.
- Over 440 slot games
- High match percentages on welcome bonuses (500% +)
- Mobile and Desktop experience virtually the same
- No telephone number for customer service
- No craps games
Best No Deposit Bonus
Casino Games: Slots, Video poker, Blackjack +3 more Craps, Baccarat, Roulette.Live Dealer: NoPayment Options: Visa, MasterCard, Bitcoins +6 more Litecoin, Tether, Ethereum, Interac e-Transfer, Check, Bank Transfer.Sun Palace Casino is one of the only online casinos that offers new customers a no deposit bonus. If you create a Sun Palace Casino account today, you can grab either a $20 no deposit bonus or 20 free spins. You do not need to deposit or risk any of your own funds to claim this special promotion. The free cash is only available for use on slot machines, of which Sun Palace has about 250 different titles.
The bonus funds will come with wagering requirements (70x), as will any winnings from the free spins, but if you satisfy them, you can cash out a profit. There are loads of additional bonus options for new and existing players at this popular online casino too.
- Accepts players from the United States
- Offers a variety of RealTime Gaming casino games
- Large welcome bonus of up to 400%
- Bitcoin-friendly
- High wagering requirements on bonuses
- Slow payout processing
- Confiscates inactive accounts
Best for Slots Games
Casino Games: Slots, Blackjack, Roulette +7 more Baccarat, Craps, Live dealer, Progressive jackpot, Video poker, Keno, Arcade.Live Dealer: NoPayment Options: Visa, MasterCard, American Express +7 more American Express, Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, Check, Bankwire.With a plethora of slot games and high-value progressive jackpot slots, Café Casino is the best choice for California’s slot enthusiasts. The high-quality games include 777 Deluxe, A Night with Cleo, Golden Buffalo and Caesar’s Victory. You can browse all the slots in a long grid format, or you might like to filter to the most popular games, jackpot slots or new releases.
Café Casino also boasts the Hot Drop Jackpot games, which have timed jackpots that drop hourly, daily, and weekly. The slots follow a range of different themes, including animals, fruits, gems, Ancient Egypt, Wild West, Irish luck, Vegas, sports and much more.
For every $1 you spend on slots, you will earn 5 perk points, which can be redeemed for cash bonuses or free spins on select slots games.
- 350% Crypto Welcome Bonus of up to $2,500
- Hot Drops Jackpots Available
- 8-Tiered VIP Program
- More than 170 casino games available
- High rollover requirements of 40x deposit + bonus
- Not available in Delaware, Maryland, Nevada, New Jersey, New York
Best Online Casino for Blackjack
Casino Games: Slots, Video poker, Blackjack +3 more Baccarat, Craps, Live dealer.Live Dealer: YesPayment Options: Visa, MasterCard, American Express +5 more Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Bank Transfer, Check.BetUS offers a large range of high RTP blackjack games. You can browse 32 virtual blackjack games, or head over to the live casino to check out six live blackjack tables. It covers more variants than rival casinos available in California, including single deck, double deck, multi-hand, double exposure, Spanish blackjack, Supreme 777 Jackpots, Switch, Super 7 and 21 Burn.
BetUS also hosts blackjack tournaments each day, with $5 buy-ins and $5 rebuys. Players square off against the dealer, and the player with the most chips at the end of the round advances to the next stage. Blackjack tournaments are just as much about luck as they are skill, so the BetUS format gives everyone an equal chance for success. players.
BetUS is one of the few online casinos to offer a blackjack-specific bonus. Players who use the code PUMPKIN50 and deposit at least $50 can receive a 50% deposit boost up to $500 for blackjack games only.
- Several different welcome bonus options including a 200% crypto bonus
- 300+ casino games, including slots and live-dealer
- Sports Betting options include: pro football, college football, live betting and more
- Same-day payouts up to $5000
- Limited time (14 days) to clear bonus playthrough requirements
- Money you wager on casino games does not count towards the loyalty program
- BetUS is not available in Washington state
Best Online Casino for Poker
Casino Games: Blackjack, Slots, Roulette +3 more Progressive jackpot, Craps, Baccarat.Live Dealer: YesPayment Options: Visa, MasterCard, Bitcoins +6 more Bitcoin Cash, Litecoin, Ethereum, Tether, Bank Transfer, Check.Bovada hosts the best online poker room for California players because of its variety of game offers and excellent tournament play options. Bovada chocks up over $2 million in weekly guarantees, with a busy schedule of tournaments and cash games. These include Monthly Milly, which has a $1 million purse, and various $100,000 guaranteed high roller tournaments.
You can play knockout tournaments, SNG tournaments, turbo tournaments and much more. All the standard cash games are also available, along with Zone Poker, which features a fast fold format.
Bovada runs on the PaiWangLuo network and is very well-trafficked, so you won’t be waiting around to join a game. Bovada also offers a range of other poker-style games, like RNG Caribbean Stud and video poker tables, making it easy for Californians to practice up before loading into a live game.
Players can claim a 100% deposit boost worth up to $500 on their first deposit.
- Promotions that are specific to sportsbook, casino, poker room, and racebook
- A full-service poker room with a downloadable desktop app
- Ability to deposit using PayPal, Zelle, Venmo, and CashApp via MatchPay
- Confusing information around credit/debit card fees
- A limited racebook – no greyhound racing and only select wagers
Best Online Casino for Cryptocurrency Users
Casino Games: Video poker, Live dealer, Slots +2 more Roulette, Blackjack.Live Dealer: YesPayment Options: American Express, American Express, Bitcoin Cash +9 more Litecoin, Ethereum, Visa, MasterCard, Tether, Dogecoin, Interac e-Transfer, Bankwire, Check.SlotsandCasino is the best crypto casino because it supports a wide range of currencies and has a boosted crypto-specific bonus. SlotsandCasino accepts Bitcoin, Ethereum, BitcoinCash, Litecoin, USDT, and Dogecoin. You can use fiat-based payment methods too, but you will earn better bonuses if you use crypto. For example, the standard welcome offer is a 300% deposit match bonus up to $1,500, plus 100 free spins. However, if you use crypto, you will receive 500% up to $2,500, plus 150 free spins.
Deposits with crypto start at $25 with no maximum amount, and withdrawals are accepted via Bitcoin, with a $25-$2,500 limit.
You can use your crypto to play any of SlotsandCasino’s 500+ slots, table games, or live dealer tables.
- 500+ slots games and a live dealer casino
- A crypto-specific account type with special crypto perks
- 4 credit card and 6 crypto deposit options
- Withdrawals are processed based on your VIP tier
Comparing Online Casinos for California Players
How We Evaluate CA Online CasinosCasino Star Rating Welcome Bonus Rollover Min. Deposit Review Ignition Casino 5 150% Welcome Bonus up to $3,000 25x $20 Read Review Las Atlantis 5 280% Welcome Bonus up to $14,000 35x $10 Read Review DuckyLuck Casino 5 500% Welcome Bonus up to $7,500 +150 Free Spins 30x $25 Read Review Sun Palace Casino 4 Up to $6,000 45x $5 Read Review Café Casino 4.5 250% Welcome Bonus up to $1,500 40x $10 Read Review BetUS 5 150% up to $3,000 30x $10 Read Review Bovada 5 100% up to $1,000 on 3 deposits 25x $5 Read Review SlotsandCasino 4.5 500% up to $2,500 45x $25 Read Review How We Evaluate CA Online Casinos
Before an online casino makes our recommended list of sites, it first must live up to our expectations. Here are some of the criteria we use when evaluating online casinos for Californians.
Availability in California
All recommended casinos on this page accept players based in California. As discussed below, there are no locally-regulated California online casinos, so players need to use sites based overseas. We have cherry-picked the very best online casinos that welcome customers from across California. They are licensed and regulated in their jurisdictions, and they all have a history of providing players with prompt payouts and a safe, reliable, and fair gaming experience.
Player Safety
We only recommend secure sites that will protect your data. Modern online casinos such as Ignition and Las Atlantis use the latest TLS encryption software, which ensures your details are protected when in transit. Their games are also tested by third-party developers for fairness, and their finances are monitored by the licensing agency to prevent money laundering and fraud.
Bonuses and Promotion
Every online casino offers some kind of bonus or promotion, but the ones that stand out have impressive figures and realistic rollover requirements. The casino sites highlighted on this page offer a wide range of bonuses, including large sign-up offers, reload bonuses, free spins, cashback offers and loyalty programs, all while remaining reasonably attainable for Californians.
Games Selection and Software Providers
No one wants a piddly online casino, which is why we like sites with a broad selection of games from legit software providers such as Betsoft, Rival Gaming, Spinomenal and Tom Horn Gaming. They should offer games with high RTP rates, sharp graphics and exciting features. The Random Number Generators powering the slots and table games must have been independently tested and verified for accuracy and fairness.
Customer Support
The customer support at the casinos we review must be easy to access and available around the clock. Live chat is the most common way to interact with customer support reps, but email and phone service should also be available. For California casinos, we like to see customer support available in both English and Spanish.
Mobile Experience
With the majority of online gamblers accessing casino sites on their mobile device, we check each site to ensure it’s compatible with most smartphones and tablets. We look at how well the games port to smaller screens, as well as any limitations the casino might have on mobile. Generally, online casinos are good about optimizing their sites for both iOS and Android, but we check on a variety of devices just to make sure.
Legal State of Gambling in California
California is one of the most progressive states in the Union, but their approach to gambling is still not as liberal as some other states, like Pennsylvania or New Jersey. Overall, California’s gambling scene is limited to tribal casinos, poker rooms, pari-mutuel horse betting, and the state lottery.
Online gambling has yet to be approved by the California legislature, but residents can still access offshore casino sites to play games like slots, blackjack, poker, and wager on sports.
Here’s a breakdown of the different types of gambling in California.
Online Casinos
California does not currently permit local companies to operate online casinos. The only states with locally-regulated online casino industries are Connecticut, Delaware, Michigan, New Jersey, Pennsylvania and West Virginia.
If you want to play online in California, you will need to use an offshore site. There are no state laws or federal laws that prohibit Californians from using gambling sites based overseas.
Tribal Casinos
There are more than 100 federally recognized Native American tribes in the Golden State, and around two-thirds of them run land-based casinos. President Ronald Reagan approved the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act in 1988, which permitted tribal casinos on a nationwide basis.
The first tribal casinos in California opened for business in 2001, and there are now more than 60 tribal casinos spread across the state.
State Lottery
California voters decided to legalize lottery games in 1984. The first tickets were sold the following year, and Powerball was added in 2013.
Powerball draws take place on Monday, Wednesday and Saturday each week. Mega Millions draws are held on Tuesday and Friday, and SuperLotto Plus draws take place on Wednesday and Saturday. There are Fantasy 5 and Daily 3 draws each day, too.
Who Regulates Gambling in California?
The California Gambling Control Commission (CGCC) regulates card rooms in the Golden State. It was established in 1997 after the Gambling Control Act took effect. If California decides to create state-sanctioned online casinos, the CGCC will have oversight over those operations as well.
The Bureau of Gambling Control, the CGCC and California Tribal Gaming Agencies work together to oversee tribal casinos. The Bureau of Gambling Control also runs a self-exclusion program in the state.
The California Lottery Commission runs the state lottery, while the California Horse Racing Board regulates pari-mutuel betting.
Land-Based Gambling Options in California
There are 66 tribal casinos in California, along with five mini-casinos and 72 state-licensed poker card rooms. These are some of the most popular land-based casinos in the Golden State:
Name of Casino Address Phone Gambling Options Operated By Yaamava’ Resort Casino at San Manuel 777 San Manuel Blvd, Highland, CA 92346 (800) 359-2464 6,400 slot machines, table games, poker San Manuel Band of Mission Indians Pechanga Casino 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula, CA 92592 (877) 7112-WIN 5,000 slot machines, table games, poker Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians Morongo Casino Resort & Spa 49750 Seminole Drive, Cabazon, California 92230-2200 (800) 252-4499 4,000 slot machines, table games, poker Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians Thunder Valley Casino Resort 1200 Athens Avenue, Lincoln, CA 95648 (916) 408-7777 3,400, table games, poker United Auburn Indian Community The Commerce Casino & Hotel 6131 Telegraph Rd, Commerce, CA 90040 (323) 721-2100 240 tables on site (largest card room in the world) California Commerce Club, Inc. California Gambling Laws Compared to Neighboring States
To the east, Nevada has the largest land-based casino scene in the country, driven by the popularity of Las Vegas and Reno. It permits private companies to run major casino resorts, such as Bellagio, The Venetian, and Wynn. Nevada also allows locally-regulated online sportsbooks, online poker, and land-based sportsbooks.
Arizona also has a locally-regulated online sports betting industry, but it does not permit local companies to offer online casinos for poker. There are various tribal casinos in Arizona too.
To the north, Oregon permits just one locally-regulated online sportsbook – DraftKings, which has a monopoly on the state. There are around a dozen tribal casinos in Oregon, but it does not have an online casino market, so players in the Beaver State also need to use offshore sites.
California has tighter gambling laws than its neighboring states when it comes to online gambling, but the state does have 60+ tribal gambling establishments, poker rooms, and racetracks.
The Future of Online Casinos in California
Anyone seeking to legalize online casino gaming in California would face fierce opposition from the state’s Native American tribes. Dozens of them joined forces to oppose a ballot initiative seeking to introduce online sports betting at tribal casinos and mobile sports betting in the Golden State in November 2022. As a result, more than 83% of Californians voted against online sports betting.
Any attempts to legalize online casinos would likely be met with even stronger resistance from the tribes, who would argue that it jeopardizes vital funding – earned from their land-based casinos – which is used to provide housing and healthcare. As such, we are highly unlikely to see a regulated market for online casinos in California any time soon. In the meantime, you can use trusted offshore sites if you want to play at online casinos in California.
However, if an online casino gambling bill were to be introduced, it’s likely we’d quickly know whether it was approved or denied. The Californian legislature is one of ten state legislatures in the US that meets full-time, so decisions are made much faster than in places like Texas, where the legislature convenes once every two years.
Responsible Gambling in California
Gambling is intended to be an enjoyable pastime, but it can quickly get out of hand. We always work to promote healthy gambling habits, such as taking frequent breaks, setting budgets, and only gambling when you have money to spare.
If you find yourself gambling because of the thrill–or to supplement your income–you should seek help. There are many resources in the state of California for residents struggling with gambling addiction:
California Gambling Legal Sources
California Online Casinos Summary
As one of the most populous states in the US, California has a large population of gamblers. However, they don’t have a regulated online casino market because the state’s many Native American tribes run a plethora of land-based casinos. Gamblers in CA must use offshore gambling sites if they want to gamble online.
These offshore casino sites often have better bonuses, exclusive games, and more banking options than their regulated counterparts.
We recommend DuckyLuck for overall game variety, BetUS for blackjack, and Café Casino for slots games.
About the AuthorIsaac Payne AuthorIsaac E. Payne is an experienced technical blogger, creative writer, and lead content manager at GamblingSites.org. As a published author, he enjoys finding interesting and exciting ways to cover any topic. In his four years on the team, he has covered online gambling and sports betting and excelled at reviewing casino sites. In his free time, he enjoys playing blackjack and reading science fiction.
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