Online Poker Sites California

California is both the most populous state and the state with the most poker rooms. In fact, America’s favorite card game has a long, storied history in the Golden State. It reaches back to the mid-19th century gold rush, an era of gaming dens, and continues through the famous Gardena card clubs of the 20th century and the explosion of card rooms following the state’s legalization of Texas Hold ’em poker and stud in the 1980s.

With nearly 40 million residents and a huge number of poker players among them, California has long been looked upon by online poker proponents as an obvious and attractive choice for legalization. However, despite the numerous bills proposed by lawmakers since the late 2000s, an inability to satisfy the priorities of rival factions, including the state’s multiple tribes with gaming interests, has prevented legal online poker in California.

Online Poker Laws In The Works (Dead or Alive) There have been several attempts over the last few years to regulate online poker in California. Some of the most-publicized legislation to date includes: SB 1463 – This was introduced on 2/24/12 by Roderick Wright and Darrell Steinberg. It’s similar to SB 45 that Wright introduced in 2010. California online poker. California has been trying to pass an online poker bill since 2008. Progress has been, to put it mildly, trivial. Read the latest California online poker developments below, and scroll down for a synopsis of the status quo for legal online poker in California. Want to support the online poker bill in California?

What follows is an overview of California poker. We start with a short synopsis of the current debate on real money online poker in California. Then we cover the consideration of alternatives like sweepstakes poker and offshore poker sites. We continue with a review of current California poker laws, including what is OK when it comes to home poker games. Next, we share a comprehensive list of the state’s many card rooms and a detailed timeline of poker in the CA, including online poker legislation. Lastly, we look ahead to the possible future of online poker in California.

Global Poker offers online poker in California

Is online poker legal in California?

No, real money online poker is not legal in California; however, that’s not due to a lack of trying.

There is a long list of California lawmakers who have introduced bills that, if passed, would legalize online poker in the state (see below, “California poker timeline”), with such efforts dating back more than a decade.

An attempt was made in 2014 when the Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabeltribe tried a different path by attempting to launch real-money online gambling on its own. The tribe is one of the more than 100 federally recognized Native American tribes in the state. The federal government filed an injunction, and the site was shut down. After a lengthy legal battle, the Ninth District Court of Appeals in December 2016 ruled the poker site to violate the UIGEA for allowing access to those not located on the reservation.

That ruling made it clear that tribes in the state would not be able to launch online poker rooms without some sort of statewide legislation. Alas, California lawmakers have been unable to reach that milestone.

Will California regulate online poker?

The push to legalize and regulate online poker in CA has recently slowed as attention has shifted to the possibility of introducing online sports betting.

In May 2018, the US Supreme Court removed the federal prohibition against states other than Nevada offering sports betting. By the following year, California lawmakers began holding hearings to consider the viability of bringing legal sports betting to CA, including online sports betting.

Like other states, however, the legal environment for gambling in California is complicated significantly by the competing interests of the state’s commercial gambling properties and its many tribal casinos. That same conflict has presented obstacles in the past for those who have previously tried to legalize online gambling, including online poker. No doubt that it will continue to be the case going forward when the issue arises again.

The California Bureau of Gambling Control currently regulates gambling in the state and would potentially serve as the regulatory agency overseeing online poker if it became legal. The California Gambling Control Commission also plays a vital role in licensing card rooms and casinos within the state. Both of these state agencies work together with California tribes to regulate gaming on tribal lands as well.

How to play online poker in California & sweepstakes sites

With no real money online poker available, players in California do have an alternative in sweepstakes online poker sites. The most popular example is Global Poker, a site that legally welcomes players from every state, aside from Washington.

Rather than play with cash, those who play on sweepstakes sites do so with virtual money. In the case of Global Poker, there are two different virtual currencies: “gold coins” and “sweeps coins.” Players can purchase the gold coins to play cash games and tournaments. When buying gold coins, players also receive sweeps coins as a bonus, which they can use to play specific cash games and tournaments.

Players can purchase sweeps coins other ways as well, including through Facebook giveaways or by writing to Global Poker and requesting them. Players can also win more sweeps coins in the cash games and tournaments. Once they’ve accumulated a minimum amount, players can exchange them for dollars that can be redeemed.

What about offshore poker sites? Are they safe?

Some poker players choose to play online poker in CA on “offshore” sites located outside of the US that permit Americans to play. Are players who play on these sites breaking the law? That’s a question that gambling law experts continue to debate.

The California Penal Code includes a section on illegal gambling that specifically prohibits games “with cards, dice, or any device, for money, checks, credit or other representative of value.”

The section goes on to say that anyone doing so is committing a misdemeanor and can be fined between $100 and $1,000 and imprisoned for up to six months. While no players in California have ever faced such penalties for playing on offshore online poker sites, they are, nonetheless, still taking risks by doing so. Since such sites are not regulated in the US, they don’t necessarily have to adhere to measures like fraud prevention and ensuring the security of players’ funds the way legal, regulated US sites do.

In fact, there have been instances of such sites closing and making off with players’ money, and in which case, the players don’t have legal recourse to help them recover their funds.

Players who use such offshore poker sites and suspect cheating, collusion, ghosting, multi-accounting, or other issues affecting game integrity simply have to trust the sites will respond to their complaints and take appropriate action. That’s because if the sites don’t, there’s little the players can do about it.

California poker laws

While online poker is not legal in California, live poker in brick-and-mortar card rooms is legal in the state, with players fortunate to have more card rooms to choose from than in any other state.

Charitable, nonprofit organizations are also allowed to host “poker nights” along with bingo games and raffles, but only once per year.

In December 2019, the California Bureau of Gambling Control proposed new rules for the state’s card rooms. However, many CA card room operators objected, saying the new rules would have a negative impact on their businesses and even force some rooms to close.

Because of the compacts between the state and its tribes, Native American-run casinos have the exclusive right to offer “house-banked” games. As a result, commercial card rooms must employ someone other than the dealer to act as the “banker” (or the “house”). This person represents a licensed third-party business since the rooms aren’t technically allowed to have a financial stake in the games. The banker collects from the losers, pays the winners and takes a fee from each of the players.

The new rules being proposed would do away with the third-party banker and force the players to take turns performing that role. Players refusing to do so would not be allowed to participate, and if no one wants to be the banker, the game would have to stop. The card rooms are understandably unhappy with the idea of instituting such an arrangement, pointing out how playing the games will become more complicated and that many players will be loathed to have to take on the banker’s role.

More hearings will need to be held as well as a study conducted measuring the financial impact should the new rules be adopted.

Are home poker games legal in California?

Is It Legal To Play Online Poker In California

Yes, home poker games are legal in California, as long as the host of the game doesn’t take a rake from the pots or require any sort of fee from the players.

The California Penal Code is quite clear in the way it describes home poker games as excluded from “controlled games” for which operators need licenses. The law states that a “controlled game” does not include “games played in cards in private homes or residences, in which no person makes money for operating the game, except as a player.”

California card rooms

California has more places to play poker than does any other state in the country. There are around 100 rooms, ranging from tiny two-table establishments tucked away in strip malls to massive 200-plus table poker palaces like The Commerce in Los Angeles and The Bicycle nearby in Bell Gardens.

The small rooms generally only spread low limit ($1/$2) no-limit hold’em, whereas the medium and larger rooms also feature other variants like pot-limit Omaha, seven-card stud and different mixed game formats. All but the smallest rooms host regular daily and/or weekly tournaments, while the largest venues are often the site of major tournament series such as the World Poker Tour and the World Series of Poker Circuit.

California poker timeline

During the gold rush of the mid-19th century and afterward, hundreds of gaming houses were in operation up and down California, with poker among the most popular gambling games.

During the century’s later decades, prohibitions in various locations led to the closure of many houses, although stud poker continued to be especially popular. That led to more explicit laws against what was described as “stud-horse poker,” and it was that specific targeting of stud that later provided a kind of legal loophole for California card games.

Birth of the California card club

In 1931, Nevada legalized gambling and, over the subsequent years, game the eventual building of casinos and card rooms. A little later in 1936, in California, a businessman named Ernie Primm opened a gambling club in tiny Gardena (not far from Los Angeles), where draw poker was a featured game.

There was a legal challenge, but Primm was able to point back to the earlier law that outlawed stud but said nothing about draw poker. The law specified that draw poker card rooms, like Primm’s, could operate as long as the community did not object, and thus over the following years, Primm and others opened more card rooms in Gardena, all of which again spread only draw poker.

The legal battles never really ceased, but over the middle decades of the 20th century, and to the start of the 1980s, Gardena became known throughout the country as the only legal alternative to Las Vegas and other rooms in Nevada for poker. The small city advertised itself as the “Poker Capital of the World,” and it wasn’t a total exaggeration.

Hold’em and stud made legal; poker explodes in popularity

The situation began to change in the 1980s when other communities started legalizing poker themselves, thus taking away Gardena’s special status.

By then, Texas Hold’em had started to become better-known thanks to the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. California lawmakers interestingly argued over hold’em’s legality in part by raising the question of whether hold’em was a variant of draw poker (and legal to play) or a variant of stud poker (and, therefore, prohibited).

Finally, in 1987, both Los Angeles and Santa Cruz counties settled the issue by legalizing stud and Texas Hold’em, a development that heralded the introduction of Vegas-style poker rooms to replace the smaller card clubs in terms of popularity. Soon those variants were made legal throughout the state as well.

The state’s first Native American casinos opened shortly thereafter, and by the time of the “poker room” of the mid-2000s, there were already about 100 legal card rooms operating in the state.

Early online poker battles

By the late 2000s, California lawmakers began introducing online poker legislation regularly. While the bills generated a lot of interest and hope among the state’s many poker players, none managed to garner enough support to move up the legislative ladder.

It was in early 2008 that Assemblyman Lloyd Levine introduced AB 2026, a bill that would charge regulators with studying the feasibility of California introducing intrastate online poker. The California Assembly Governmental Organization Committee passed the bill and was amended by both the Assembly and Senate, but stalled after that.

Near the end of 2009, Sen. Roderick Wright made known his intention to introduce an online gambling bill, and SB 1485 or the Internet Gambling Consumer Protection and Public-Private Partnership Act of 2010 appeared early the following year, though was withdrawn after encountering pushback from various groups.

More bills and a tribal alliance

Later in 2010, a couple of different alliances of California tribes formed the California Online Poker Alliance and the California Intertribal Intrastate Poker Consortium. While representing those groups’ interests, State Sen. Lou Correa introduced a new bill, SBSB 40, known as the State Funding, Job Creationand Online Gaming Accountability Act. Correa’s bill was revised and reconsidered during the following year, but it, too, eventually stalled.

Sen. Wright tried again in 2012 with SB 1463, also proposed with the tribes’ backing, but it failed as well, and by the end of the year, the tribes’ online poker alliance dissolved. New online poker bills from both Wright (SB 51) and Correa (SB 678) followed over the next year, though neither advanced.

Further conflicts including over the ‘bad actor’ issue

In 2014, Correa introduced SB 1366, an online poker bill with a “bad actor” clause that would prohibit online poker sites that had served American players after 2006 from operating in California. Assemblyman Reggie Jones-Sawyer introduced the similar AB 2291, though, in his bill, the bad actor question was left open. The California Assembly Governmental Organization Committee did hold a hearing to discuss the topic, but nothing further came from it.

In 2015, multiple online poker bills came from the state assembly, then a similar “shell” bill (AB 431) was co-authored by Assemblyman Adam Gray and Sen. Isadore Hall, though, it also stalled.

The “bad actor” question became a central sticking point over the next couple of years. The tribal coalition emerged to argue that PokerStars (that had served Californians post-2006 through Black Friday in April 2011) and its then-parent company Amaya be banned from operating in the state for 10 years. Meanwhile, PokerStars had established partnerships with other tribes in CA as well as some commercial rooms. The operator was lobbying for a shorter five-year ban or the payment of a cash penalty to enter the state.

Amid this furor, a new online poker bill from Assemblyman Gray made it out of committee, one including a five-year ban for “bad actors” but potentially worded in a way that could close such operators out permanently. It was understandably unfavorable for PokerStars and its partners. In any case, that bill never went further, and another legislative session ended with no online poker law.

Assemblyman Jones-Sawyer tried again in 2017 with AB 1677, a bill that left out the bad actor issue entirely. But it failed to move, and by year’s end, PokerStars’ partnership with California tribes ended.

Focus is taken away from online poker

In 2018, the US Supreme Court overturned the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), thus bringing sports betting to the foreground and pushing online poker to the side. The continued divisions between interested parties lessened the momentum for online poker legislation even more.

For the first time in a decade, 2019 came and went without any online poker bills being proposed, and 2020 began without much interest being shown from lawmakers or other potential stakeholders.

What does the future hold for California online poker?

After years of discussion over online poker, the prospect of legalizing sports betting has drawn attention away from the subject, meaning California poker players will likely be unable to play real money poker online in California in the near future.

Player liquidity would not be a problem for California, a state with more than three times the population of Pennsylvania and more than four times that of New Jersey — two states where online poker has been legalized. That said, until California can come together to legalize sports betting, including online sports betting sites, the prospect for legalizing online gambling, including online poker, will remain dim.

As noted, poker players have no shortage of live options in the state, as well as other forms of gambling like pari-mutuel wagering on horse racing, casino-style games in the state’s many tribal casinos and the CA lottery. But for the near term at least, online poker sites will not be among those choices.

California is a poker player’s dream from a live game standpoint with some of the best (and busiest) live poker rooms and casinos in the country. Finding a nice poker room for a cash game or a tournament is usually just a short trip for most Californians.

Major tournament series like the World Poker Tour and World Series of Poker Circuit also have stops in California. Regulated online poker for real money, however, has thus far remained unattainable at a legislative level.

The next best option for online players in California right now is sweepstakes poker sites, such as Global Poker, or a short trip to play some real money online poker in Nevada at WSOP.com. Until legislators get a bill across the finish line for the governor’s signature, traditional legalized online poker remains off the table in CA.

Best California Poker Sites

Latest California online poker news

• by Anthony Cicali IIIFebruary 11, 2021
• by Sean ChaffinOctober 10, 2019

Online Poker in California

While there aren’t any traditional legal online poker sites yet, there are some options players might check out. The neighboring state of Nevada offers one of the most popular online poker sites in the US.

WSOP.com is the online home of the World Series of Poker and offers online poker in Nevada and New Jersey. The site offers cash games, tournaments, Sit & Go’s and major tournament series.

The WSOP partners with 888poker, which provides software for the poker client and mobile poker app. 888 also offers online poker in New Jersey and Delaware. WSOP.com and 888poker offer the country’s only shared liquidity market between NJ, Nevada, and Delaware.

This makes for bigger player and prize pools than at other legal online poker sites in NJ or poker sites in Pennsylvania. By 2020, the WSOP.com/888 interstate compact was seeing even bigger increases in player pools.

The WSOP even runs some of its circuit events on the platform, offering players a chance to win championship rings. A California player heading to Las Vegas, Reno, the Lake Tahoe area, Carson City, or anywhere else in Nevada has the chance to play on WSOP.com.

Sweepstakes poker is another option for players in California. These sites are licensed under sweepstakes law (similar to McDonald’s Monopoly game, for example) to offer a mix of social gaming and real money online poker. Global Poker is the largest and most trusted of these.

Sweepstakes online poker in California

Sweepstakes poker is a reasonable alternative for Californians who want to get some real money online poker hands in. Global Poker is one of the most popular sweepstakes poker sites and provides a comparable poker experience to a standard online poker site.

Global Poker offers two forms of online poker:

• You can play free games with virtual currency in the form of Gold Coins.
• You can purchase additional Gold Coins to receive an added virtual currency called Sweeps Coins, which lets you play in separate Sweeps Coin ring games, Sit & Go’s, MTTs, and regular live tournament series with major guarantees.

Any Sweeps Coins you win can then be redeemed for real cash prizes. And just like any legalized online poker site you can securely purchase Gold Coins, receive your Sweep Coins and cash them out easily online.

Beyond California, Global Poker is available to players in 49 states (excl. WA) and Canada (excl. Quebec). If you’re wondering what its company structure is, Global Poker is owned by VGW Holdings Limited, a publicly traded company incorporated in Australia. Global is also licensed by the Malta Gaming Authority, so players can expect a regulated environment with a fair game and security. VGW also owns and operates two sweeps cash casinos—Chumba Casino and LuckyLand Slots.

Global Poker offers games in Texas Hold’em, Crazy Pineapple and Omaha.

Online Poker in Nevada

Those looking to play some traditional online poker have WSOP.com Nevada as an option in Nevada. Southern California residents have a four- to five-hour drive to Las Vegas (depending on exact location and traffic). Players hitting Sin City for some fun may also want to battle it out online in popular events like the Online Super Series, which drew record numbers in March 2020.

In Northern California, a weekend trip to Lake Tahoe, Reno, or Carson City could also include some online poker. WSOP.com is available to players anywhere in Nevada.

Getting started is easy. You can create an account from anywhere and also make a deposit from anywhere as well. Sign up only takes a few minutes and you expect to provide:

• Name
• Address
• Phone number
• Email
• Username
• Password

Making a deposit is also easy and can be accomplished from anywhere. Players depositing at WSOP.com can use any of the following:

• E-check bank payments (ACH transfers)
• Visa/Mastercard
• PayNearMe, available at thousands of retail outlets

When making that deposit, expect safety and security with legal online operators. Unregulated sites may not have well-known safe deposit methods. US-facing regulated poker sites must follow strict procedures and technical specifications to make sure player information and funds are kept secure.

Operators also make use of sign-up and deposit bonuses and that goes for WSOP.com.

It’s important to note that online operators use geolocation software to determine a player’s location when attempting to play. A player must be physically located within the state to play legally and geolocation software makes sure of that.

Real Money Poker Apps in California

Playing poker on a mobile app has never been more popular. Many players like to take advantage of the convenience and user-friendly environment that real money poker apps provide.

An app can easily be downloaded on your phone or tablet. Poker apps have improved greatly in recent years and now provide easy lobby navigation, simple game play features, and the ability to play more than one event at the same time.

Most tournaments and cash games offered online can also be found on the app. Although it’s possible to play large multi-table tournaments on some apps, smaller events like Sit & Go’s are easier to play on mobile devices.

Sweepstakes site Global Poker doesn’t yet offer an app, but players can make use of its quick play feature. It’s a web-browser based system, meaning you don’t have to download any poker software.

That system also works well in a mobile environment. Mobile players at Global Poker will basically find the same experience they’d find using a laptop or desktop computer.

Real money poker apps can also be downloaded by Californians to be used when in a state that allows online poker. Those states currently include Nevada, New Jersey, Michigan, Delaware, and Pennsylvania. Geolocation software is used to confirm that players are within a legal jurisdiction. However, players can still sign up, withdraw funds, and deposit from any location.

Free Poker Online in California

Most real money poker sites offer some form of free poker making use of virtual currency. These are often in the form of mobile apps or social media games. Popular free poker offerings from major poker providers include:

• WSOP social gaming platform
• PokerStars.net (and a social gaming platform)
• WPT social gaming platform
• ClubWPT – Sweepstakes poker site of the World Poker Tour

Free poker apps are a fun way to play and practice without any real money on the line. Global Poker also offers free ring games and tournaments through its sweepstakes model. Players also have the option of using Sweeps Coins earned as well for a shot at redeeming them for real cash.

If you want to set up a private home poker game for your friends online, you can do so via the free play money platform at PokerStars.net. You can also access free-to-play poker platforms in virtually any other non-legalized states including Florida, Texas, etc.

Estimates for Traffic in California Legal Online Poker

Legal online poker in California could be a game changer for the industry. The state is the most populous in the US with 39.5 million people. With a large number of poker rooms and casinos, there would be a massive pool of online players compared to the states where legal online poker is already live. Those are:

West Virginia poker online has also been legalized but has yet to have any sites go online.

Legalization in CA could alter the online poker landscape in the US. Major operators including PokerStars, partypoker, WSOP.com, and others would be interested in moving into the state. California legalization could also spur other high-population states to get on the bandwagon as well, especially if interstate compacts are allowed. Online poker in Florida or online poker in Texas would be similarly impactful.

As of 2020 the WSOP/888poker platform among Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware was at record numbers. Average days see between 500 and 800 players. If the site launched in California, that traffic could surge and be eclipsed easily in the Golden State.

Which Casinos in California Will Have Online Poker Sites?

If CA were to offer some type of legal online poker, it’s a good bet it would mimic current laws in other states at least to some degree. In other legal states online poker brands partner with live casinos or other gaming enterprises in the state. For example, PokerStars partners with Resorts Casino in Atlantic City and Mount Airy Casino in Pennsylvania.

There is no shortage of CA casinos and card rooms that would look to get in on the action. With such a large population, the state could also probably support a few online poker sites. There are no current partnerships with a legal framework in place, but here are a few brands that might be ready to enter the online poker arena. Those might include:

Live Poker Rooms – While they may call themselves casinos many are in fact mostly card rooms. Some of those that stand out in the state include:

• Commerce Casino
• Bicycle Club
• Gardens
• Bay 101
• Hustler
• Ocean’s Eleven

and numerous others.

Tribal casinos – Along with poker rooms, there are also several tribal casinos that might be interested in online poker partnerships. A few of those might include:

• Pechanga
• Agua Caliente
• Thunder Valley
• San Manuel
• Morongo

and others. Of these, Thunder Valley, Commerce, Bicycle, Gardens, Bay 101, and Ocean’s Eleven have all hosted WPT and WSOP Circuit events. Those with a large footprint in live poker may also look to add their imprint online.

For those hoping WSOP.com could be an option in the state, that could be possible in a legal environment. WSOP owner Caesars Entertainment operates Harrah’s Resort Southern California. This Indian casino is located in Valley Center and is owned by the Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians.

If operators are allowed to partner with casino properties in the state, Harrah’s and WSOP make for a natural fit.

Popular Poker Games in California Card Rooms

Poker rooms are plentiful in California and the game has a deep tradition in the state. Numerous CA players from the state have gone on to success in major tournament series and events. Most of the major poker rooms in California offer all the major games players have come to love from low buy-ins to nosebleed stakes. The most popular poker games offered include:

• Texas Hold’em (limit and no limit)
• Omaha (and Hi/Lo)
• Seven Card Stud (and Hi/Lo)
• Lowball including Razz and Deuce to Seven
• Pineapple and Crazy Pineapple

Is Online Poker Legal in California?

Currently, online poker in California is not legal. For more than 10 years, several attempts have been made by legislators to legalize it, but with no success. With so many gaming interests in the state – including horse tracks, poker rooms, and tribal casinos – satisfying all interests with an online gaming law has been a struggle.

In those attempts, these stakeholders weren’t able to reach a consensus and the bill failed to come to a vote. In 2016, Assemblyman Adam Gray took a different approach from previous efforts and introduced AB 2863 during the 2016 legislative session. He hoped to solve the issue with the debate about whether horse racetracks should get involved in the state’s online poker industry.

The CA horse racing industry would have received up to $60 million per year from online poker taxes. Additionally, 5 percent of the annual taxes would have gone to California’s Fair and Exposition Fund, which supports administering agencies, state, county, and district fairs.

The other 95% would be divided three ways. The vast majority of that (95.4%) would go toward purses for horsemen. The remaining 4.6% would be evenly divided between pensions for horsemen and employees of racetracks. The bill didn’t address licensing fees or a tax rate. Previous versions required a $15 million deposit and a 15 percent tax rate.

AB 2863 also included a bad actor clause, which would have kept out operators like PokerStars, which operated in the US after the Unlawful Internet Gaming Enforcement Act (UIGEA) was put in place in 2006. Because of this, PokerStars and its coalition rallied against the bill. The 2016 legislative session came to an end without a vote on AB 2863. Since then there hasn’t been much momentum in legalizing online poker.

Currently, Delaware, Nevada, New Jersey and Pennsylvania are the only states that offer traditional legal online poker. West Virginia and Michigan have also legalized online gaming, including poker, but aren’t expected to offer any online poker sites until 2021.

Previously proposed legislation included the possibility of pooling players from California with players from other states such as Nevada or New Jersey, but California would first have to legalize online poker. Even if online poker was legalized, continued debate about the Wire Act might jeopardize any current efforts at interstate compacts and shared liquidity. The Department of Justice has argued that the act applies to other forms of online gaming beyond sports betting.

The gaming industry argues that the law was meant solely for sports betting. A change in that could jeopardize online lotteries, online poker, and other forms of iGaming. The Wire Act issue remained in federal court as of April 2020, but the gaming industry (led by a lawsuit by the New Hampshire lottery) had won an early round before the DOJ appealed.

Past California online poker bills

California Assemblyman Reginald Jones-Sawyer introduced AB 167 in 2015.The bill would have permitted all card clubs, tribes and racetracks to offer online poker in California.

Additionally, it would have created player penalties for giving action to unlicensed, offshore sites.This bill had the support of the PokerStars coalition, but not the Pechanga coalition.

Assemblyman Mike Gatto introduced AB 9 during the 2015 California legislative session.This bill included a “bad actor” clause and did not permit licensing of racetracks. This bill had the support of the Pechanga’s coalition, but not PokerStars’ coalition.

Finally, State Sen. Isadore Hall and Assemblyman Gray introduced SB 278 and AB 431, respectively.These were placeholder bills with no primary language about online poker.

PokerStars’ coalition

PokerStars’ coalition consists of the Morongo Band of Mission Indians, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Commerce Casino, Hawaiian Gardens and the Bicycle Casino.

This group opposes the so-called “bad actor” clause, which would exclude any company that accepted bets after Dec. 31, 2006, in the US without proper licensing.

The reason for PokerStars’ coalition’s opposition to the clause is apparent. As a result of the provision, PokerStars would be excluded from operating in California, removing the group’s partner.

The PokerStars coalition also supports the inclusion of the state’s racetracks. The consensus is that any bill that does not include the horse racing industry will get a veto by Gov. Jerry Brown.

Pechanga coalition

There are seven tribes that oppose bad actors and the participation of racetracks in California. Those tribes are:

• Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians
• Barona Band of Mission Indians
• Lytton Band of Pomo Indians
• Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians
• Viejas Band of Kumeyaay Indians
• Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation
• Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation

Other tribal positions

Most other California tribes have remained mostly silent on the issue of racetracks or bad actors.Pala Interactive, the online gaming subsidiary of the Pala Band of Mission Indians, appears to expect the inclusion of racetracks.

Rincon Band of Luiseño Indians partnered with Caesars for its land-based casino. Hence, it seems logical that it would use WSOP.com for its interactive gaming.Rincon and Caesars both stated that they support the inclusion of PokerStars in the California online gaming market.

A Brief History of Poker in California

Is Online Poker Legal

Poker has a deep history in California with poker dating back to its days during the Old West and American westward expansion. Poker is synonymous with the western frontier and flourished in the 19th Century during this expansion.

Miners flush with new cash during the California Gold Rush of the mid-1800s hit the tables to gamble some of their new earnings. The state’s constitution in 1879 outlawed all forms of gambling but left out draw poker, which was considered a gentleman’s game. An 1891 law making gambling illegal again left out draw poker.

Legal or illegal, poker continued to flourish. Poker clubs continued into the 1900s sometimes despite even local bans on gambling. Californians historical love of poker just wouldn’t go away and Gardena became a particularly popular hotbed for several poker clubs in the 1950s.

Varying localities offered different regulations and poker rooms continued well into the 1980s and ‘90s. Poker remains extremely popular in CA and keeps alive the state’s spirit of the frontier and the favored game of the Old West.

California online poker FAQ

Why should I play only at legal online poker sites?

Should online poker ever become legal in California, players can be assured that their money and personal information are safe. In the US, legal online poker sites must adhere to strict laws and regulations. For example, the Nevada Gaming Control Board regulates online poker for the state of Nevada. WSOP.com and its partner 888poker are trusted websites with proven experience in running online gaming. Player safety and security are paramount.

WSOP.com even assures players on its website: “If you use this website to send personal data to Caesars Operating Company, Inc., your transmission will be protected by Secure Socket Layer (SSL).” SSL is a technology employed by Caesars Entertainment and other online operators that encrypts your information during transmission. Caesars further notes: “It is our policy to take all reasonable steps to ensure that your personal data is securely maintained with access limited to those who need such access to serve you.”

Best Online Poker Sites California

You won’t see anything like this at offshore, unregulated sites. They aren’t governed by any US gaming commission and don’t meet strict standards of operation like legal US sites.

Player collusion is another security issue that could impact the fairness of the game for players. To combat this, WSOP.com and other operators have software that monitors this issue and other discrepancies. This helps maintain the integrity of the game. Offshore and underground sites are not as heavily regulated as legal online poker sites. Slow payouts and loss of player funds are regular complaints of former players. Playing on legal, safe online poker sites offers numerous player protections.

Why is California behind other states in legalizing online poker?

While California was one of the first states to offer legal card clubs, its ability to move that a variety of factors hampers the industry’s move to the internet.

There are three gaming segments in California: card clubs, racetracks and tribes. All three have different opinions as to how to approach online poker, even within the groups. Because of this, there are issues with agreeing on how to move forward.

Additionally, there are conservative groups that oppose any form of gambling expansion.

How many poker players are there in CA?

That’s a difficult question to answer but a visit to any card room in the state will find plenty of players battling it out at the poker table. With a population of 39.5 million, it’s a good bet at least a few million consider themselves poker players to some degree or another.

Can you play on PokerStars in CA?

No, PokerStars is available to players in numerous countries around the world, but that doesn’t include all of the US. As of April 2020, PokerStars is only available in New Jersey and Pennsylvania in the US. And these states are “fenced in” markets, meaning players in those states only play each other online – no shared liquidity markets at the moment.

Can you play on WSOP.com in CA?

No, WSOP.com is currently only available in Nevada and New Jersey, where it functions in a shared liquidity market. That also includes its software partner 888poker’s offerings in New Jersey and Delaware. This combination remains the largest legal online poker platform in the US.

New players on WSOP.com in legal states can currently claim a free no deposit bonus for opening a new poker account.

Online Poker Sites For California

Does Commerce Casino have an online poker site?

Commerce Casino doesn’t have an online poker site. However, you can follow the casino’s news on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Here you can keep updated with the latest news and receive discounts, invitations, and special deals and promotions.

Does Bicycle Casino have an online poker site?

The Bicycle Casino doesn’t have an online poker site. However, it does boast livestream poker games with its Live at the Bike online show. The poker room remains one of the most popular in the state.

Can you play on offshore poker sites in CA?

Offshore poker sites are NOT licensed or regulated. This may make players’ information and funds vulnerable to security breaches. Players of these sites often complain about slow payouts and if the site folds altogether players may not be refunded.

Best California Online Poker Sites

A better option for California residents would be to use a platform in Nevada. Global Poker, a sweepstakes poker site, is another option and is available to players in the Golden State.

What are the main issues keeping online poker from legal online poker?

The main issues pertaining to the inclusion of racetracks and PokerStars.

Will California offer legal online casino games?

All bills introduced up to this point have only proposed legalizing poker. They did not include casino games or sports betting.

Will California pool with other legal poker states?

Most California online poker bills have proposed the possibility of sharing players with other states, so it is possible that California could choose to pool players with New Jersey, Nevada, and Delaware should the state move forward on legalizing internet poker.

As of 2020, however, this wasn’t just a question of a state’s choice. Until the murkiness of the Wire Act is made clear, interstate compacts remain an open question.

Other states that have recently legalized, such as Pennsylvania and Michigan, haven’t included shared liquidity in their online gaming legislation. This could be altered once legal disputes are cleared up on the issue.

How soon would California launch online poker if it passes legislation?

It would take between 12 and 18 months for California online poker to launch if approved by lawmakers.

Legal Online Poker Sites California

Will PokerStars operate in California?

That depends on the bill that eventually passes. While some include language that would specifically exclude PokerStars, some industry experts believe that a bill excluding PokerStars can never pass in California.

Is Online Poker Legal In California

How much tax revenue will California generate?

It is estimated that California online poker rooms would generate about $350 million a year in rake. This would translate to $35 million a year in tax revenue at a rate of 10 percent.

Additional licensing fees for sites and employees would also create taxes for the state.

Will California poker sites be available outside of California?

Legal California poker sites would only be available in states where a liquidity sharing agreement is created. Otherwise, players will be required to be in California at the time of action.