Best Casinos in California Guide
Find the best casinos in California right here, at Casino US! When most people think about gambling, they immediately think of Las Vegas. However, gamblers can find some of the best casinos in California. With around 150 legal casinos in the Golden State, California can give the state of Nevada a run for its money. Before you go and declare California to be the new gambling mecca, there are a few things to keep in mind.
The casino games on offer depend on whether you’re playing at a card room casino or a Native American casino. In addition to this, these Native American casinos are located on reservations, making them a little more challenging to access. However, for those living in or visiting California, plenty of casino options are still available. These include both land-based casinos and online options. Find the top casinos in California, here at Casino US!
Accepts players from: United States
Updated: 10th May, 2025
Best Casinos in California Guide
Live Gambling Allowed in California
Gambling in California has expanded to cater to bettors who have a considerable interest in betting, like some other states. Horse racing betting in California is legal, and it is done through pool betting, also known as pari-mutuel.
Another form of gambling that is accepted in California is the lottery. Californians can enjoy various lottery games, such as instant tickets. Gamblers can enjoy games such as bingo and raffles; however, these can be played through registered charities.
Types of Online Gambling Permitted in California
The state of California only permits horse racing betting as the leading online gambling activity that bettors can enjoy. Some fantasy sports websites accept Californians, like DraftKings, Yahoo!, and FanDuel, which are just some of the daily fantasy sports sites that cater to players based in California.
Players can enjoy internet gaming at the casino sites we’ve listed.
Some gambling laws need to be affirmed through a vote. As we’ve previously mentioned, horse racing was the first form of betting to be legalized in the state and is regulated by the California Horse Racing Board. Card clubs are permitted in California and have been around for a very long time.
Card clubs were initially meant for poker activities, but as the years progressed, other forms of casino card games, such as Baccarat and Blackjack, were included.
Gambling laws in The Golden State
With nearly 40 million people living in the state, you’d hope there would be enough casinos to meet the demand.
There are around 150 legal casinos in CA. But things get a little more complicated. Due to state laws, not all the best casinos offer the same games.
If a player is looking to go to their nearest casino and play slots, roulette, or craps, they’re probably going to be disappointed. The card club gambling casinos in California are not permitted to allow players to play casino games that rely solely on luck. This means that these card club casinos can offer games where player skill comes into play, such as Pai Gow poker, baccarat, and blackjack, but not roulette.
If you want to play these sorts of games at places to gamble in California, you’ll need to head to one run by Native Americans. They’re able to offer games that don’t require any skill from the player. They do tend to be a little more out of the way for most Californians, though. If you’re wondering, “where can I find the best casinos in CA near me?”— Casino US is here to help.
List of Top 10 California Casinos
| Casino | Games | Other Features | Contacts |
|---|---|---|---|
Hustler casino | 50 poker tables & 30 table games | 1000 West Redondo Beach Blvd, Gardena, CA 90247310 – 719 – 9800 | 1000 West Redondo Beach Blvd, Gardena, CA90247310 – 719 – 9800 |
Pala Casino Resort & Spa | 2000 Slots, 80 table games, 15 table poker | Spa Hotel Restaurants | 35008 Pala Temecula Road, Pala, CA 920591-877-946-7252 |
Pechanga Resort & Casino | 4000 Slots, 154 Table games, 700 Seat Bingo | Restaurants, bars, Comedy Club, Cabaret Lounge, Spa, Hotel | 45000 Pechanga Parkway, Temecula, CA 925921-877-711-2946 |
Harrah’s Ricon | 1700 Slots, 68+ Table Games | Restaurants, bars, Comedy Club, Cabaret Lounge, Spa, Hotel | 777 Harrah’s Rincon Way, Valley Center, CA 92082760-751-3100 |
Cache Creek Casino | 2,000 Slot Machines, Poker Table Games, Bingo | Variety of Asian-inspired cuisine, hotel | 14455 Highway 16, Brooks, California 95606530-796-3118 |
Chumash Casino | 2,000 Slot Machines, Poker Table Games, Bingo | Hotel, Restaurants, Live music | 3400 East Highway 246, Santa Ynez, CA 93460 (800) 248-6274 |
Graton Casino | 3,000 Slot Machines, Live Poker Room, Table Games | Restaurants, Bar, comedy clubs, Cabaret Lounge, Spa, Hotel | 630 Park Court, Rohnert Park, CA 94928 (707) 588-7100 |
Morongo Casino | 2,700 Slot Machines, 74 table games, 13 table poker rooms, Bingo hall | Restaurants, Spa, Hotel, Live entertainment | 49500 Seminole Drive, Cabazon, CA 92230 (951) 849-3080 |
San Manuel Indian Casino | 3,600 Slot Machines, 100+ table games | Hotel, restaurants, live entertainment | 3,600 slot machines, 100+ table games |
Online Gambling in California
Many states are currently considering passing laws to allow gambling online officially. With California’s large population, this would probably be a success. However, for any law like this to be allowed, it would likely need the backing of the Native American casinos. At this time, no such law has been passed. This means there are no laws permitting online poker or playing blackjack online.
Gambling Laws In California
It is likely that casino laws will officially allow casino sites in California. Land-based casinos in California will need to be given some incentive to support the bill, but California cannot afford to ignore this.
Until online gambling in California is officially legalized, players are still free to enjoy an online gaming casino site that accepts players.
Best Casinos In California Gambling Resources
Casinos can trace their roots back to 1933. This was when betting on horse racing was legalized for the first time, thanks to a constitutional amendment. However, this change in the law led to a change in the public’s opinion as well. Consequently, the number of horse racing tracks increased.
While horse racing gained popularity in the 1930s, gambling in California at actual casinos only started to take off in 2000. It was only then that the state began to allow Native American tribes to run casinos legally.
California Office of Problem Gambling
While many people gamble without issue, some develop an addiction and become problem gamblers. The California Office of Problem Gambling offers people who suffer from gambling problems information and assistance.
California CPG
The California CPG, Council on Problem Gambling, aims to provide help to people who are addicted to gambling, as well as their families. This is a non-profit organization that offers information on how to identify problem gamblers.
California Casinos FAQs
We’ve previously mentioned that horse racing is the only betting permitted in California. Players can enjoy casino games at offshore sites accepting players.
Indian casinos are allowed to have various casino games on offer that are banked by the house. Card clubs are not allowed to have poker and other card games on offer that are not banked by the house.
This can be divided into two. It starts at 18 for the lottery and bingo, and it is 21 for casinos and racing.
Yes, the state has a lottery that was approved by voters over 30 years ago.
A bill to legalize daily fantasy sports in California is currently being discussed. However, FanDuel and DraftKings have previously stated that it is legal. This could be due to the lack of laws surrounding it.
