Californian Casino and Card Room Gaming 71442w

California remains home to one of the largest tribal casino industries in the U.S., with more than 80 operational tribal casinos and several more in development as of 2025. These casinos are only permitted on tribal lands under compacts with the state, offering slots, blackjack, and a variety of card games, but not traditional dice or wheel games (such as craps and roulette).

California casinos are allowed by state law to offer slots, blackjack and other card games. Since state gaming compacts prohibit the use of dice and wheels to decide the outcome of a gambling event, traditional craps and roulette are not allowed.

Slots, including video poker and video keno, are the most popular games in California casinos. Card games include baccarat, blackjack, poker (including Caribbean stud, pai gow and three-card poker), Spanish 21 and Let It Ride. Some casinos also offer bingo and offtrack betting (OTB).

California currently has over 50 active, state-licensed card rooms regulated by the CGCC, with the largest concentrations in the Los Angeles area. These card rooms offer poker and “California games” (modified versions of table games like Pai Gow Poker and baccarat, but not house-banked blackjack, craps, or roulette).

Blackjack, other table games, craps, roulette and slots are not allowed in California card rooms.

In June 2016, the state Bureau of Gambling Control sent word to card rooms that changes were to be made for rotating the player-dealer position in games such as blackjack and pai gow. Under the new rules, a two-minute break would be required after a player has held a position for an hour.