Reviews Of Local Casinos In California

After Nevada, the Golden State is the biggest gambling state in the US. In fact, the state has been instrumental to the gambling industry nationwide due to the 1987 Supreme Court ruling in California v. Cabazon Band of Mission Indians. This ruling led to the IGRA and the creation of the tribal casino concept and the “gold rush” that soon followed throughout America. As such, it should come as no surprise that local California casinos are the exclusive domain of Native American tribes.

And given that CA has more federally recognized tribes than any other state, it should also come as no surprise that there are dozens and dozens of California Indian casinos in operation today. But just how many of those CA casinos allow gamblers at just 18 and older? It turns out that quite a few of them do, so read on to get your game on!

Does California Have 18+ Casinos In 2024?

Yes! If you want to legally gamble at 18 in California, the good news is that there are plenty of opportunities to do so. The state is home to over 60 Indian casinos, and many of these venues cater to players at just 18 years of age. Not all do, of course, but chances are you have just such a venue within easy driving distance – unless it’s rush hour.

CA also has nearly 90 card rooms to choose from scattered throughout the state. But for players 18-20 years old, these card rooms are not in the cards, as they’re limited to players aged 21 and up. Also keep in mind that while Calif. has no domestic online casino gambling opportunities, it remains 100% safe and legal to bet real money online from inside the Golden State. And naturally, every site we recommend for that accepts CA players at just 18-plus.

Indian Casinos In California – 18-21+

All brick-and-mortar California casinos are tribal casinos, as CA tribes have a monopoly on gaming in the state. Only CA tribal gambling venues are allowed to host house-banked gambling games.

However, Indian casinos in California are not able to offer two very popular casino table games: roulette and craps. While these venues have electronic roulette and electronic craps (which are identical to the real-money online roulette and craps games at 18+ online casinos), state law bans gambling games that feature dice or balls.

Most CA Indian casinos are Class III casinos, which means they can offer any and all gambling games that are otherwise legal in the state. To operate Class III Indian casinos, a CA tribe must have a federally recognized gaming compact signed with the state. You can see all the current CA gambling compacts as of 2024 here (CGCC) and here (Federal Register).

Every Brick-And-Mortar California Casino

• Agua Caliente – Rancho Mirage, CA; 21+
• Aqua Caliente Casino – Palm Springs, CA; 21+
• Augustine Casino – Rancho Mirage, CA; 21+
• Barona Valley Ranch Resort and Casino – Lakeside, CA; 18+
• Bear River Casino – Loleta, CA; 21+
• Sherwood Valley Casino (formerly Black Bart Casino) – Willits, CA; 18+
• Black Oak Casino – Tuolumne, CA; 21+
• Blue Lake Casino Hotel – Blue Lake, CA; 18+
• Cache Creek Casino Resort – Brooks, CA; 21+
• Cahuilla Creek Casino – Anza, CA; 21+
• Casino Pauma – Pauma Valley, CA; 18+
• The Heights Casino (aka Cher-Ae Heights Bingo and Casino) – Trinidad, CA; 21+
• Chicken Ranch Bingo and Casino – Jamestown, CA; 18+
• Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino – Coarsegold, CA; 21+
• Chumash Casino Resort – Santa Ynez, CA; 21+
• Colusa Casino Resort – Colusa, CA; 21+
• Desert Rose Casino – Alturas, CA; 21+
• Diamond Mountain Casino – Susanville, CA; 21+
• Eagle Mountain Casino (relocation in progress) – Porterville, CA, 18+
• Elk Valley Casino – Crescent City, CA; 21+
• Fantasy Springs Resort and Casino – Indio, CA; 21+
• Feather Falls Casino – Oroville, CA; 21+
• Gold Country Casino and Hotel – Oroville, CA; 21+
• Golden Acorn Casino – Campo, CA; 18+
• Graton Resort & Casino – Rohnert Park, CA; 21+
• Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Wheatland, CA; 21+
• Harrah’s Northern California – Ione, CA; 21+
• Harrah’s Resort Southern California – Valley Center, CA; 21+
• Havasu Landing Resort and Casino – Havasu Lake, CA; 21+
• Jackson Rancheria Casino – Jackson, CA; 21+
• Jamul Casino – Jamul, CA; 21+
• Konocti Vista Casino and Bingo – Finley, CA; 21+
• Lucky 7 Casino – Smith River, CA; 21+
• Lucky Bear Casino – Hoopa, CA; 18+
• Mono Wind Casino – Auberry, CA; 21+
• Morongo Casino, Resort & Spa – Cabazon, CA; 18+
• Wanaaha Casino (formerly Paiute Palace Casino – Bishop, CA; 21+
• Pala Casino Resort and Spa – Pala, CA; 21+
• Pechanga Resort and Casino – Temecula, CA; 21+
• Pit River Casino – Burney, CA; 21+
• Quechan Resort Casino – Winterhaven, CA; 21+
• Rain Rock Casino – Yreka, CA; 21+
• Red Earth Casino – Salton City, CA; 21+
• Red Fox Casino – Laytonville, CA; 18+
• Redhawk Casino – Shingle Springs, CA; 21+
• River Rock Casino – Geyserville, CA; 21+
• Robinson Rancheria Resort and Casino – Nice, CA; 21+
• Rolling Hills Casino – Corning, CA; 21+
• San Pablo Lytton Casino – San Pablo, CA; 21+
• Coyote Valley Casino (aka Shodokai Casino) – Redwood Valley, CA; 18+
• Soboba Casino Resort – San Jacinto, CA; 21+
• Spotlight 29 Casino – Coachella, CA; 21+
• Sycuan Resort and Casino – El Cajon, CA; 21+
• Table Mountain Casino – Friant, CA; 18+            
• Tachi Palace Hotel and Casino – Lemoore, CA; 21+
• Thunder Valley Casino Resort – Lincoln, CA; 21+
• Torres Martinez Casino – Salton City, CA; 21+
• Tortoise Rock Casino – Twentynine Palms, CA; 18+
• Twin Pine Casino – Middletown, CA; 21+
• Valley View Casino – Valley Center, CA; 21+
• Viejas Casino – Alpine, CA; 21+
• Win-River Casino – Redding, CA; 21+
• Yaamava Resort & Casino – Highland, CA ; 21+

Commercial Card Rooms In California – 21+ Only

In addition to the above tribal gambling facilities, CA is home to 85+ retail card rooms. These in-person venues offer card-based games like Texas Hold ‘Em, Omaha, pai gow poker, three-card poker, blackjack, baccarat, and more.

The difference between gambling at California cardrooms and CA casinos is that card rooms like this can only legally offer player-banked games. That is, the house may not take a cut from any game or front money for any prize pool.

As a result, many (but not all) CA cardrooms require paid memberships, and players must be 21 years of age or older to participate. For players under 21, the only way to play these kinds of games is to visit a local 18-and-up CA casino or gamble online with the 18+ casino sites or 18+ online poker sites recommended here.

Every Brick-And Mortar California Card Room

• Artichoke Joe’s Casino – San Bruno, CA
• Bankers Casino – Salinas, CA
• Bay 101 – San Jose, CA
• Black Sheep Casino – Cameron Park, CA
• Brooks Oceana Cardroom – Oceano, CA
• Bruce’s Bar and Casino – Blythe, CA
• California Grand Casino – Pacheco, CA
• Cameo Club Stockton – San Joaquin, CA
• Capitol Casino – Sacramento, CA
• Casino Club – Redding, CA
• Casino M8trix (formerly Garden City Casino) – San Jose, CA
• Casino Marysville – Marysville, CA
• Casino Real – Manteca, CA
• Central Coast Casino – Grover Beach, CA
• Central Coast Casino (in Central Coast Casino) – Paso Robles, CA
• Cesar’s Club – Watsonville, CA
• Club One Casino – Fresno, CA
• Club San Rafael – San Rafael, CA
• Commerce Casino – Commerce, CA
• Comstock Card Room – Tracy, CA
• Crystal Casino and Hotel – Compton, CA
• Delta Club Cardroom – Stockton, CA
• Deuces Wild Casino – Auburn, CA
• Diamond Jim’s Casino – Rosamond, CA
• Don Juan Club and Casino – Rancho Cordova, CA
• El Resbalon – Woodlake, CA
• Empire Sportsmen’s Association – Modesto, CA
• Garlic City Club – Gilroy, CA
• Gloria’s Lounge and Casino – Visalia, CA
• Golden State Casino – Marysville, CA
• Golden West Casino – Bakersfield, CA
• Hawaiian Gardens Casino – Hawaiian Gardens, CA
• Hollywood Park Casino – Inglewood, CA
• Hotel Del Rio & Casino – Isleton, CA
• Hustler Casino – Gardena, CA
• Jalisco Pool Room – Guadalupe, CA
• Kelly’s Cardroom – Antioch, CA
• Kings Cardroom – Stockton, CA
• Klondike Casino – Eureka, CA
• La Fuerza – Woodlake, CA
• Lake Bowl Cardroom – Folsom, CA
• Lake Elsinore Hotel & Casino – Lake Elsinore, CA
• Limelight Cardroom – Sacramento, CA
• Livermore Saloon & Casino – Livermore, CA
• Lucky Buck Card Club – Livermore, CA
• Lucky Chances Casino – Colma, CA
• Lucky Derby Casino – Citrus Heights, CA
• Lucky Lady Card Room – San Diego, CA
• Marina Club – Marina, CA
• Merced Poker Room – Merced, CA
• Mike’s Card Casino – Oakdale, CA
• Mortimer’s Card Room – Marina, CA
• Napa Valley Casino – American Canyon, CA
• Nineteenth Hole – Antioch, CA
• Normandie Club – Gardena, CA
• Oaks Card Club – Emeryville, CA
• Oasis Card Room – Ridgecrest, CA
• Ocean View Cardroom – Santa Cruz, CA
• Ocean’s Eleven Casino – Oceanside, CA
• Old Cayucos Tavern – Cayucos, CA
• Outlaws Card Parlour – Atascadero, CA
• Palace Card Club – Hayward, CA
• Palomar Card Club – San Diego, CA
• Paso Robles Casino – Paso Robles, CA
• Pastime Club – Benicia CA
• Pastime Club – Citrus Heights, CA
• Poker Flats Casino – Merced, CA
• Rancho’s Club Casino – Rancho Cordova, CA
• River Card Room – Petaluma, CA
• Rogelio’s – Isleton, CA
• Royal Flush Casino – Lemoore, CA
• S & K Card Room – Eureka, CA
• Silver Fox Card Room – Sacramento, CA
• Charles Place – Downieville, CA
• Stones Gambling Hall – Citrus Heights, CA
• Sundowner Cardroom – Visalia, CA
• The 101 Casino – Petaluma, CA
• The 500 Club – Clovis, CA
• The Aviator Casino – Delano, CA
• The Bicycle Casino – Bell Gardens, CA
• The Mint – Porterville, CA
• The Players Club – Ventura, CA
• Tommy’s Casino & Saloon – El Centro, CA
• Towers Casino – Grass Valley, CA
• Turlock Poker Room – Turlock, CA
• Ven-A-Mexico – Soledad, CA
• Village Club Casino – Chula Vista, CA
• Wine Country Casino and Restaurant – Lodi, CA

Best Casinos In California For 18+ Players

When you want to gamble in person at an in-state casino, chances are there’s a Calif. Indian casino near you. There’s also probably a Calif. card room near your location (although these offer more limited kinds of gaming action). In either case, you can play pretty much any classic gambling game you can imagine via one of these venues (with the exception of live table craps and roulette).

In general, there are plenty of California tribal casinos open to players aged 18 and up, though not all of them are. In fact, only about 20% of these venues allow 18+ players on their gaming floors.

Now, as you might expect, many of the venues considered among the best casinos in CA are going to be those destinations that limit participation to those aged 21-plus. Luckily, though, there are over a dozen legit under-21 CA gambling venues to choose from, too.

These are three of our favorites:

18+ California Casinos Vs. 21+ California Casinos

The differentiator between an 18+ CA casino and a 21+ CA casino is whether or not the venue serves alcohol and/or wants to deal with keeping track of those dopey paper wristbands. For liability reasons, CA casinos that serve booze mostly limit their gaming floor to patrons aged 21 and up.

This age limit usually doesn’t extend to the rest of the facility, though. So if you’re at a California casino hotel with your friends or family but aren’t old enough to gamble, you can still use other amenities and participate in other activities on the premises.

And again, since the commercial card rooms in California are all 21+, the various eighteen-and-up local tribal casinos in your area or the legal offshore CA casinos we recommend are the only places you’ll be able to play your hand.

Note: You can find a full up-to-date list of active 2024 local casino licensees and cardroom licensees via the official California Gambling Control Commission website.

Do Local Casinos In California Have Online Gambling?

No. While CA Indian casinos have a wide berth to offer many different kinds of gambling, they cannot offer these amusements online. Like other states with tribal gaming exclusivity, those tribes remain bound by both the state constitution and state code.

Per the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA) federal gambling law, tribes may only offer gambling games that aren’t explicitly or implicitly excluded from state gambling laws. Since California gambling laws don’t include online components, such gambling expansion would have to be approved via voter referendum.

As of 2022, CA does have online sports betting on the ballot, but online casino gambling is not part of the proposal. And frankly, the state isn’t likely to consider iGaming legalization anytime soon.

Note: The same gambling expansion processes outline above are needed to legalize roulette and craps in CA, as Calif. betting laws bar “dice” and “ball” games. This is a similar situation to that currently in play in in local Florida casinos.

Legal 18-And-Up Online Casinos In California

Despite California being home to the second most casinos in the US after Nevada, the state is massive and those venues are very spread out. As such, you may not have a convenient CA 18+ casino near you – or, at least, not near enough to you for casual daily or weekly gaming.

If you’re willing to make a trip for a few days to a proper casino resort in the state, of course, you have plenty of options. But for most gamblers, casino play is largely a casual evening experience. And that’s especially true for locals.

Fortunately, there is a pot of gold at the end of the California casino rainbow – it’s just not in the Golden State itself. If you want to play CA online slots, CA casino table games, CA casino live-dealer games, and more, you can do so at any reputable offshore gambling site. All the venues we recommend take players at just 18+, and they each cater to next-gen gamblers by supporting next-gen crypto deposits and payouts.

Best 18+ Online California Casinos 2024

The following online casinos accept players from California at 18 and are all operating legally outside of the US.

	Site Name	Bonus	Age	USA	Visit Site
1		100% Max $3,000	18+		Play Now Full Review
2		200% Max $5,000	18+		Play Now Full Review
3		350% Max $2,500	18+		Play Now Full Review
4		150% Max $3,000	18+		Play NowFull Review