California Gambling & Gaming Laws (2026)
A comprehensive legal reference for gambling & gaming in the state of California. This guide covers current statutes, penalties, and restrictions for 6 different categories.
Daily Fantasy Sports
LEGALDaily Fantasy Sports are legal in California. The July 2025 opinion from the Attorney General is a major recent change, shifting the landscape from a largely unregulated market to one where DFS is considered illegal.
DFS Rules
Legal
Licensed Operators
Legal
Penalties
N/A
Minimum Age
18+
Gambling Age
RESTRICTEDThe minimum gambling age in California is 21 for casino gambling and sports betting. State law sets the minimum gambling age at 21 for casino gambling.
Casino Minimum Age
21+ for casinos/sports betting; 18+ for lottery
Lottery/Other Gambling Age
Legal
Penalties
Underage gambling is a misdemeanor; venues face license revocation.
Minimum Gambling Age
18-21 depending on type
Online Casinos & Poker
RESTRICTEDCalifornia does not currently authorize online casino gambling statewide but allows online poker through tribal compacts and licensed operators under the California Gambling Control Act. The California Gambling Control Commission regulates online poker.
Online Casino Rules
Possession of authorized online poker software is legal; unauthorized possession is illegal.
Licensed Platforms
Sale or operation of online poker is restricted to licensed operators under Cal. Bus. & Prof. Code § 19800 et seq.
Penalties
Unlicensed online gambling is a misdemeanor under Cal. Penal Code § 330.
Minimum Age
21 years and older for online poker.
Online Gambling / Sports Betting
UNVERIFIEDLegal status of Online Gambling / Sports Betting in California has not yet been verified. In October 2025, Governor Newsom signed AB 831, banning online sweepstakes games.
Online Gambling Rules
Unverified
Licensed Operators
Unverified
Penalties
Unverified
Minimum Age
Unverified
Poker Home Games
LEGALSocial poker home games are legal in California as long as no one takes a rake or house cut from the pot. California outlawed sweepstakes casinos in September 2025.
Home Game Rules
Legal for social games without a rake
Rake/House Cut Rules
N/A
Penalties
Taking a rake converts it to illegal gambling.
Age Requirements
Varies, typically 18+
Sports Betting
ILLEGALSports betting is not legal in California. Voters rejected two propositions to legalize sports betting in November 2022.
In-Person Betting
Illegal. California has not legalized sports betting despite being the largest potential market in the country ($3+ billion estimated annual handle). Two competing ballot measures failed in November 2022: Proposition 26 (tribal-backed, retail only) and Proposition 27 (operator-backed, online). The tribal-vs-commercial divide and massive campaign spending ($600+ million combined) poisoned the well. New ballot initiatives are being organized for 2026.
Online/Mobile Betting
No legal sportsbooks or betting apps operate in California. Tribal casinos offer other forms of gambling but not sports betting.
Penalties
General gambling statutes apply. California Penal Code § 330 makes illegal gambling a misdemeanor (up to 6 months, $1,000 fine). Operating an illegal gambling business is a more serious offense.
Minimum Betting Age
N/A — not legal