Can You Online Gamble In California

With a population of nearly 40 million, the largest in the United States,
it’s no surprise that California has a massive gambling fanbase. Land-based
gaming laws here are a little stricter than states such as Nevada, yet
California’s online gambling market continues to grow. Today, our team of
experts is looking at some of the very best California casino sites currently
operating.

It shouldn’t come as a major surprise to find that some of the best online
casinos in the world are available here. To make things a little easier for new
players, we’re listing five of our favorite casino sites in California directly
below!

California return. This income will be included in your federal adjusted gross income, which you report on your California return. Gambling losses are deducted from the winnings as an itemized deduction. Between the various card rooms and tribal casinos, racetracks, and the lottery, California offers one of the richest arrays of regulated gambling choices of any state. Legal online gambling options are currently limited in California. The primary option for online gambling in California: Sweepstakes online casinos and poker sites ( Click for our top California picks ).

We’re going to be breaking down some of the most important features that
California online casinos should always provide. Finally, we’ll be going over the
current laws and restrictions over internet casino gambling in this state.
There’s a lot of information to unpack!

California Casino Sites: What Should I Be Looking For?

With so many amazing options to choose from, it can be a little difficult
finding where to play casino games in California. Allow us to help you out! Our
analysts have looked through hundreds of different sites over the years.

We have come up with a unique system to determine whether a CA casino site is
worth playing at or not. There are a few simple things that every online casino
should provide. Below are the four most important features that all casino sites
in California should offer.

Safe and Simple Payment System

There’s nothing more important than safety when betting online. The first and
most important feature you should always look into is the website’s cashier
system. If the online casino you’re looking at doesn’t provide you with a
range of quick and secure payment options, we don’t recommend signing up.

Finding information on different websites’ payment options should be easy.
One quick way is to head over to our list of
online casino reviews. In
each of these reviews, we dive deep into the different payment options of every
website.

Another easy option is to simply check out these websites for yourself! At
the top of this page are the top-five California casino sites that we recommend.
You can head over to these sites today and look at their cashier systems
straight from the source. All reputable California online casinos will clearly list the
accepted payment methods.

We recommend playing at sites that allow deposits to be made using both debit
and credit cards. Withdrawal options differ from site to site. The majority of
California casinos online only allow payouts to be made using Bitcoin.
Fortunately, this is one of the best withdrawal methods available today.

Don’t be worried if you aren’t familiar with how Bitcoin works. Many CA
casino sites will easily walk you through each payout. Some sites such as
Bovada even provide
entire pages that explain how you can use Bitcoin to collect your winnings.
Spend some time looking at a few different sites’ payment options and choose one
that’s safe and easy.

Great Functionality and Design

The design and functionality of the CA casino website you choose to play at
will affect your entire gambling experience. A site could provide hundreds of
games with an amazing cashier system, yet if it crashes or makes if difficult to
actually place bets, it’s probably not worth playing at. For this reason, it’s
important to always look for great overall functionality and design.

This is another easy thing to look into. All legit US casino sites in
California will allow you to scroll through them before you’ve decided to sign
up. You can check out the various aspects of these sites to decide if it offers
a design you enjoy. Some sites even allow you to place some sample bets!

Everyone has a different design preference. Perhaps you’ll want to play at a
website that features hundreds of games and different bonus offers directly on
the homepage. It’s also possible that you prefer simple websites that make it
extremely easy to find the games you want to play.

The most important thing when you playat California online casinos is to find a design that fits your needs. There are
many different online casinos in CA right now, and you’re sure to find one that
offers the functionality you’re looking for. Check out the sites that we’re
recommending at the top of this page!

Casino Games That You Want to Play

This may seem completely obvious. Unfortunately, many players new to online
casino gaming sign up to a website, only to find that it doesn’t actually offer
the games they want to play! Don’t let this happen to you!

Always check through a few different California casino sites and look at
which games are provided. Do you love slots? Find a website offering hundreds of
slot games from the top software providers. Are you a blackjack fan? Make sure
to sign up to a website providing a wide range of different table gaming
options.

It’s also a good idea to see if any unique gaming features are provided. Some
sites, including the ones we recommend, offer fun features such as live dealer
games. These games make it feel as if you’re actually playing games inside a
land-based casino.

It’s incredible how many casino games are available online. Different sites
often provide their members with different gaming options. Spend some time
finding a website that offers the games you want to play.

Helpful Customer Support System

The last feature you will want to find in California online casinos is a
helpful customer support system. If you have any questions during your gambling
experience, it’s important to know that the site you play through will help you
out. More often than not, the better a website’s customer service, the better
the entire site actually is.

Good websites will usually provide a live chat feature. This form of customer
support allows you to speak with a website representative instantly over chat.
It’s a very useful tool to have your questions answered.

Other California online casinos will let you speak with employees over the phone.
This is another great customer service feature you should look for. Don’t settle
with a site that only allows email support. This can often take weeks to answer
any questions you need answers for.

There’s a very good chance you will never even have to utilize these site’s
customer support systems. If, however, you have any issues that come up with
making bets or collecting payments, it’s important to know you have a site that
will help you. Never disregard the importance of customer service!

California Online Casinos Are Growing in Popularity

Many people in California are realizing how great online casino gambling can
really be. There was a time when only a few casino sites operated in this state.
Today, players here have access to some of the best gaming companies in the
world.

We’ve asked many Californians why they choose to gamble online, rather than
inside of a local casino. There are two factors that continue to pop up. Below
are the two most common reasons that are contributing to the rise in California
casino sites right now.

Convenience of Making Bets From Home

California is a big state. There are over 160 land-based tribal casinos
operating here, many of which provide players with a wide range of different
gambling options. Even with the many brick-and-mortar gaming options, many
people here prefer the ability to simply make bets from home.

California online casinos allow you to make bets from anywhere with an
internet connection. Many of these online casinos even let you play on-the-go
using a smartphone! There’s nothing better than playing your favorite games,
anytime you want.

California casino sites are available 24 hours a day, seven days a week. You
will never have to worry about whether or not the games you want to play are
available. If you enjoy placing bets on your own time without the need to drive
miles to a casino, online gaming is probably for you.

Wide Range of Different Gaming Options

Another reason why so many people love casino websites is the massive amount
of different games offered every single day. The top CA casino sites provide
literally thousands of different gaming options to members. You can find just
about every slot and table game through these websites.

Generally speaking, California casinos online will always offer more games than even the
biggest land-based casinos. As we just mentioned, these games are available
24/7. You’ll never have to worry about making the trip to a casino, only to find
that the game you wanted to play is not available.

Some casino sites in California will focus more on certain games than others.
One website may provide hundreds of different slots, while others focus
primarily on their table gaming options. Check out a few different websites to
see just how many different games are available online right now.

Is Online Casino Gambling in California Actually Allowed?

California is well-known for its liberal laws. Strangely, officials here have
been somewhat reluctant to begin opening up the online gambling industry. At the
moment, only tribal casinos are legal throughout the state.

Lawmakers in California passed Proposition 1A in the year 2000. This allowed
tribal casinos to offer traditional casino games such as slots and blackjack. In
2014, bills AB 2991 and SB 1366 were presented. If passed, these will allow for
the regulation of online poker throughout the state.

There have been no steps taken to begin regulating the online casino industry
in California. Fortunately, there are no laws that specifically prohibit
individuals from playing through California casino sites. The legality may lie
in somewhat of a gray area, yet most agree this market is completely open.

It’s extremely unlikely. As we just mentioned, there is nothing in
the state’s criminal code that specifically bans playing California online casinos.
We have not come across a single case of any individuals facing legal trouble
for playing casino games online here.

How Do I Stay Safe Playing Online Casino Games in CA?

Online casino gambling in the US is generally very safe. Word spreads quickly
in the internet gaming industry, and any websites caught withholding payment
from members or charging unusual fees will be called out. For that reason,
casino sites in California work hard to always provide their members with
safety.

Oftentimes, the best way to stay safe online is by monitoring your own
gambling activities. Our experts are listing five of the best tips that will
help to keep you perfectly safe while playing internet casino games in
California.

Play Through Reputable Websites

The easiest way to protect yourself is to only play through
legit US casino websites
that have solid reputations. And all the safe California casino sites will take
steps to protect your gambling experience. Head back up to the top of this page
to see the California online casinos that we highly recommend.

Track How Much You Are Gambling

One of the best things about casino sites in California is that they are just
so fun! Unfortunately, this can lead to some gamblers betting more than they
should. To make sure this doesn’t happen to you, always keep track of how much
money you are actually wagering.

Only Bet on Games That You Understand

Many players who are new to online casino gaming will jump right into games
before they even know the rules. We don’t recommend this. It’s always a good
idea to only play games that you understand. It will significantly lower your
chances of losing.

Read the Details of Every Promotion Before You Use Them

Promotions, in case you are unaware, are simply bonus offers that different
casino sites in California will offer to their members. These can be a fantastic
way to boost the amount of money into your betting account. Occasionally, they
can also make it difficult to actually withdraw your winnings. Make sure that
you read the terms and conditions of every promotion before you decide to
utilize them.

Always Be Willing to Reach out to Customer Service

A good customer support system is hugely important when you play online casinos games in California. We
highly recommend reaching out to customer service representatives if you ever
need to. It’s the easiest way to always have your questions answered.

California Online Casinos FAQ

What Are the Most Important Features of California Casino Sites?

Casino sites are better now than ever before. When it comes to where to play casino games in California, we highly recommend making sure
that any website you plan to join provides safe payment options, a great design,
the games that you want to play, and a helpful customer support system.

Are Casino Sites in California More Popular Than Land-Based Casinos?

The popularity of California online casinos is growing rapidly. California
has a particularly large online casino fanbase. Most people state that the
convenience of betting from home and the wide range of different betting odds
are what push them to gamble online.

Do Casino Sites in CA Offer Online Poker Games?

For the most part, yes. Many online casino companies recognize that poker is
extremely popular throughout the state. These California casino sites will often
provide different poker gaming options to their members.

Certain lawmakers in California are pushing to regulate the online poker
industry. Until this happens, poker fans will need to play through the various
casino sites currently available. Many of these websites put on major poker
tournaments offering huge payouts.

How Can I Stay Safe Playing Online Casino Games Here?

Casino sites in CA are safer now than ever before. The best ways to protect
yourself while casino gaming is to only play through reputable sites, track how
much you’re betting, bet on games that you understand, read the details of every
promotion offer, and always reach out to customer support if you need it.

Conclusion

California has one of the biggest gambling markets in the world. Strangely,
lawmakers here have not taken any steps to begin regulating this industry. Laws
surrounding online gambling are always changing.

To stay up-to-date on internet gambling laws in California, make sure to
follow our industry news page. Don’t forget to check out the top California casino sites that we’ve recommending at the top of this page. Good
luck making your bets.

California online gambling is not yet legalized and regulated within state borders. However, there are real money gambling sites available in CA. They’re just based elsewhere.

So if you’re wondering you can gamble online for real money in California, the simple answer is yes. We go into more detail in this guide to CA online gambling, which also includes our recommendations for the best California gambling sites currently available.

The legal situation regarding gambling online in California is, at best, a little confusing.

With a few exceptions, it’s the same in most American states. Although some have legal online gambling that is regulated by the relevant state government, most do not have legislation in place that directly relates to betting and gaming over the internet.

All this means, for the most part, is that gambling sites can’t actually base themselves within states that don’t have the appropriate laws and regulatory framework in place. They can still accept customers from those states, providing they’re licensed and operating legally where they ARE based.

So, if you’re looking to gamble online from CA, your search is over. We’ve analyzed all the sites available to players in the state, and ranked them based on various criteria. Our list of the best California online gambling sites is all you need to get started.

How can we contend that the sites we recommend stand above the rest? That’s a good question, and the answer is that we measure all of the important factors point by point when we’re engaged in the rating process.

Read on to find out more about how we identify the top California gambling sites.

Assessing Online Gambling Sites for CA

Our process for ranking real money gambling sites is extensive and effective. We look at all the factors that can affect your overall online gambling experience in one way or another, and apply ratings to sites accordingly. The sites that perform the best in key areas are the ones that we rank the highest.

We won’t cover every aspect of our ranking process here, as there’s too much involved. But here are a few details on some of the areas we considered when listing the best online gambling sites for CA.

When you’re gambling online for real money, you’re naturally going to be concerned about the safety of your funds. This is fully understandable, because it’s a bit unsettling to start a financial relationship with a company that has no physical presence.

This being stated, a measured look at the big picture should inspire confidence. Internet-based gambling sites are widely utilized by players around the world. So, in a very real sense, online gambling is firmly established as a completely legitimate industry with a solid foundation.

Of course, there are always going to be a few bad actors in any business niche. Our job is to provide our readers with SAFE California gambling sites, so of course we make sure that the rogue operations get nowhere near our recommended list.

An important part of our ranking process is to research the history of sites, and gather feedback from others who have used them. Although we thoroughly test themselves, this additional research can be very enlightening.

We have to be completely convinced that a site is reputable and treats its customers well before we recommend it.

Financial companies that hold your funds, like banks, brokerages, and insurance companies, hammer home the fact that they’ve been around forever. They know people want to be reassured that the company will be in business and solvent when they need their money.

To a lesser extent, the same principle applies to online gambling sites. The operators that we rank as the top-rated California gambling sites stand on very firm footing. We look for websites that have been around long enough to establish a reputation for absolute reliability.

The best CA gambling sites roll out the red carpet when it comes to financial incentives for their players. Our recommendations all offer eye-catching bonuses for new players, and we’re talking about hundreds of dollars or more.

Most businesses don’t give you free money to express their appreciation for your patronage, but the real money gambling sites are notable exceptions. In addition to the initial bonuses, there are ongoing promotions, so the rewards don’t necessarily stop after the initial sign-up.

While we’re on the subject of bonus money, after you collect your welcome offer from one site, you can register an account as a new player on another site to take advantage of their new sign-up cash promotions.

Safety, an established reputation, and generous bonuses offers are at the cornerstone of what makes for a top online gambling site. There are many, many more things to consider, though. Here are some more examples.

• Banking options
• Speed of payouts
• Customer service
• Range of gambling options

The best gambling sites for California all offer a choice of ways to deposit and withdraw your funds. They also make sure that any withdrawals are paid out in a reasonable timeframe.

They provide top-notch customer service on every level, too. Telephone customer support is there for you, and some sites have call centers operating around the clock. You can contact them by email, and live chat is available as well.

A range of gambling options is important, as people have different preferences for what they like to play and bet on.

Again, this is really just scratching the surface of what we look at. We’ll move on now, though, and look at reasons why you might want to gamble online from California in the first place.

Californians can engage in a few forms of real money gambling at physical locations throughout the state. There are more than 60 Native American casinos, and there are horse racing tracks and poker rooms.

It’s nice to have these options available, but there are several reasons why online gambling is the better choice in just about every instance.

If you’re fortunate enough to live in one of the major metropolitan areas where there are horse racing tracks, you can fight traffic and eventually bet the ponies. The only problem is, they’re hours away from most residents of the state.

There are poker rooms in all parts of California, but a relatively small percentage of people that like to gamble are live poker players. The Native American casinos offer some traditional casino games, but they’re usually spread out on tribal lands in more remote areas.

So, yes, there is gambling in-state, but it’s quite limited. On the other hand, when you open an account at one of the leading CA gambling sites, there are absolutely zero geographic limitations. You can dive into the action from anywhere, and this is a quantum leap that changes the playing field.

Even if there’s some type of betting or gaming venue relatively close to your home, the facility may not be all that inviting after you have visited it once or twice. The drive is inconvenient, and in some instances, there are parking fees. Once you make your way inside, another set of hassles greet you.

Large crowds and unruly behavior are commonplace in casinos, for example. This can be uncomfortable in a general sense, but you may also find it hard to snag a seat at the tables and slot machines.

There can be prohibitive rules with regard to drinking alcohol while gambling at Indian casinos. And refreshments are going to be overpriced at the gaming halls because of the “only game in town” factor.

You have the freedom to gamble at home in complete peace when using the best California online gambling sites, with all the affordable refreshments you could ever want just a few steps away.

The sites are designed for mobile adaptability, so if you want to place wagers while you’re in a coffee shop or a local watering hole, you’re good to go.

We know that many of our readers are interested in the future of online gambing because they have heard about the changing attitudes among government officials in many parts of the country. One huge development has definitely accelerated the shift that we are seeing in more and more states.

During the 1980s, the sporting world was rocked by a number of scandals that involved inappropriate gambling by participants for dishonest purposes. This culminated in the revelations about baseball great and former Reds manager Pete Rose betting on games that he managed (among others).

There was a congressional response presented in the form of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) in 1992. This made gambling on sports in the United States illegal in all parts of the country except Nevada, a state that already had numerous sportsbooks in place.

This statute remained unchallenged for the next two decades or so, but finally, New Jersey decided to throw down the gauntlet.

The court battle raged on for a few years, and it eventually reached the highest court in the land. On May 14 in 2018, the Supreme Court decided that the PASPA law violated the 10^th Amendment, and this effectively opened the door to all 50 states legalizing sports gambling.

Though US gambling laws now allow states to license sports betting facilities, it is up to each respective state to decide how to proceed. They can also choose to legalize and regulate online gambling.

There are some states that will likely never even give the possibility any consideration because of their overall stance toward gambling.

California doesn’t fit into this category, but there isn’t much momentum toward legalization and regulation right now. They’re planning on placing a referendum on the ballot in the near future to let the voters decide on the matter.

Even if they do vote in favor of the measure, it will take a significant length of time for the parameters to be established by the government. It should also be noted that state-sanctioned brick and mortar sports betting facilities are one thing, but online gambling is another.

Since the state is moving very slowly toward the regulation of sports betting at physical locations, it will probably take even longer for them to license online casinos and sportsbooks.

People that live in the Golden State don’t have to cross their fingers and wait for a miracle with regard to safe, trustworthy, regulated online gambling. The best California gambling sites that we listed are always open for business.

They’re licensed in reputable jurisdictions, and there are strict requirements for applicants. These operators are well-financed, managed by vetted industry professionals, and required to offer safeguards for players.

One of the factors we take into consideration when rating sites is the particular geographic focus. As an American, you want to frequent a site that’s designed for US players.

People that live in the Golden State don’t have to cross their fingers and wait for a miracle with regard to safe, trustworthy, regulated online gambling. The best California gambling sites that we listed are always open for business.

We have an entire page dedicated to gambling laws in California. It’s worth a read if you want to know the details of all the current gambling legislation in the state. For a quick overview, see below.

Most of the top online gambling sites for California that offer just about every form of gambling that you would find in the world-class casino resorts that tower over the Las Vegas Strip.

The exact offerings vary a bit from site to site, but you can definitely find a resource on our approved list that has what you want.

Although each site typically offers multiple forms of gambling, some sites are better at one thing than they are at others. That’s why we also rank the best California gambling sites on other, more specific, categories.

Now that you know so much about California online gambling, and the sites available to you in the state, we wanted to leave you with a few concise takeaways.

Our research team puts all of the best gambling websites for California players under a microscope. We look at relevant factors and aim to provide you with a world-class gaming experience at the sites we listed.

And when you establish an account at our recommended sites, you never have to drive to a physical betting or gaming facility. These sites are always up and running, so you don’t have to worry about rude people, long waits, or distance.

Can You Online Gamble In California Free

There’s also no shortage of betting options when you enter the online universe. If you like casino games, table games, slots, and video poker, they’re all readily available. And these CA gambling sites accommodate bettors of all bankroll sizes.

Can You Online Gamble In California Lottery

Sports betting is also another possibility, and you’ll find favorable odds here. You can bet on horses or dogs with all the standard types of wagers.

Can You Online Gamble In California

Anyone that has an interest in gambling should take full advantage of this exciting entertainment option.