Introduction to California Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020

California slot machine casino gambling consists of 65 tribal casinos, the third-largest number of casinos in any U.S. state after Nevada and Oklahoma.

I’ve dedicated this weekly series to slot enthusiasts such as yourself as you master casino slots and win your way to success by using this State-By-State Online Resource to improve your slots gambling performance by reviewing your state’s slots gaming industry.

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Relevant Legal Statutes on Gambling in California*

The San Pablo Lytton Casino is owned and operated by the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians, originally from the Lytton Rancheria. What began as a card room has expanded to a full-fledged casino with Class II Gaming Machines. We Treat Our Guests and Each Other With Kindness, Dignity and Respect.

The minimum legal gambling age in California depends upon the gambling activity:

• Land-Based Casinos: 18 or, if serving alcohol, 21
• Poker Rooms: 18 or, if serving alcohol, 21
• Bingo: 18
• Lottery: 18
• Pari-Mutuel Wagering: 18

Slot Machine Private Ownership in California

1. The San Pablo Lytton Casino is owned and operated by the Lytton Band of Pomo Indians, originally from the Lytton Rancheria. What began as a card room has expanded to a full-fledged casino with Class II Gaming Machines. We Treat Our Guests and Each Other With Kindness, Dignity and Respect.
2. Feb 12, 2018 San Pablo Lytton Casino is about 20 minutes from Oakland in neighboring San Pablo, California. Owned and operated by Pomo Indians, this casino features Class II gaming machines as well as card.

It is legal to own a slot machine privately in California if it is 25 years old or older.

Gaming Control Board in California

The California Gambling Control Commission supports the regulation of tribal gaming through oversight activities as defined in California’s 61 tribal-state compacts.

Further, the Bureau of Gambling Control within California’s Department of Justice provides state law enforcement authority with jurisdiction over gambling activities.

Non-slots-related gaming control boards include the California Horse Racing Board and the California Lottery Commission.

Casinos in California

California has 65 American Indian tribal casinos, ten racetracks without gaming machines, numerous card rooms also without gaming machines, and cruise ships with onboard casinos to Hawaii, Alaska, and international destinations.

The largest casino in California is San Manuel Casino having 4,800 gaming machines.

The second-largest casino is Pechanga Resort Casino with 4,000 gaming machines.

Commercial Casinos in California

There are no commercial casinos with slot machines in California.

Tribal Casinos in California

California’s 65 tribal casinos are:

1. Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Palm Springs, 115 miles east of Los Angeles.
2. Agua Caliente Casino Resort Spa in Rancho Mirage, 115 miles east of Los Angeles.
3. Augustine Casino in Coachella, 125 miles east of Los Angeles.
4. Barona Resort & Casino in Lakeside, 15 miles northeast of San Diego.
5. Bear River Casino Resort in Loleta, 10 miles south of Eureka;
6. Black Oak Casino Resort in Tuolumne, 100 miles southeast of Sacramento.
7. Blue Lake Casino Hotel in Blue Lake, 10 miles north of Eureka.
8. Cache Creek Casino Resort in Brooks, 35 miles northwest of Sacramento.
9. Cahuilla Casino Hotel in Anza, 30 miles south of Palm Springs.
10. Casino Pauma in Pauma Valley, 35 miles northeast of San Diego.
11. Cher-Ae Heights Casino in Trinidad, 25 miles north of Eureka.
12. Chicken Ranch Casino in Jamestown, 100 miles southeast of Sacramento.
13. Chukchansi Gold Resort & Casino in Coarsegold, 35 miles north of Fresno.
14. Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, 40 miles northwest of Santa Barbara.
15. Colusa Casino Resort in Colusa, 75 miles north of Sacramento.
16. Coyote Valley Casino in Redwood Valley, 115 miles north of San Francisco.
17. Desert Rose Casino in Alturas, 100 miles north of Susanville.
18. Diamond Mountain Casino Hotel & Brewery in Susanville, 160 miles northeast of Sacramento.
19. Eagle Mountain Casino in Porterville, 60 miles southeast of Fresno.
20. Elk Valley Casino in Crescent City, 84 miles north of Eureka.
21. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino in Indio, 125 miles east of Los Angeles.
22. Feather Falls Casino & Lodge in Oroville, 100 miles north of Sacramento.
23. Fort Independence Travel Center & Winnedumah Winns Casino in Independence, 90 miles east of Fresno.
24. Garcia River Casino in Point Arena, 130 miles north of San Francisco.
25. Gold Country Casino Resort in Oroville, 100 miles north of Sacramento.
26. Golden Acorn Casino Travel Center in Campo, 40 miles southeast of San Diego.
27. Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park, 50 miles north of San Francisco.
28. Hard Rock Casino & Hotel Sacramento at Fire Mountain in Wheatland, 36 miles north of Sacramento.
29. Harrah’s Resort Southern California in Valley Center, 35 miles northeast of San Diego.
30. Havasu Landing Resort & Casino in Havasu Lake, 200 miles east of Los Angeles.
31. Hidden Oaks Casino in Covelo, 150 miles northwest of Sacramento.
32. Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort in Jackson, 50 miles southeast of Sacramento.
33. Jamul Casino in Jamul, 10 miles east of San Diego.
34. Konocti Vista Casino Resort in Lakeport, 120 miles north of San Francisco.
35. Lucky 7 Casino Hotel in Smith River, 100 miles north of Eureka.
36. Mono Wind Casino in Auberry, 30 miles northeast of Fresno.
37. Morongo Casino Resort Spa in Cabazon, 90 miles east of Los Angeles.
38. Pala Casino Spa and Resort in Pala, 35 miles northeast of San Diego.
39. Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, located 50 miles north of San Diego.
40. Pit River Casino in Burney, 190 miles north of Sacramento.
41. Quechan Casino Resort in Winterhaven, 170 miles east of San Diego.
42. Rain Rock Casino in Yreka, 250 miles north of Sacramento.
43. Red Earth Casino in Salton Sea Beach, 114 miles southeast of Riverside.
44. Red Fox Casino in Laytonville, 150 miles northwest of Sacramento.
45. Red Hawk Casino in Placerville, 40 miles east of Sacramento.
46. Redwood Hotel Casino in Klamath, 65 miles north of Eureka.
47. River Rock Casino in Geyserville, 75 miles north of San Francisco.
48. Robinson Rancheria Resort, Casino & Bingo in Nice, 115 miles northwest of Sacramento.
49. Rolling Hills Casino Resort in Corning, 115 miles north of Sacramento.
50. Running Creek Casino in Upper Lake, 120 miles northwest of Sacramento.
51. San Manuel Casino in Highland, located 65 miles east of Los Angeles.
52. San Pablo Lytton Casino in San Pablo, 15 miles north of Oakland.
53. Sherwood Valley Casino in Willits, 130 miles north of San Francisco.
54. Soboba Casino Resort in San Jacinto, 90 miles east of Los Angeles.
55. Spotlight 29 Casino in Coachella, 130 miles east of Los Angeles.
56. Sycuan Casino & Resort in El Cajon, 10 miles east of San Diego.
57. Table Mountain Casino in Friant, 15 miles north of Fresno.
58. Tachi Palace Casino Resort in Lemoore, 50 miles south of Fresno.
59. Thunder Valley Casino Resort in Lincoln, 35 miles northeast of Sacramento.
60. Tortoise Rock Casino in Twentynine Palms, 125 miles east of Los Angeles.
61. Twin Pine Casino & Hotel in Middletown, 100 miles north of San Francisco.
62. Valley View Casino & Hotel in Valley Center, 35 miles northeast of San Diego.
63. Viejas Casino & Resort in Alpine, 25 miles east of San Diego.
64. Wanaaha Casino in Bishop, 130 miles northeast of Fresno.
65. Win-River Casino & Resort in Redding, 163 miles north of Sacramento.

Other Gambling Establishments

As an alternative to enjoying California slot machine casino gambling, consider exploring casino options in a nearby state. Bordering California is:

• North: Oregon Slots
• East: Nevada Slots and Arizona Slots
• South: The country of Mexico
• West: Pacific Ocean

Each of the links above will take you to my blog for that neighboring U.S. state to California.

Our California Slots Facebook Group

Are you interested in sharing and learning with other slots enthusiasts in California? If so, join our California slots community on Facebook. All you’ll need is a Facebook profile to freely join this closed Facebook Group community.

There, you can meet online and privately share your slots experiences with local slots enthusiasts about playing slot machines in California. Join us!

Payouts and Returns in California

Tribal-state gaming compacts negotiated between the state of California and its 61 tribes do not include theoretical payout limits nor require public reporting of return statistics.

Summary of California Slot Machine Casino Gambling in 2020

California slot machine casino gambling consists of 65 tribal casinos generally located on remote tribal reservations throughout the state.

Annual Progress in California Slot Machine Casino Gambling

Over the last year, Thunder Valley Casino Resort has fallen from second-largest casino to fourth largest after San Manuel Casino, Pechanga Resort Casino, and Graton Resort & Casino.

Also, Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Sacramento at Fire Mountain has, at long last, opened.

Finally, one casino has permanently closed and another underwent a name change:

• Lucky Bear Casino in Hoopa has permanently closed.
• Paiute Palace Casino in Bishop is now the Wanaaha Casino.

Related Posts from Professor Slots

Other States from Professor Slots

• Previous: Arkansas Slot Machine Casino Gambling
• Next: Colorado Slot Machine Casino Gambling

Have fun, be safe, and make good choices!
By Jon H. Friedl, Jr. Ph.D., President
Jon Friedl, LLC

California is a state with a mixed gambling history. These days, it technically allows all types of gambling in one form or another. However, the specifics of where and how you can enjoy these activities are heavily dependent on location and regulations. For instance, casino games are only legal at Indian casinos rather than resorts on state land.

Below we will break down the types of gambling you can enjoy in Northern California.

Northern California Indian Casinos

Tribal casinos are currently legal in California thanks to laws between the state and federal government and the Indian tribes who maintain various territorial pockets throughout the state. At the time of writing, 63 tribal casinos operate in California. Combined, they produce over $8 billion in revenue every year.

Legality And Revenue

Indian casinos do not follow the same gambling regulations that other gambling sites do within the state. Because of this, resort-goers can find most major gambling activities within these resorts, including blackjack, poker, electronic games, slot machines, lottery games, bingo, and more. Gambling activities are either regulated by the National Indian Gaming Commission or state authorities.

Because tribal casinos drawing so much revenue, casinos often feature distinct themes or special attractions or resorts. Northern California Indian casinos are largely positioned around Sacramento or the Bay Area, although a few stretch a little farther north. Most of these resorts may have themes revolving around wine country or the NorCal wilderness and mountains.

Be advised that you need to be 21-years-old to enter most of the top Northern California tribal casinos. This is despite the fact that the legal gambling age is 18-years-old. Many casinos require you to be 21-years-old since they serve alcohol on their premises.

Northern California tribal casinos don’t currently allow sports betting, but may bring in brick-and-mortar sports betting over the next few years.

Where To Play

Some of the best Northern California tribal casinos include:

Thunder Valley Casino Resort

This casino is just outside Sacramento and is one of the largest resorts in the entire state, featuring over 145,000 ft.². It offers 2,000 slot machines and over 100 gaming tables plus options for bingo and live poker. It’s 17-story tower hotel contains 297 rooms as well as a fine selection of excellent restaurants and other amenities. The casino is open 24 hours daily.

Table Mountain Casino

This casino is located north of Fresno. It’s actually due for a renovation, as it was built in 1987. It’s going to be replaced by a larger casino and hotel over the next few years. At the moment, it offers over 2,000 gaming machines, 10 poker tables, and a plethora of other table game opportunities.

Tachi Palace Casino Resort

This resort draws customers from all across the state, thanks to its expansive space and 45,000 square-foot concert venue. As a result, it’s a frequent location for entertainment tours and activities beyond regular gambling experiences. It also offers over 2,000 slot machines and a seven-table poker room. Other features include a 255-room hotel and spa along with nine restaurants for a variety of dining opportunities.

Northern California Card Rooms

California offers some of the best card rooms in the entire country. California card rooms are legal because they have players bet against one another instead of the house. The card rooms themselves make their profit by charging players small fees to enter games. Dealers rotate with every hand.

Games Available

Most California card rooms include staple poker varieties like Texas Hold’Em and Seven-Card Stud, although you can also find additional games depending on the location. Additionally, most California card rooms offer “Cal Games”, which are card games with rules tweaked to ensure their legality under California legislation. Cal Games include Blackjack, Pai Gow, Chinese Poker, and more.

Many of the best California card rooms also offer tons of poker tournaments for both beginners and experts. This draws plenty of traffic, especially at more popular card rooms. Tournament buy-ins and pools can range from the tens of dollars up to the hundreds or thousands of dollars.

All players need to be 18-years-old to legally gamble in a California card room.

Where To Play

There are 66 card rooms currently operating in California. Here are some of the best you can find in Northern California:

Bay 101

Bay 101 is located at the south end of the San Francisco Bay in San Jose, CA. They’re a great choice thanks to their proximity to the San Jose airport, making them a prime stopover destination for travelers who get a poker itch. They offer a variety of poker games and tournaments, and frequently draw experienced crowds to offer moderate to high-skill poker action.

California Grand Casino

This casino is actually the oldest continually operating poker room in the world, as it’s been offering poker since 1854. It served as stagecoach and Pony Express stop before becoming an explicit casino. Weekly tournaments and Cal Games are included, like blackjack, pai gow, and three-card poker for even more variety. The casino was moved into a new and modern building in 2009, so it offers fresh amenities and plenty of creature comforts.

Capitol Casino

Casinos Near San Francisco Slot Machines Jackpots

This casino is a relatively simplistic entertainment venue without a lot of bells and whistles, but they offer plenty of excellent poker action. They also offer excellent restaurant and bar options, so it’s a good place for general entertainment and enjoyment. They draw crowds from all over the Sacramento area and offer daily and weekly tournaments.

Northern California Race Tracks

Horse racing is one of the few types of wagering fully legal in California at in-person locations and online horse racing apps. Horse racing was legalized in 1933 using a pari-mutuel model. In short, this meant that bettors wager against each other while the horse track facilities take a small cut of the overall pool in order to make a profit.

Most Northern and Southern California horse racing tracks emphasize thoroughbred races, although you can find Quarter Horse races at a few select tracks. There used to be many more tracks in general, but the overall decline in attendance and several other factors have resulted in only a few major California horse tracks remaining open today.

Those who enjoy horse racing can make straight and exotic bets depending on a track’s offerings. You’ll also be able to find 27 satellite locations that offer off-track horse race betting if you don’t want to use a mobile app. There’s only one really excellent Northern California horse racing track compared to the three you can find in the southern half of the state:

Golden Gate Fields Race Track

This 140-acre horse racing track is located in Berkeley, right next to the San Francisco Bay. As a result, attendees benefit from expansive views of the local Bay Area and generally pleasant weather all year round. It’s also the only major thoroughbred racetrack in Northern California.

Golden Gate Fields features a one-mile synthetic track and a turf course that measures 9/10 of a mile. It can fit thousands of customers and features on-site parking for visitor convenience. Horse racing enthusiasts will enjoy several graded events that are held every year, including the Berkeley Handicap, San Francisco Mile Stakes, and California Derby.

Admission is always free for children. There are plenty of comfortable facilities for both regular attendees and for those who are part of various clubs. Guests are even able to meet jockeys and see horses at the paddocks. The location is convenient since there are tons of hotels and dining options fairly nearby.

Northern California Gambling FAQ

Casinos Near San Francisco Area

As with Southern California, it depends on the activity in question. Gambling in general is legal only for those 18-years-old or older. However, you have to be 21-years-old to enter some Indian casinos because of alcohol restrictions.

This is largely because of the higher concentration of large metropolitan areas in the southern half of the state. Big cities like Los Angeles and San Diego have naturally drawn more gambling locations over time.

No. State authorities and the National Indian Gaming Commission are responsible for regulating all gambling institutions in California. They hold all institutions to the same standards.

No. Sports betting is technically illegal. However, new legislation may allow Indian casinos to bring brick-and-mortar sports betting to their casinos.

Casinos Near San Francisco With Slot Machines

For the purpose of this article, we define Northern California as anything north of Fresno. Big metropolitan areas in Northern California include the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento.