Online Casinos in California 2026
California banned online sweepstakes casinos on January 1, 2026. Governor Gavin Newsom signed Assembly Bill 831 on October 11, 2025, closing the promotional-law loophole that dual-currency sweepstakes sites relied on. The major operators pulled out of the state before the law took effect. Real-money online casinos are not legal in California either, because tribal nations hold a constitutional monopoly on casino gambling, so there is currently no legal online casino product for California residents. In-person tribal casinos remain the main legal option, and free-to-play social casino games with no cash prizes are not covered by the ban.
- State
- California
- Minimum age
- 18+
- Regulator
- None (no licensed online casinos)
Assembly Bill 831 makes operating or supporting an online sweepstakes casino a misdemeanor in California, with penalties up to one year in jail and $25,000 per violation. The law took effect on January 1, 2026 and extends liability beyond operators to payment processors, game suppliers, geolocation providers, and media affiliates that knowingly support the model. California also has no licensed real-money online casinos: tribal nations hold a Class III monopoly under Proposition 1A (2000), and online gambling Propositions 26 and 27 both failed at the 2022 ballot.
What AB 831 changed
Before 2026, sweepstakes casinos operated in California under federal promotional law using the dual-currency model: free Gold Coins for play and Sweeps Coins that could be redeemed for cash. Assembly Bill 831 ended that. Signed in October 2025 and effective January 1, 2026, it bans online sweepstakes games that simulate gambling with a dual-currency system, and it reaches beyond operators to the payment processors, software suppliers, geolocation firms, and affiliates that support them.
Why the operators left
Because the law adds vendor and affiliate liability with criminal penalties, the major brands stopped accepting California players before the effective date. The major brands all exited. Any site still taking California sign-ups is operating against state law, and account access or redemptions there carry real risk.
Legal alternatives in California
California still has more than 60 tribal casinos offering in-person real-money slots, table games, and poker under state compacts. Free-to-play social casino games with no cash prizes are not covered by AB 831. Real-money online casinos and online sports betting are not legal: Propositions 26 and 27 failed at the 2022 ballot, and tribal opposition makes a near-term path unlikely.
Online Casinos in Other States
Online casino rules differ by state. Compare the operators and legal context elsewhere.