It is true that California has not yet legalized state-regulated online casino gambling. However, this does not make it illegal for residents of the Golden State to participate in online casino gaming at offshore destinations that are legitimately licensed, regulated and compliance certified. Online poker is likely to be legalized in California and if the parties involved can finally craft a bill that satisfies everyone’s special interests. The reason why online poker isn’t legalized yet isn’t due to a lack of effort. We’ve seen quite a few attempts at a legislation over the years.
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California may soon set a precedent as the first state to legally license and regulate online gambling within the borders of the United States. The proposed bill SB 1485 by Sen. Rod Wright would give the state's DOJ authorization to grant up to three contracts to 'hub' casinos to provide legal online casino games for California players. The bill would also override the effects of the UIGEA, which means players will be able to move money to and from the casinos without any problems and deposit using their credit cards. As it stands now, California is one of the few states where the laws around online gambling have been are grey. There are no laws that state it is illegal to gambling online from California, while at the same time there is nothing set in stone saying it is legal either. The bill is currently in the State Senate with a hearing scheduled for June 29, 2010.
Senator Wright's SB1485 is still in the early stages, but there are plenty of online casinos that do accept California players. We have listed our top picks below, along with information pertaining to licensing. We have personally played at each site, tested the software, cashier and of course customer support. The online casinos listed on this page are legally licensed and audited frequently, which means the games are fair and your personal information is secure.
Legal Online Casinos and California Gambling
The casinos listed above are fully licensed and regulated. While the online casinos aren't licensed by the state of California just yet, they are regulated casinos. What this means to California players is that the casinos abide and follow strict guidelines in order to provide gaming services. Each casino submits to periodic testing by a third party company to ensure the games are fair. Furthermore, the casinos listed above provide state of the art security similar to your bank or financial institution. Your personal information, credit cards and anything pertaining to your account is encrypted using a 128 bit SSL.
About the California SB 1485
The revamped version of the California SB1485 proposed by State Senator Rod Wright is essentially a bill that would allow the state to offer intrastate gambling. By legalizing intrastate gambling, California would legally be able to override the current UIGEA and provide online gambling for real money. California isn't the only state to attempt this. They are however pushing to get this bill passed quickly.
The benefits of legalizing online casinos in California are ten fold. The state currently has a deficit of $20 million. By granting contracts to online casinos to legally operate in California, the state will be able to tax the revenue, thus receiving an additional source of funds they otherwise don't have. Sen. Wright's bill would implement a 'fee' to the operators, providing the state with 20% of the gross revenue, which is expected to be upwards of $2 billion within five years. The 'California Online Poker Law Enforcement Compliance and Consumer Protection Act of 2010' would also provide the state with the resources to ensure that the games provided by the legal Californian casinos are fair and furthermore restrict underage gamblers from accessing the games.
In its current state, Sen. Wright's bill would go against the California Constitution and would classify as a Class III. In March of 2000, the state passed Proposition 1A which modified the constitution to allow Class III gaming on Indian land only. All Class III gaming would have to be approved by a tribal ordinance and in accordance to a pact made between the Tribe and the State. By allowing intrastate gambling, where any company has the right to bid on a contract, the state will go against the pact made in 2000 and all interests between the two will cease. This also means revenue generated by the tribal casinos.
A hearing is scheduled for June 29, 2010.
