Many sites offer online gambling in California for players who want to get involved. Here we will take a look at the best, explain why they are the strongest sites to play on, what they offer, and how to get started on them.
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The Best California Gambling Sites List 2022
For those looking to find online gambling in California, here is our list of the best gambling sites and what they offer that makes their service stand out.
- BetOnline – One of the biggest platforms for online gambling in California
- XBet – A high-quality gambling service offering sports and casino
- BetUS – A California gambling provider offering the ideal site for beginners
- MyBookie – A site that specializes in choice, excellent coverage, especially sports
- Ignition Casino – A specialist casino site offering California gambling
- Bovada – One of the biggest names in gambling, with a quality service to match
- Intertops – A strong service for casino gambling in California
- MYB – Look out for great live casino games on this site
- Sportsbetting.ag – A fantastic California sports gambling hub offering many sports markets
- BetNow – A gambling platform offering a wide range of bonuses and promotions
Is Gambling Legal in California?
There are two aspects of California gambling law that need to be examined. The first is gambling operators inside the state – these are currently illegal, so no company can open up and offer gambling inside the state to players.
However, tribal lands are not included in this, so many tribal casinos in the state can be used. On top of that, there are many offshore gambling sites available. These are licensed and located outside of California but can offer online gambling in California to players in the state.
California Land-Based Gambling
Land-based gambling is available in California via tribal casinos. These are casinos built on native Indian land, meaning they are legally allowed to offer gambling to players, as their land falls outside of state laws surrounding gambling.
There are many land-based casinos on offer for players to choose from, and most of these have been established for several years, so they have a strong reputation with players.
Online Gambling in California
Alongside the land-based gambling options, players also have online options. The only way to play online is to do so with one of the available offshore gambling sites. These sites offer online gambling in California and are licensed elsewhere, outside of the state, to offer this.
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California Gambling Legislation Timeline
There have been many significant moments in California regarding gambling and its legalization, and here we look at some of the more important moments and when they happened.
1933 – Horse race betting becomes legal in CA.
1984 – The California State Lottery was introduced.
1988 – The Gambling Control Act was passed, regulating card rooms in the state.
2000 – Through a referendum, voters approve legalizing casino gambling on tribal land.
2016 – Daily Fantasy Sports legislation passes the Assembly but stops at the Senate.
2018 – The Supreme Court passes a ruling that gives the individual US States the power to set their own sports betting laws.
California Legal Gambling Age
The gambling laws in California state that the minimum age for gambling inside the land-based tribal casinos is 18. On top of this, the offshore betting sites that are available to players also have the same limit, so regardless of what type of gambling you want to do and where you want to do it, you will need to be 18 or over to get involved.
CA Offshore Gambling Sites
The only way to play online in California is with an offshore gambling site. It is important to check who you are playing with, as not all offshore sites are safe and properly licensed.
Those that we recommend are licensed and regulated with strong licenses, making them safe and secure for players to enjoy. In addition, the best sites offer a wide range of gambling, all under one roof, so that you can take part in many things with just one account.
What Can You Gamble on in California?
There are many different types of gambling that you can participate in. California sports betting comes in three different categories mainly, and here is a look at each of those.
Sports Gambling
Betting on sports is incredibly popular, and people in California can now do this with various sportsbooks. So whether you want to bet on top worldwide events, follow US sports leagues such as the NFL and NBA, or find something completely different to bet on, the choice is out there, and sportsbooks have you covered.
Casino Gambling
A wide variety of casino gaming is also available. Whether you want to experience online blackjack and roulette or try your luck on one of the many slot games, there is plenty of choice on offer from the casinos available to players in the state. There is also a growing live casino platform, where you can watch along with games from the studio that have live dealers working them.
Poker Gambling
If you want to play poker, several sites offer poker rooms as part of their service. You can choose the room to play based on the type of poker, staking limits and more, to get yourself in the perfect game to suit your style.
Gambling Offers & Bonuses in California
Many sites offer California online gambling that have awesome offers available for new players. These are a great way to get started, allowing you to find your way around the new casino site you have signed up with. The bonuses come in many different forms, and here are the most common types of bonuses.
Matched Deposits
This is the most common type of bonus and gives you bonus funds to spend with your new California gambling site. These are based on deposits you make, usually the first one as a new player, and are matched at a percentage, with 100% being the most common.
Free Bets
If you get a sports bonus, you may receive free bets for sports gambling in California. These are free bet tokens, so usually valued at a specific amount, and may have things such as odds limits, a limit to the bet type you place and sports limits attached to them.
Free Spins
The best California casinos offer free spins to their players as a bonus. The key with free spins is that although they are a casino bonus, these are limited to slots only. Therefore, they will not suit everyone, and on top of this, look out for game limitations and wagering requirements on them.
Free Poker Chips
If you are playing poker, the bonus you want to find is free poker chips. Poker bonuses work a little differently from others and are often based on how often you play, with more bonus unlocked and offered, the more you play on the site.
| Gambling Site | Welcome Bonus | Promo Code | Wagering Requirement |
|---|---|---|---|
| BetOnline | Sports – 50% up to $1000
Casino – 100% up to $1000 |
BOL1000(sports code) | 10x sport
40x casino |
| XBet | Sports – 100% up to $500
Casino – 200% up to $500 |
None | 7x sport
30x casino |
| BetUS | Sports 100% up to $2500 plus casino 25% up to $625 | None | 10x sport
30x casino |
| MyBookie | Sports – 100% up to $1000
Casino – 150% up to $750 |
MYB150 (casino code) | 10x sport
30x casino |
| Ignition | Casino – 100% up to $1000 | None | 20x casino |
| Bovada | Sports – 50% up to $1000
Casino – up to $3000 |
None | 5x sport
25x & 40x casino |
| Intertops | Sports – 100% up to $200
Casino – 100% up to $100 |
None | 10x sport
30x casino |
| MyB Casino | Casino – 200% up to $1000 | None | 30x casino |
| Sportsbetting.ag | Sports – 50% up to $1000
Casino – 100% up to $3000 |
SB1000 (sports code) | 10x sport
40x casino |
| BetNow | Sports – 100% up to $500
Casino – 100% up to $5000 |
BN100 | 15x sport
15x casino |
California Gambling Taxes
If you have any California gambling winnings, these will be subject to gambling taxes in the state. Unfortunately, California offers some of the highest gambling taxes, which is not ideal for players. The amount you pay ranges from 1% up to 13.3%, and if you have to pay the highest amount of 13.3%, you will be paying the highest tax rate on gambling wins in the USA.
Best California Gambling Sites Reviewed
1. BetOnline – Best platform for online gambling in California
BetOnline have one of the biggest California gambling platforms available for players. This site has an excellent reputation with players, and when you look at their service, it certainly backs that up. They offer a range of gambling, including sports, casino, poker, racing and eSports betting.
In every part of the site, you will see an excellent choice for players. This makes them one of the most popular choices for online gambling in California – if you want sports, they have thousands of markets, while those looking for casino games will see hundreds on offer.
New players can claim the welcome bonus on offer from BetOnline. Sports players get 50% matched up to $1000, while casino players get 100% matched up to $1000. Both have a wagering requirement attached, which is 10x for the sports offer and 40x for the casino offer.
BetOnline Pros
- A big welcome offer for new players
- Wide range of betting markets in the sportsbook
- Look out for hundreds of casino games to play
- This site offers promotions and bonuses for existing customers
BetOnline Cons
- A slightly large and complex website
2. XBet – A high-quality gambling service offering sports and casino
XBet provides a range of different gambling services, and they have put together high quality inside each one. They are perfect for all-rounders, but if you only want to use one part of the site, you will enjoy what is on offer. If you want a stand out here, it would probably be the sports betting service on offer.
One of the main features of this California gambling site is the ease of navigation. Many quick links, especially in the sports section, take you directly to the top events that people are looking to bet on.
New players can claim a welcome bonus, with the sports offer being a 100% matched deposit offer up to $500 with a 7x wagering requirement. Additionally, casinos players can get a 200% matched deposit offer available up to $500, and this one comes with a wagering requirement of 30x.
XBet Pros
- Excellent welcome bonus for both sports and casino players
- The site is full of quick links to help with navigation
- Strong betting site if you want to bet on the top events in the world
- Competitive odds for sports betting
XBet Cons
- Live betting is complex
3. BetUS – Top California gambling site for beginners
If you are looking for online gambling in California for beginners, then the service from BetUS may be the one for you. They are one of the best California sports betting apps and have a fantastic website, both of which are very simple and easy to use and have been designed with new players in mind.
Their service includes a lot of promotions for existing customers, so when you sign up here, you are going to keep getting a good deal. The mobile platform is powerful here too, so if you are thinking about doing most of your wagering through their gambling app, this service is made for that.
New players can get a matched deposit offer giving both sports and casino bonuses. There is a 100% matched offer on sports up to $2500 and a 25% matched offer on casino up to $625. The sports offer has a 10x wagering requirement, while the casino has a 10x requirement attached.
BetUS Pros
- A welcome offer combining both sports and casino gaming
- Great mobile platform for betting on a phone
- A full service designed with beginners in mind
- Range of existing customer promotions available
BetUS Cons
- To claim the welcome bonus, a minimum deposit of $100 is needed
4. MyBookie – Specializes in choice and excellent coverage
MyBookie offers a range of California gambling options, but there are best known for their sports service. They have excellent odds for sports and give a great deal to players because of this, with the US sports league, in particular, standing out from the service this sportsbook provides.
Elsewhere, casino gaming is also strong here, and the standout in this section is the number of slot games on offer, particularly jackpot slots, which give players the chance to win big. Again, both casino and sports are high-quality, and if you are the type of player who would use both, you have them here on the same site.
A 100% matched deposit offer for sports players on the site is available up to $1000. Casino players can get a 150% matched offer, up to $750 - to claim this, you will need to use the code MYB150. Wagering requirements for the offers are 10x for sports and 30x for casino.
MyBookie Pros
- Claim one of the two great welcome offers as a new player
- Excellent coverage of the US sports leagues
- Great selection of slots, including jackpot slots
- Highly competitive odds for sports
MyBookie Cons
- A complex site to navigate
5. Ignition Casino – Specialist casino site offering California gambling
The Ignition casino offers a strong casino gambling platform, ideal if you are looking for casino gaming only and don’t want to see any sports betting on your site. They are an excellent choice for casino gaming, with hundreds of games on offer across many different sections.
On top of this, Ignition are committed to giving you a good deal. They offer a range of promotions for existing players, which you can take advantage of when you have claimed the welcome bonus. Live casino gaming is strong here, with several games streamed live from the studio for you to enjoy.
New players can claim the Ignition welcome bonus, a 100% matched deposit offer available up to $1000. The offer comes with a 20x wagering requirement, which is smaller than what others have attached to them, and that is a positive.
Ignition Casino Pros
- Excellent casino welcome bonus with a low wagering requirement
- Great range of promotions for existing customers to enjoy
- Hundreds of casino games to choose from
- Variety of live games streamed from the studio
Ignition Casino Cons
- Only offer casino gaming
More on gambling in California...
Learn about all types of online gambling in California in our expert guides below:
California Online Gambling Sites Comparison
Many California gambling sites offer varied services and give a great choice to their customers. This includes the different types of gambling on offer and looks at the payment methods used - another way variety can be offered. Here we have a table showcasing the variety in place on some sites and the various welcome bonuses that are available.
| Gambling Site | Types of Gambling | Welcome Bonus | Promo Code | Payment Methods |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BetOnline | Sports, racing, casino, eSports, poker | Sports – 50% up to $1000
Casino – 100% up to $1000 |
BOL1000(sports code) | Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency, Person 2 Person |
| XBet | Sports, racing, casino, eSports | Sports – 100% up to $500
Casino – 200% up to $500 |
None | Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency, Person 2 Person |
| BetUS | Sports, racing, casino, eSports | Sports 100% up to $2500 plus casino 25% up to $625 | None | Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency |
| MyBookie | Sports, racing, casino, eSports | Sports – 100% up to $1000
Casino – 150% up to $750 |
MYB150 (casino code) | Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency, Person 2 Person |
| Ignition | Casino | Casino - 100% up to $1000 | None | Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency |
| Bovada | Sports, racing, casino, eSports, poker | Sports – 50% up to $1000
Casino – up to $3000 |
None | Debit cards, credit cards, Rapid Transfer |
| Intertops | Sports, casino, eSports, poker | Sports – 100% up to $200
Casino – 100% up to $100 |
None | Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency, Skrill, Neteller |
| MyB Casino | Casino | Casino – 200% up to $1000 | None | Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency, Person 2 Person |
| Sportsbetting.ag | Sports, racing, casino, eSports, poker | Sports – 50% up to $1000
Casino – 100% up to $3000 |
SB1000 (sports code) | Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency, Person 2 Person |
| BetNow | Sports, racing, casino, eSports | Sports – 100% up to $500
Casino – 100% up to $5000 |
BN100 | Debit cards, credit cards, cryptocurrency, Person 2 Person |
Explore Our Online Gambling Guides
How to Get Started with a Californian Gambling Site
If you would like to play online with a California gambling site, you will have to sign up for their service online. The good news is that this is a simple process for you to complete, with easy steps that we will show below, using XBet as the example betting site.
Step 1: Register
The first step is to visit the XBet website, look for the ‘Join Now’ green button and click this to complete the sign-up form, entering the details you need.
Step 2: Verify
At this point, make sure you verify your account, which confirms your details and who you are, and avoids any potential delays and problems in the future.
Step 3: Deposit
Now it is time to make your first deposit, be sure to make a deposit that is eligible for the welcome bonus when you complete this step.
Step 4: Bet
Now you are ready to bet, so head into the site section you want to play, and find something interesting that you can get involved with.
Conclusion
There are some great options for land-based and online gambling in California. However, of the services available to players, the one that stands out as being the best on offer is the XBet gambling platform, allowing you to wager on various sports or play some great casino games. They have a strong license, excellent reputation and fantastic platform for their players to use.
Land-based casinos are limited to tribal lands, while online options are limited to offshore sites only. There is still plenty of choices, though, including our favourite XBet - Claim your welcome bonus today!
