AB 831 banned sweepstakes casinos in California. Here are the legal alternatives still available to CA players, from social casinos to tribal gaming.
Sweepstakes casinos are banned in California. As of January 1, 2026, Assembly Bill 831 makes it a criminal offense to operate, promote, or participate in sweepstakes casino platforms targeting California residents. Every major platform has geo-blocked the state.
If you were a regular sweepstakes casino player in California, you are probably wondering what options are left. This page covers the legal gaming alternatives still available to CA residents in 2026.
For the full breakdown of the ban itself, read our California ban explainer.
AB 831 passed both chambers of the California Legislature without a single opposing vote (36-0 in the Senate, 63-0 in the Assembly). Governor Newsom signed it into law with an effective date of January 1, 2026.
The law classifies sweepstakes casino violations as criminal misdemeanors, carrying penalties of up to one year in jail and $25,000 per violation. Liability extends beyond operators to include vendors, payment processors, and affiliates who “knowingly and willfully” support platforms targeting California.
The ban was driven by tribal gaming coalitions, led by the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (CNIGA), who argued that sweepstakes casinos were pulling revenue from their regulated operations without oversight. The unanimous vote made clear this was not a close call for lawmakers.
Social casinos that operate on virtual currency with no cash redemption option remain legal in California. These platforms are not affected by AB 831 because they do not offer real-money prizes.
Popular social casino options include:
These are purely entertainment platforms. You cannot win or redeem real money. If that is a dealbreaker, keep reading for options that involve real stakes.
California has over 60 tribal casinos spread across the state. These are legal, regulated, and offer the full casino experience: slots, table games, poker rooms, and more.
Some of the largest and most well-known tribal casinos in California:
Tribal casinos are the closest thing to a full casino experience available in California. Many offer resort-level amenities, dining, and entertainment alongside their gaming floors.
The California Lottery is fully legal and offers several options:
Tickets are available at authorized retailers. California does not currently sell lottery tickets online, though the lottery does offer a mobile app for checking results and finding retailers.
California has over 80 licensed card rooms regulated by the California Gambling Control Commission (CGCC). These are not tribal casinos. They are privately owned, state-licensed facilities.
Card rooms offer poker (Texas Hold’em, Omaha, and other variants) as well as certain banked card games. They do not offer slot machines. Major card rooms include the Commerce Casino, the Bicycle Casino, and Hawaiian Gardens Casino.
Horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering are legal in California. Major tracks include Santa Anita Park, Del Mar Thoroughbred Club, and Golden Gate Fields.
California residents can also wager online through licensed Advance Deposit Wagering (ADW) platforms like TVG and TwinSpires. This is one of the few forms of legal online real-money wagering available in the state.
Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) contests are legal in California. Platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel offer salary-cap style contests for NFL, NBA, MLB, and other major sports leagues. These are skill-based contests, not casino games, but they offer real-money prize pools.
Do not use a VPN to access sweepstakes casinos from California.
This is not a gray area. AB 831 makes it illegal to participate in sweepstakes casino platforms from California, and using a VPN to circumvent geo-blocking does not change your legal residency. Sweepstakes platforms require identity verification (SSN, government ID, proof of address) before processing any withdrawals. If your documents show a California address, your account will be closed and your balance may be forfeited.
Beyond the legal risk, VPN usage violates the terms of service of every major sweepstakes platform. Even if you managed to play, you would not be able to cash out.
It is unlikely in the near term. AB 831 passed unanimously in both chambers with strong support from tribal gaming interests, which remain one of the most powerful lobbying forces in California politics. As of April 2026, no repeal or amendment legislation has been introduced.
The tribal gaming coalitions that pushed for the ban have made clear they view sweepstakes casinos as direct competition to their regulated operations. Given that California voters already rejected two sports betting ballot measures in 2022 (Propositions 26 and 27), there is little appetite in the state for expanding online gambling in any form.
Could this change in the future? Possibly. But there is no indication that it will happen anytime soon.
If you choose to gamble at tribal casinos, card rooms, or through any other legal channel in California, please do so responsibly.
If gambling is causing problems in your life, help is available 24/7 at 1-800-522-4700.
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