Casinos:California

California is the most populous state in the US. It is also one of the few that has legalized poker. Unlike Nevada or Atlantic City, which legalized all gambling, in California only poker and a few other card games are legal for gambling purposes (except the lottery and horse racing, of course). Accordingly, a number of companies and rooms have sprung up to focus on offering poker to the public.

Interestingly, unlike most of the US, poker rooms in California are not usually part of larger casinos but are standalone poker/card halls in their own right that offer mainly poker, with additional card games like 21st Century Blackjack and Pan on the side. This results in a particular business focus on poker that can be most gratifying for a serious player. California has currently placed a moratorium on opening new cardrooms, or expanding existing cardrooms, through 2015; ironically (though obviously), this ban has been extended from its previous expiration date of 2007 by heavy lobbying from existing cardrooms.

{| border="1" cellpadding="6" ! colspan=6 align=center |

San Francisco Bay Area
! Size !! Rating !! City !! Casino Name & Link !! Games !! Other ! L ! L ! S ! M ! M ! L ! L ! L ! L ! S ! S ! colspan=6 align=center | Sacramento area ! S ! S ! S ! S ! S ! S ! S ! S ! S ! colspan=6 align=center | Other Northern California ! S ! S ! S ! S ! S ! M ! S ! M ! S ! S ! - ! S ! S ! L ! S ! S ! S ! S ! S ! S ! M ! colspan=2 | (No Poker) || Lakeport || Konocti Vista Casino || colspan=2 | Does not offer poker anymore ! M ! M ! S ! S ! colspan=2 | (No Poker) || Madera || La Primavera Pool Hall || colspan=2 | Does not offer poker anymore ! S ! S ! S ! S ! S ! colspan=2 | (No Poker) || Napa || Hemphill Card Room || colspan=2 | No longer exists ! S ! S ! - ! - ! S ! M ! S ! - ! S ! colspan=2 | (Closed) ! S ! S ! S ! S ! S ! S ! S ! S ! colspan=6 align=center |
 * - bgcolor="#f0f0d0"
 * [[Image:5chip.gif]] || Colma (San Francisco) || Lucky Chances Casino ||       ||
 * [[Image:4chip.gif]] || Emeryville (Oakland) || Oaks Card Club ||   ||
 * [[Image:1chip.gif]] || Gilroy || Garlic City Club || ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Hayward || Palace Card Club ||  ||
 * [[Image:4chip.gif]] || Pacheco (Martinez)|| California Grand Casino ||   ||
 * [[Image:4chip.gif]] || San Bruno (SFO Airport) || Artichoke Joe's ||   ||
 * [[Image:5chip.gif]] || San Jose || Bay 101 ||       ||
 * [[Image:4chip.gif]] || San Jose || Casino M8trix ||  ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || San Pablo || Casino San Pablo ||    ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || San Rafael || Club San Rafael ||    ||
 * [[Image:1chip.gif]] || Santa Cruz || Ocean View Card Room ||    ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Citrus Heights || The Lucky Derby ||       ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Citrus Heights || Phoenix Casino ||   ||
 * [[Image:1chip.gif]] || Folsom || Lake Bowl Card Room ||  ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Lincoln || Thunder Valley Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Rancho Cordova || Rancho's Club ||    ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Sacramento || Capitol Casino ||   ||  [[Image:smoking.gif|Indoor Smoking Room]]
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Sacramento || Casino Royale ||   ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Sacramento || Limelight Bar ||  ||
 * [[Image:1chip.gif]] || Sacramento || Silver Fox || ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || American Canyon || Napa Valley Casino ||    ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Antioch || 19th Hole ||  ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Antioch || Kelly's Casino ||   ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Atascadero || Outlaws Card Parlour ||   ||
 * [[Image:1chip.gif]] || Auburn || Deuces Wild Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Bakersfield || Golden West Casino ||    ||
 * [[Image:1chip.gif]] || Benicia || Pastime ||   C ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Brooks (west of Sacramento) || Cache Creek Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Cameron Park (east of Sacramento) || Blacksheep Casino Company || ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Coarsegold || Chukchansi Gold ||  ||
 * - || Chico || Angie's Poker Club
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Clovis (near Fresno) || 500 Club ||       ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Colusa || Colusa Casino Resort || ||
 * [[Image:4chip.gif]] || Fresno || Club One ||       ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Friant (near Fresno) || Table Mountain Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Geyserville || River Rock Casino||  ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Grover Beach || Central Coast Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Hopland || Sho-Ka-Wah Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Isleton || Hotel Del Rio and Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Isleton || Rogelio's ||  ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Jackson || Jackson Rancheria ||   ||    (web)
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Lemoore || Tachi Palace Hotel & Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Livermore || Lucky Buck Card Club ||  ||
 * [[Image:1chip.gif]] || Livermore || Livermore Saloon and Casino|| ||
 * [[Image:1chip.gif]] || Lodi || Jack's Back Card Room|| ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Marina || Marina Club ||   ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Marina || Mortimer's Card Room ||   ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Manteca || Casino Real ||    ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Merced || Merced Poker Room ||   ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Merced || Poker Flats Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Nice || Robinson Rancheria Resort & Casino ||  ||    (web)
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Oakdale || Mike's Card Casino ||  ||
 * - || Oroville || Feather Falls Casino
 * - || Oroville || Gold Country Casino
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Paso Robles || Central Coast Casino ||   ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Petaluma || The 101 Casino ||   ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Petaluma || River Card Room ||    ||
 * - || Porterville || Eagle Mountain Casino
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Redding || Win-River Casino ||   ||
 * Salinas || Cap's Saloon || colspan=2 | Closed
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Salinas || Bankers Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:1chip.gif]] || Soledad || Ven-A-Mexico ||  ||
 * [[Image:1chip.gif]] || Stockton || Saigon Casino Club || ||
 * [[Image:1chip.gif]] || Stockton || Delta Card Room || ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Stockton || Cameo Club ||  ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Tracy || Comstock Card Club ||  ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Turlock || Turlock Poker Room ||  ||
 * [[Image:1chip.gif]] || Watsonville || Cesar's Club || ||

Los Angeles area
! Size !! Rating !! City !! Casino Name & Link !! Games !! Other ! XL ! XL ! M ! S ! L ! L ! XL ! L ! colspan=6 align=center | San Diego area ! M ! S ! S ! M ! M ! L ! S ! S ! M
 * - bgcolor="#f0f0d0"
 * [[Image:5chip.gif]] || Bell Gardens || Bicycle Casino ||     M ||
 * [[Image:5chip.gif]] || Commerce || Commerce Casino ||  P    ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Compton || Crystal Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Cudahy || Club Caribe ||  ||
 * [[Image:5chip.gif]] || Gardena || Hustler Casino ||   ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Gardena || Normandie Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Hawaiian Gardens || Hawaiian Gardens ||     M ||
 * [[Image:4chip.gif]] || Inglewood || Hollywood Park ||    ||
 * - || Chula Vista || Village Club ||  ||  (web)
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || San Diego || Lucky Lady Card Room ||   ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || San Diego || Palomar Card Club ||  ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Alpine, east of San Diego || Viejas ||  ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Lakeside || Barona Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:4chip.gif]] || Oceanside || Ocean's Eleven ||    ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || - || Sycuan Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Valley Center || Valley View Casino ||   ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Valley Center || Harrah's Rincon ||  ||

! colspan=6 align=center | Other Southern California ! S ! M ! S ! S ! S ! M ! L ! M ! S ! M ! S ! M ! L ! S ! S
 * [[Image:1chip.gif]] || Blythe || Bruce's Bar and Casino || ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Cabazon, About 20 miles West of Palm Springs || Casino Morongo ||   ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Campo / Boulevard || Golden Acorn Casino || ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Coachella, east of Palm Springs || Spotlight 29 ||   ||
 * [[Image:1chip.gif]] || El Centro || Tommy's Bar and Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:4chip.gif]] || Highland || San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino ||     ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Lake Elsinore || Lake Elsinore Hotel & Casino ||    ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Pala || Pala Casino Spa Resort ||  ||
 * [[Image:1chip.gif]] || Pauma Valley || Casino Pauma ||  ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Rosamond (north of L.A.) || Diamond Jim's Casino ||   ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || San Jacinto || Soboba Casino ||    ||
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Santa Ynez || Chumash Casino ||  ||
 * [[Image:4chip.gif]] || Temecula || Pechanga Resort & Casino ||     ||
 * [[Image:2chip.gif]] || Ventura || Players Poker Club
 * [[Image:3chip.gif]] || Winterhaven || Quechan Paradise Casino ||  ||
 * }

Discussion threads

 * Commerce is bumping its rake 1/8 - Good general info on California moratorium