Online Poker in California – Is It Legal? Get $5,000+ at CA Poker Sites

Want to play poker online or in-person in California? The most populous state also has a plethora of poker rooms. If you’re wondering “Is online poker legal in California?” then keep reading to find all the answers.

There are dozens of online and land-based California casinos many of which have poker rooms offering traditional California straight poker, Texas Hold’em and lots more.

In this comprehensive guide, we’ll review the best online poker sites in California for 2023 and cover everything you need to know about the California poker scene and best online poker tournaments California has to offer.

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The Best Online Poker California Sites

In California, you have your selection of the best US-friendly online poker sites. All of these sites will allow online poker real money California bets and include cash games, tournaments, sit and go’s, and more. We highly recommend the following offshore gambling sites for the best California online poker experience.

1. BetOnline – Best overall poker site for players in California
2. Bovada – Great for casual players & poker tournaments in California
3. Everygame – Hefty welcome bonus for Cali poker lovers
4. Ignition – Top choice for tournaments and poker freerolls
5. Sportsbetting.ag – Popular poker site due to lower rakes and fast payouts

California Online Poker Sites Reviewed

We know that picking an online poker room isn’t always easy. There are many factors to consider, but fortunately, California straight poker is widely available on the best California online poker sites. In this next section we will present the top 5 online poker real money California sites.

1. BetOnline – Top-Rated Site for Online Poker California

BetOnline is recognized as the top poker site in California because it offers all of the features required for a superb online California straight poker experience. The site, as well as the online poker platform, has just been improved, and poker tournaments are now available every day.

BetOnline is an excellent poker site. Since going online in 2011, they have dominated the online poker landscape with a huge variety of game types, tournaments, buy-ins and limits.

BetOnline’s poker features no limit, pot limit, and fixed-limit poker action in over 30 distinct titles, including Texas Hold’em, Omaha, 5-Card Draw, Caribbean Stud, and Pai Gow. They provide a nice mixture of poker events and prize pools with large and small buy-ins and stakes. Aside from the $1 Million Windfall Jackpot Sit & Go there are 8 regular poker events with top rewards of $50,000 or more.

Finally, there is the BetOnline loyalty program. When you play and wager at your favorite tables, you can earn points which can be redeemed for premium tournament tickets. Download their BetOnline poker app to get started for the best online casino experience in California.

2. Bovada – Great choice for casual poker players in California

Bovada is one of our favorite locations to play online poker in California. We all know that poker is best played casually but who wants to play against the pros all the time? That’s why we love Bovada . Their network is geared towards more casual US online poker players. As a result, Bovada Poker’s proprietary software offers anonymous tables where opponents’ names are hidden. You can also try their Zone Poker, which moves you to a different table once you fold

Part of the PaiWangLuo Network, previously called the Bodog Poker Network which consists of Bovada Poker, Ignition Poker, Bodog Poker and many more. This is the largest US poker network, with an average of 1,000 cash game participants so there’s always a lot of activity and newbies.

The Monthly Milly (a $1 million poker event), knockout games, jackpot sit & go’s, turbo tournaments, a $150k guaranteed tournament every Sunday, and more are all available at Bovada .

3. Everygame – Jackpot Tournaments for California Poker Players

Everygame, previously Intertops, is ranked 5th in our of best California poker sites. The original Intertops was one of the early pioneers of online poker but on December 1, 2021 it was relaunched as Everygame. It holds Curacao gambling license and the site now offers Californians with California betting sites as well as casino and a lively poker community.

Everygame poker offers Texas Hold’em, Omaha, 7 Card Stud, and many more games with large jackpot payouts and low rakes. The Everygame Instant Play Poker App allows California online poker players to wager real money and win big at many different poker tables.

In return for just a $5 buy-in, CA poker players can accumulate ‘Poker Points’ which will allow them to enter the elite poker events with guaranteed prize pools of up to $150,000. Regular poker events include the Sunday Sundowner Series ($10,000) and the Soft Poker Series ($70,000) with 30 distinct knockout rounds.

Finally, in terms of offers, the Everygame Poker Welcome Offer provides new players with a big  match deposit bonus for a minimum deposit of just $25. This is the best value bonus of all the online poker sites on our list. The Everygame promotions page has a full list of all their current offers and reload bonuses.

4. Ignition – Best Online Poker Site California for Tournaments

Ignition Poker is unquestionably one of the best poker sites for tournaments and freerolls. It provides something for everyone, including a weekly freeroll every Thursday with a prize pool of $2,500! To take part, Ignition poker California players must be at least the Chrome tier level in the loyalty program. This is only the second level, and it only takes 2,500 lifetime miles to complete.

There are several other freerolls worth considering and Bitcoin depositors are also eligible for a free entry into the weekly $2,5000 Bitcoin Depositor’s Freeroll. It happens every week on Sundays and attracts less players than normal freerolls.

Ignition Poker’s extensive online poker tournament calendar also contains numerous series events. The Super Millions Poker Open is the biggest tournament series the network has ever hosted. It offers a total of $8,000,000 in guaranteed prizes spread among 150 events. The buy-ins vary between $5.50 and $1,055. The Main Event boasts a large massive pool of $350,000 and a $425+25 buy-in. The Black Diamond Poker Open, the Golden Spade Poker Open, and the Festival on Felt are three other tournament series worth checking out.

Bear in mind that these special events are in addition to Ignition’s regular California online poker tournaments. There are also regular Sit & Go tournaments and jackpot Sit & Go tournaments, where you can win up to 1,000 times your buy-in.

5. Sportsbetting.ag – The Best California Online Poker Promotions

Another popular Chico Poker Network site for California poker casinos is Sportbetting.ag. Omaha, 3-Card, Pai Gow, and Texas Hold’em are among the more than 50 online poker games available. On signature tables, buy-ins range from $5 to $200 for players of varied skill levels.

Every day, Sportsbetting.ag provides great tournaments, promotions, and prizes to new and returning online poker California players. You can also enjoy rotating Bad Beat Jackpot Tables, where if you get beaten by a bad beat, you can split big prize pools with other players.

With a $100 buy-in, you’ll be entered into the Sunday Main Event, where you’ll be handed 100,000 chips and the opportunity to win $150,000. Qualifiers cost $5 and if you collect enough poker points you can earn a slot at the main table. You can also try your luck at turning $10 into $1,000,000 with Sportsbetting.ag’s special Windfall Jackpot Sit & Go.

More on gambling in California…

Learn about all types of online gambling in California in our expert guides below:

• California Sports Betting
• California Real Money Online Casinos
• California Online Gambling
• California Sports Betting Apps
• California Horse Racing

Online Poker California – The Top Sites Compared

The best California online poker rooms have lots of similar features but each one has its own distinctiveness. The table below compares poker game variety, bonuses, and poker tournaments in California.

Is Online Poker Legal in California?

If you found this page by simply googling “Is online poker legal in California?” the answer is no, online Poker is not strictly legal in California.

However, many players from California do enjoy playing in poker tournaments at offshore sites, and provided that these are with an online casino that is licensed and reputable, such as those on our list, these offer a great opportunity to play online poker safely.

Video Poker

Video poker differs from traditional online poker in that it is played from a gaming kiosk and is essentially a mix of slots and 5-card poker, with the video poker machine drawing cards randomly from a virtual deck.

Video poker is much easier to play than traditional poker, but still has to follow strict regulations and be audited for randomness. There are many variations of video poker, including Deuces Wild, Jacks or Better and Joker’s Wild.

California has a large number of land-based casinos offering video poker, but you may also enjoy playing video poker at one of the popular online casinos such as Bovada.

Casual Poker

Playing poker with friends around a table in California is fine up to a point. Hosting poker games at your home is permitted, but it’s illegal for people to earn money from hosting poker games by way of an organizer’s fee. You can’t charge an entrance fee, require a minimum food purchase, or charge the competitors in any other way to participate.

A casual poker game with friends is a great way to socialize, have fun and improve your poker skills in what should be a safe and relaxed environment.

California Poker Laws

Poker has never really been outlawed in California, and some regulations, including state-run licensing, were introduced in the mid-1980s.

Poker is permitted in California’s card rooms and tribal casinos. There are numerous poker rooms offering generally low and medium-stakes tables throughout the state, but there are also high-stakes games with huge pots to play for. In-home, and not-for-profit poker games are also permitted.

When it comes to online poker, internet gambling in California is something of a gray area in the state and sites like GG poker California are not permitted. There is very little prospect of individual players being subject to any enforcement though, so many California residents are able to play poker online at an offshore casino site, and such sites are more than happy to accept your business.

The California legal gambling age for playing poker is 18.

Online Poker Guides State by State

California Poker – Live and in Person

There are numerous land-based casinos in California in which you can enjoy playing poker among a vast range of other gaming options. For those unable or unwilling to visit a land-based casino, then of course there remains the option of an offshore online casino.

In the next section we will look at some of the poker rooms California casinos for poker…

The Commerce Casino

Address: 6131 Telegraph Road, Commerce, CA 90040

The Commerce Casino is a cardroom in the Los Angeles neighbourhood of Commerce. These huge southern California poker rooms contain over 240 tables on-site which make it the world’s largest cardroom, The Commerce has a great selection of poker tables, with Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, Big O, Stud, Stud Hi/Lo, Lowball, Razz, Badugi, 2-7 Triple Draw and Chinese Poker among the games on offer.

The Commerce has also hosted many famous poker festivals, such as the World Poker Tour LA Poker Classic, the LA Poker Open, the Los Angeles Poker Classic, and the California State Poker Championships.

Ocean’s Eleven Casino

Address: 121 Brooks Street, Oceanside CA 92054

As you have probably guessed, Ocean’s Eleven Casino in Oceanside, is named after the classic 1960 heist movie. This card-playing casino is also for fans of the Rat Pack, which included Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., Joey Bishop, and Peter Lawford. On Wednesday through Sunday evenings, live entertainment is given at the Rat Pack Lounge.

The 24/7 casino has a poker room that includes No Limit Hold’em, Pot Limit Omaha, and Pot Limit Omaha Hi-Lo 8-or-Better cash table, and they host regular tournaments. Every night, dinner is provided with a nostalgic vibes. Entrees such as grilled pork chops, Veal Oscar, and Filet Mignon are popular choices. There is also a well stocked bar.

500 Club Casino

Address: 771 W Shaw Ave, Clovis, CA 93612

The 500 Club Casino Bar & Grill features a variety of poker games, including a wide variety of Limit and No-Limit Texas Hold’em, Fortune Pai Gow Poker and Omaha Hi/Lo.

The 500 Club Casino has a large selection of Limit and No-Limit Texas Hold’em games.  There’s also a bar and first-rate menu that’s available 24-hours-per-day and seven days per week. You can check out their Promotions and Calendar pages on their website for a comprehensive list of poker games and game restrictions available each day.

California Poker Rooms Near Me: California Casinos List

If you’re looking for “California Poker Near Me” then look no further than our full list of poker rooms open in California. We’ve listed all the casinos in California that offer cardrooms or private poker rooms, of which there are many!

California Online Poker

Playing poker at a land-based physical casino certainly has its appeal, but online poker enables players to enjoy playing games from the comfort of their own homes without having to worry about traveling to and from the venue or the possible cost of an overnight stay.

Online casinos offer an extensive range of table games and often sports betting options all from one site, making it an ideal option for many California residents. In addition, the majority of online casino sites offer a welcome bonus for new customers and often have other promotions and reload bonuses too.

Another significant benefit of using an offshore online casino is that they often pay out higher percentages than land-based casinos, as they have few of the costly overheads associated with a physical casino.

Here’s a rundown of the best online poker sites and their top tournaments:

Making California Poker Online Deposits

You will need to fund your account before you can start playing online poker real money California games. The good news is that all of California best poker sites offer a variety of payment options. You can find out more about them in the following table:

Playing Legal Online Poker California

Although there are no US-based online poker sites legally available to residents of the Sunshine State, offshore online casinos are available as an option.

Which offshore online casino you choose to play with will come down to personal preferences, with some sites being renowned for their bonuses, others for the range of games on offer or use of cryptocurrencies, etc.

For example, BetOnline has an impressive VIP program for loyal players that comes with promotions offering a lot of perks. Ignition Casino is a great place to find freerolls and they also offer a substantial welcome bonus to new players of up to $2,000, via a 100% deposit match bonus. If you pay with Bitcoin, the bonus is even more attractive, with a deposit match worth up to $3,000.

Bovada is noted for its excellent online security, while Wild Casino accepts the most popular cryptocurrencies when funding your account.

Tips for Online Poker Real Money California

Here are a few tips on playing to win online poker in California:

• Be selective with your starting hands - Good poker strategy is about choosing the right starting hands.
• Learn how to bluff - But don’t bluff too much. Good players know how to bluff in order to get better hands to fold.
• Start small - Play with small stakes to begin with. Play within your bankroll.
• Learn the game - Understanding starting hand rankings and odds. Learn about the odds of hitting a winning hand.

How to Play Online Poker in California

To better answer the question "Can I play online poker in California?" and help get you started, we will walk you through the setup process at BetOnline offshore casino. This only takes a few minutes and is really easy. The sign-up procedure may vary slightly for other California online casinos, but in general, this is what you will need to do to create a new account. The first step is to register.

Step 1: Start the Registration Process

Look for the 'Join Now' or 'Register' option on one of our suggested California online poker sites. In the instance of BetOnline, a green registration button can be found in the top right corner.

Step 2: Complete the Registration Form

The sign-up form is straightforward and only requires some basic personal information. Fill out the form and click the button at the bottom to create an account. You may be required to upload specific identification documents later in order to authenticate your account before withdrawing.

Step 3: Make a First Deposit

You can now log in using your BetOnline password and the email address you specified. You will see a pop-up window informing you of your BetOnline welcome bonuses. You can get your poker bonus right away by going to the cashier and selecting your preferred payment method.

Step 4: Join a Poker Table

You're now ready to play as many online poker California games and California poker tournaments as you like. You can play via your browser or download the BetOnline app to play on the go. The poker lobby will display the cash tables as well as a variety of tournaments. Choose a game to play and get ready to have fun!

Other Online Poker Guides you Might Like

Learn more about the different types of online poker games and options available online and where to best enjoy them:

• Best Bitcoin Poker Sites - A complete guide to the best Bitcoin Poker Sites to play online.
• Best Offshore Poker Sites - A rundown of the best offshore Poker sites with massive bonuses.
• Best Online Poker Sites - Full presentation of the best Poker Sites to play with real money.
• Play Online Poker Real Money - Full presentation of the best Poker Sites to play with real money.
• Download the Best Poker Apps - Complete guide and review of the best poker apps.
• Poker Games (List) - Complete overview of the most popular poker games available online.

Conclusion - Playing Poker in California

There's a good selection of land-based poker options available to those residing in or visiting California and a visit to a live poker venue is certainly worthwhile if you are interested in doing so.

California has not yet authorized any gaming operator to offer online poker in the state, but that’s where offshore online casinos come to the rescue.

These offshore betting sites provide an excellent range of poker games and tournaments, as well as a variety of extremely useful bonuses and intriguing poker tournaments. Leading online poker sites such as BetOnline, Bovada, and Everygame use the latest technology to provide safe and secure cash games and tournaments at various stakes.

Join the offshore poker site craze today, and you'll be up and running and playing online poker in no time!

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