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The Legal Poker Debate: Will Online Poker Finally Be Legalized in California?

While online poker is a billion-dollar global industry, its legality in California remains a bone of contention. However, there has been a wave of change in America’s gaming segment in the past few years, thanks to the recently struck-down PASPA and online accessibility.
Let’s dig deeper into the Golden State’s poker culture from the past to the present.
A History of Poker Laws in California
Californians played poker in the saloons as early as the Gold Rush of the 19th century. Cities like San Francisco were famous for their vibrant gambling scene in the 1800s. Indigenous California tribes have been operating and managing poker games in the state.
Further, the state legalized some forms of poker in the 1930s, such as draw and stud gambling. With this ruling, poker card rooms expanded in the Golden State, which became prime venues for law-abiding poker action.
In the late 1990s, playing online poker in a legal gray area became a reality for Californians. The California Constitution and Penal Code did not clearly authorize or prohibit such operations. Hence, this legal loophole allowed poker enthusiasts to play the card game on licensed offshore casino sites.
In the same year, attempts were also made to officially legalize poker. A landmark court decision allowed all forms of offline poker within the state, removing any confusion surrounding the earlier poker bans.
Hence, land-based poker games are legal in California now, with around 88 licensed card rooms operating legally. What about online poker gaming? Let’s find out!
Current Legal Barriers to Online Poker in California
Strict legal and political opposition to the legalization of online poker gaming is the foremost obstacle in California. Further, mandates on tribal gaming and card rooms sometimes overlap with poker regulations. Section 330 of the California Penal Code currently bans online poker within the state border.
California’s tribes hold exclusive rights to operate casino-style gambling, granted by compacts under the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA). They argue that online poker infringes on these rights, mainly if non-tribal entities operate these gambling platforms.
Moreover, various consumer protection organizations fuel this resistance as they consider any form of gambling an addictive habit. Such critics argue that regulating online poker could promote overexposure and make gambling too easy for otherwise highly vulnerable people.
Hence, there have been endless legislative stalemates with no agreement on what to do about it.
Stakeholders in the Legalization Debate
Several groups play key roles in shaping California’s poker scene:
Tribal Casinos
California’s Native American tribes generate billions annually through land-based casinos. Many tribes view online poker as a competition that could impact their monopoly on gambling.
Legislators
Californian lawmakers try to balance consumer protection and compliance with federal regulations before lifting the ban on online gambling.
Card Rooms
California’s cardrooms operate under different rules than tribal casinos. The owners of these facilities usually advocate for the legalization of online poker to expand their customer base.
Economic Benefits of Legalizing Online Poker
Legalizing online poker in California could yield substantial economic benefits:
- Tax Revenue: Licensed online poker markets would add hundreds of billions in tax revenues to the state annually. This revenue could fund other public services within the state, such as education and infrastructure development.
- Consumer Protection: California can regulate this industry to guarantee safe and fair play for its residents. It’ll also help reduce the problems that offshore unregulated platforms bring.
The Future Outlook for Online Poker in California
While progress has been slow, there are signs of hope for online poker fans in California.
For example, some tribes are willing to support online poker legislation under the exclusivity clauses. This step will ensure native tribes have a significant stake in the market. Public support for online gambling also appears to grow, driven by the success of legalized sports betting in other states.
The signs are promising, but the road ahead remains uncertain. The legal and political complexities mean that online poker California enthusiasts may need to wait longer to play their favorite card game online hassle-free.
Social Advantages of Legalized Online Poker
Legalizing online poker in California isn’t just about revenue and market growth. There are obvious social benefits, too. A regulated environment assures responsible gaming practice via mandatory self-exclusion programs, spending limits, and esports support for players to manage their habits.
Additionally, legalization is likely to fund problems associated with gambling addictions. States with regulated online poker markets generally allocate a certain portion of tax revenue toward mental health services and addiction treatment. These measures ensure that gambling remains a source of entertainment without becoming an issue for society.
FAQs
- Is online poker currently legal in California?
No, online poker is not explicitly legal in California. While residents can play on offshore platforms, these sites operate outside state jurisdiction and lack regulatory supervision.
- Which are the best offshore poker gaming sites?
Californians can play real-money poker games on Bovada, Ignition Casino, and ACR Poker, which are regulated offshore casino sites.
- Are there any pending bills for online poker legalization?
Though past bills were introduced, very few survived the legislative process and were passed into law. Hence, the legalization of online poker is still pending in California.
Bottom Line
Undoubtedly, history has been kinder to poker gaming culture in California. With relaxed laws on traditional poker rooms, the online poker market also looks forward to positivity. It’s easy to see the benefits of online poker legalization, including more tax revenues and adequate consumer protection.
However, some issues still create roadblocks in the game’s legal battle. Complicated laws, tribal autonomy, and gambling addiction concerns put barriers to the legalization of online poker in California. For now, the state’s cardrooms and offshore casino sites are the only viable options to satisfy their poker gambling desires.
News
MightyTips launches snappy Football Tips format for casual and pro bettors alike

MightyTips unveils a major product update — Football Tips, a dynamic new feature that delivers fast, curated football betting advice tailored for today’s users.
MightyTips is a leading platform dedicated to helping sports bettors make smarter decisions through in-depth sportsbook reviews, up-to-date bonus offers, expert betting blogs, and insightful match previews. While offering a wide range of content for bettors at all levels, the platform’s core focus has always been on delivering accurate predictions empowering users to place educated bets.
But as digital habits shift and the need for actionable insights grows, the platform is stepping into a new chapter. Football Tips are built to meet users where they are — with lighter, faster, and more personalised content that enhances the betting experience.
Ivo Osis, Product Owner at MightyTips, said: “This launch represents a major evolution in how MightyTips serves its audience. With Football Tips, we’re opening up our platform to casual and pro bettors alike, providing smarter insights in a more scalable format, driven to improve user experience and frictionless journey through the world of football betting.”
Key features of Football Tips:
- Match of the Day highlight – instantly find the most important game to bet on, hand-selected by expert analysts
- Quick match briefs – save time with short, insightful tips written by trusted football authors
- Tipsters’ stats on every tip – check each tipster’s accuracy to build transparency and trust
- My Saved Choice feature – save favourite tips and revisit them anytime
- More matches, more options – explore tips beyond just predictions and expect other sports coming soon, such as tennis and cricket
- Easy navigation by tip type – find exactly what you’re looking for, whether it’s 1X2, BTTS, or Over/Under tips, all one click away
This new format enhances usability, increases engagement, and broadens access to MightyTips’ expert content. It’s part of a wider strategy to modernise content delivery across sports and improve the overall user journey
News
Mikael Strunge is appointed as the new President and CEO of ACROUD

The board of directors of ACROUD AB has appointed Mikael Strunge as the new President and CEO of Acroud. Mikael Strunge, born in 1981, has worked within Acroud for four years in various roles in different parts of the company, most recently as COO. Mikael Strunge succeeds Robert Andersson.
“On behalf of the Board, I would like to thank Robert Andersson for his leadership and contributions over the past years. We are pleased to appoint Mikael Strunge as our new President and CEO. Mikael brings deep operational insight and a clear strategic vision, and we are confident that under his leadership, Acroud will enter its next phase of growth and innovation”, says Morten Marcussen, Chairman of Acroud.
“The last 4 years at Acroud has been a rollercoaster of emotions and results. I am proud to accept this appointment from the board and look forward to start the implementation of the company’s new strategic framework”, says Mikael Strunge, new President and CEO of Acroud.
Biography of Mikael Strunge
Mikael Strunge is 44 years old and has worked within Acroud for over four years, most recently as COO of Acroud, being responsible for the day-to-day management and operational activities of Acroud. Before that, Mikael was the CEO of PMG before PMG was acquired by Acroud.
Affiliate Announcements
ReferOn Launches Three Powerful New Features for Smarter Affiliate Management

ReferOn, the next-gen affiliate management system, has introduced three major features aimed at making affiliate operations faster, smoother and more scalable than ever.
The latest updates, including Async task tracking, affiliate-controlled postbacks and bulk payment generation, reflect ReferOn’s ongoing commitment to removing friction and empowering users with practical and efficient tools.
- Async Tasks: Say goodbye to frozen screens, slow loading and laggy sessions. The new system handles background-heavy processes such as bulk payments asynchronously (and with real-time tracking). This ensures smoother overall performance where users can monitor complex actions without overloading their session.
- Affiliate-Controlled Postbacks: Affiliates can now manage their own postback setup directly in the platform (when enabled by their manager). No more tickets, long email threads or tedious back-and-forth communication. Campaigns go live faster and everyone moves more efficiently and with less delay.
- Bulk Payment Generation: One of the more repetitive recurring workflows for users just became radically more efficient (and easy). Users can now generate payments for multiple partners in bulk with just a few clicks, freeing up time for higher-impact work.
Vladyslav Bondarenko, ReferOn’s Head of Product, commented on the new features, “At ReferOn, we design for scale, efficiency and performance. These new features are more than simple improvements, they represent the foundations of a more autonomous, convenient and resilient system. We’re about empowering both operators and affiliates, and we’ve done that by providing self-service and streamlined tools to keep control in their hands. The ReferOn team continues to deliver on our promise of user empowerment without complexity.”
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