Gambling in California

Licensed cardrooms may offer approved card games in which players vie against each other (rather than against the house), such as poker.

[7] However, in these cardrooms, an independent operator known in state law as a "third party provider of proposition services" usually acts as the "house" and the casino earns revenue on a fee charged to the proposition service provider and fees charged to players to play a hand.

[14] State voters in 1976 approved a constitutional amendment allowing counties and cities to legalize charitable bingo.

[21][22] Extended racing meets are held throughout the year at five tracks: Cal Expo, Del Mar, Golden Gate Fields, Los Alamitos, and Santa Anita.

[23] There are 27 satellite wagering facilities throughout the state, most of them found at county fairgrounds, cardrooms, and tribal casinos.

[25] As of 2018, the annual amount wagered on California races was $3.2 billion, with $662 million retained after payouts.