Those looking to play online poker in California have limited options available to them. The most populous US state has yet to pass any laws regulating online gambling, which means there are no state-licensed California poker sites.
Fortunately, Golden State residents still have a few options available, presented in the form of sweepstakes sites and real-money offshore operators that continue to cater to players from the United States.
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Great casino offer Both alternatives offer players the opportunity to compete for and win real money prizes in ring games and tournaments. However, they operate on different models, with the biggest distinction in the deposits and withdrawals department.
On this page, we bring you all the information about the current state of online poker in California, your best options, and predictions on what the future might hold.
Can I Play Online Poker in California?
Yes, you can play online poker in California via sweepstakes sites and offshore poker rooms that continue to accept players from the Golden State. That said, California doesn’t currently have any state-licensed poker sites as the state is yet to pass a law regulating online poker and casino games.
California Online Poker Facts
| Available options | Sweepstakes operators & offshore sites |
| State-regulated poker sites | Not available |
| Age limit for California online poker | 18+ |
| Best CA poker site | CoinPoker |
Best Online Poker Sites in California
Although California doesn’t have any state-licensed poker sites, players in the state still have access to a fair few options. These fall into two main categories, namely:
- Offshore poker sites operating under international licenses
- Sweepstakes poker sites operating under US sweepstakes laws
The main differences between these two options are in the banking department, where sweepstakes operators don’t facilitate traditional deposits and withdrawals. However, once you get past that initial hurdle and understand the mechanics, there are no fundamental differences in terms of options or gameplay.
#1. CoinPoker – Best for Serious Players
CoinPoker is our top choice for online poker in California. This is an offshore site that caters to players from the United States, offering standard real money play. The only caveat is that the operator only accepts cryptocurrencies, so you can’t use traditional banking options for deposits or withdrawals.
CoinPoker boasts a large player base, leading to plenty of action across their cash game tables, as well as a decent tournament schedule. The operator also has a solid selection of promotions and decent rakeback, making it the top pick for serious grinders.
#2 ClubWPT Gold – Best for Finding Soft Games
ClubWPT Gold is the latest addition to the sweepstakes poker scene in the US, welcoming players from dozens of US states, including California. The site is owned by the World Poker Tour, one of the largest brands in the poker industry, which lends it a high level of legitimacy and attracts a large number of players.
Although ClubWPT Gold has its shortcomings, primarily in terms of software, the site offers very soft games across all stakes, allowing for very high win rates. Currently, multi-tabling is not possible, which limits the room’s appeal for serious grinders, but this limitation is likely to change in the near future.
#3. Stake US – Best for Lower Stakes
Stake US is a notable option for those seeking to play online poker in California. This is a sweepstakes site that only accepts cryptocurrencies, which means that purchasing Gold Coins to receive free Stake Cash is not possible through traditional means.
If this is not an obstacle, Stake US is actually a solid platform, especially for those looking to play micro and low-stakes ring games. While the player traffic isn’t huge, in part due to these banking limitations, there are usually plenty of tables running at lower levels.
Free Poker vs Real-Money Games
For those new to sweepstakes poker, the difference between these free and real-money games can be unclear. The easiest way to understand it is by not focusing too much on the cosmetic differences, realizing that both are, essentially, the same thing.
Free poker sites add an extra step when it comes to funding your account or requesting a withdrawal. So, instead of a direct deposit, you purchase gold coins (that have no actual value) and, as a reward, receive free sweepstakes coins.
These sweeps coins can be used to enter ring games and tournaments, and you can eventually exchange them for real money prizes. The redemption process serves as a substitute for a withdrawal request on a real-money poker site.
As for real-money poker operators in California, these are all offshore sites that are not licensed in the United States. They accept traditional deposits and withdrawals, with many of them relying primarily on new methods like cryptocurrencies.
By utilizing cryptocurrency, sites like CoinPoker are able to avoid various restrictions and limitations that US players face when trying to deposit via traditional means, such as credit cards.
Free Poker vs. Real-Money Poker Comparison
| Free Poker in California | Real-Money Poker Games |
| No direct deposits | Deposit money directly into your account |
| Withdrawal via prize redemption | Withdraw directly to your crypto wallet |
| Limited bonuses and rakeback options | Big welcome offers & solid rakeback deals |
Sweepstakes Model in a Nutshell
Sweepstakes poker sites have been operating in the US for some time now, largely staying on the right side of the law by basing their operations on the country’s sweepstakes laws.
These sites don’t allow players to deposit money directly. Instead, they reward their users with Sweeps Coins for various actions, which include purchasing free Gold Coins. Gold Coins are play-only currency that don’t have any value outside of the site and can’t be exchanged for any prizes.
Sweeps Coins (SC), on the other hand, can be exchanged for real money prizes. Players can use these to play in separate SC tables to increase the number of coins they own. When they feel like it, they can proceed to request a prize redemption, usually at the rate of 1 SC for $1.
The main difference between sweepstakes operators and offshore real money sites is that players can’t deposit, withdraw, or purchase Sweeps Coins directly. Instead, SCs are always issued as free rewards.
Regulation Landscape in California
California has been long waiting for its own online poker regulation with several attempts over the years, but none of them have come to fruition. With the population of almost 40 million, it would become the largest regulated market in the country, and its addition to the MSIGA would be a huge development for US online poker in general.
Unfortunately, things aren’t looking good in the regulation department. There are too many different interest groups blocking all attempts to regulate online gambling, and, barring some completely unexpected developments, we’re unlikely to see any progress over the next couple of years at the very least.
It is also worth noting that many US states have started to introduce laws explicitly banning sweepstakes sites. California is not one of them yet, but if they join the trend, players in the state will be reduced to offshore options only. Luckily, CoinPoker should stick around regardless of any of these developments.
Regulating online poker in California would be a significant step in the right direction for the entire US poker community, but as things stand, we’ll have to wait a while to see that step.