Los Angeles has no traditional casinos. No slot machines, no roulette, and no games played against the house. Instead, the city is home to card clubs — a unique form of gambling venue where players only compete against each other. The establishment simply hosts the games and takes a fee.
Under California law, any form of house-banked gaming is prohibited. What most people know as standard casino games — where you play against the casino — are illegal in LA County. The only exception is tribal casinos, but those are located outside the city, usually one to two hours away on Native American lands.
In LA’s licensed card rooms, games like poker, baccarat, and Pai Gow are allowed only if players face off against one another, not the house. This model is seen as less risky from both a legal and social perspective.
Gambling has a long history in California. During the Gold Rush, cards were everywhere. Then came a crackdown, and for decades, gambling disappeared from public view — aside from illegal backroom games.
Things shifted in 1988, when federal law allowed Native American tribes to open casinos on their lands. That kickstarted a statewide industry — but didn’t change much for Los Angeles, which has no tribal land in its county limits.
Meanwhile, card clubs had already emerged in a legal gray area. They weren’t exactly allowed — but they weren’t being shut down either. Eventually, California formalized their status with strict regulations: as long as the clubs didn’t play against customers and followed the rules, they could operate legally.
Today, LA County is home to four major card rooms: Commerce, the largest in the world; Bicycle Casino; Hollywood Park; and Hawaiian Gardens. These aren’t just poker rooms — they’re full-scale entertainment complexes with hotels, restaurants, and live shows.
Oversight is tight. Multiple agencies are involved: the California Gambling Control Commission, the Bureau of Gambling Control, and local authorities. They monitor compliance, taxes, and public safety.
Surveillance, security, and licensing are all under constant review. One misstep could cost a venue its license — so clubs take the rules seriously. The city benefits from this setup: jobs are created, tax revenue flows in, and tourism gets a boost.
Proposals for new gambling venues surface frequently, but rarely succeed. Existing card club owners, community activists, and tribal casinos all push back — each protecting their own interests.
Online gambling is another hot-button issue. In California, it remains illegal. There’s no licensed digital poker, no authorized online casinos. So players turn to offshore platforms, which are increasingly popular. Sites like 1xBet, Melbet, and Mostbet consistently appear at the top of search results. Apps like 1win also attract users with a wide variety of games, as reported by iGaming review platforms. While many of these casinos have solid reputations, the state sees them as a financial loss — unregulated revenue that bypasses local oversight.
Sports betting is also still banned. Despite repeated attempts to legalize it, voters have yet to approve any measures. Lawmakers remain stuck between promised tax benefits and the perceived social risks — and so far, no clear path forward has emerged.