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California As coronavirus stay-at-home restrictions ease, California casinos gamble on reopening Patrons get their temperatures taken upon entering Morongo Casino which is reopening for the first. The California Gaming Association (CGA) has asked Governor Gavin Newsom (D) to order the closure of tribal casinos in the state. The trade body — which represents California’s card clubs, but not.
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Above: An official reads the temperature of a woman at the entrance to the Viejas Casino and Resort as it reopens Monday, May 18, 2020, in Alpine, Calif.
“We're open!” says Thunder Valley Resort Casino. Morongo Casino Resort & Spa declares, 'Good Times are back!” Barona Resort Casino says, “We're open 24/7.”
Splashy messages on websites and freeway signs for California's tribal casinos are a jarring contrast with the sober restraint that Gov. Gavin Newsom has ordered amid a crushing surge in coronavirus cases that has overwhelmed hospitals statewide.
California's self-governed tribal casinos have largely left safety rules unchanged since reopening in the spring as the government has stiffened restrictions on other businesses in most of the state. Stay-at-home orders that began in early December prohibit indoor religious services and on-site dining, close gyms and cardrooms, restrict hotel reservations and limit capacity to 20% at retail stores.
Tribal casinos operate under federal law on federally protected land, known as rancherias in California, so they're not required to fall in line with Newsom's orders. The country's 574 federally recognized tribes also are sovereign entities and can decide on how to operate their businesses without approval from states.
Tribes outside California have reopened casinos with limited capacity and other safety precautions. Casinos on the country's largest Native American reservation, the Navajo Nation in the Southwest, have been closed since March.
Casino revenue is also a major source of income for tribes, which don't have a tax base like state and local governments.
With few other places open New Year's Eve, casinos have come under scrutiny for ringing in 2021 with a bang. Graton Resort & Casino in Rohnert Park, north of San Francisco, faced a backlash after announcing last week that it would close for a private party with up to 4,000 people. It abruptly canceled the event and “apologized for any inconvenience' in a statement online.
The San Manuel Casino in Highland, east of Los Angeles, said Tuesday that its New Year's Eve events were also off. It will remain open for “current limited capacity” but there will be no midnight countdown, booze at the bar or tableside dining.
Pechanga Resort Casino in Temecula, California's largest tribal casino, said Monday that it was closing to the “general public” on New Year's Eve after previously canceling special celebrations and postponing concerts through March.
Closing to the public on New Year's Eve was done to “further discourage attendance,” Jared Munoa, board president of the Pechanga Development Corp., said this week.
Cache Creek Casino Resort, northwest of Sacramento, said it canceled plans for a public New Year's Eve party in early December but will open for “a small number of special guests,” estimated at less than 1% of normal crowds.
Some casinos are sticking to festivities. Thunder Valley, near Sacramento, promotes “2021 Celebration Giveaway” drawings Friday and Saturday, with $8,000 grand prizes. Viejas Casino & Resort, east of San Diego, advertises a $50,000 Bingo 'celebration” on New Year's Eve.
Bradley Pollock, a public health professor at UC Davis Health, acknowledged tribal rights and the economic benefits that casinos deliver but said “anything that encourages people to come together physically is not good.” He said New Year's Eve celebrations are “even more egregious.'
The Associated Press checked policies on websites of California's 10 largest tribal casinos and sought comment from each by email or phone. Some confirmed the policies and underscored their commitment to safety; others didn't respond.
All post significant restrictions, such as temperature checks at the door, required face coverings and more space between slot machines. Buffets and many, but not all, restaurants are closed.
Gaming and dining capacity is more limited but few specify by how much. Two exceptions: Pechanga and Pala Casino Spa Resort, near San Diego, say they cap attendance at 50% of normal.
The few that have strengthened restrictions since November's surge are still far looser than non-tribal businesses. Cache Creek stopped bar service unless food is purchased. Sycuan Casino Resort, near San Diego, introduced a dining cap of eight people per table and other rules.
The right of tribes to determine their own rules is unquestioned. San Diego County Supervisor Nathan Fletcher, who has denounced restaurants and churches that defy health orders, said when casinos prepared to reopen in May that he was in no position to criticize.
“This is a decision that is for them to make, and there is a very long and very dark history of the country, of white people in particular, telling our Native Americans what they should and shouldn’t do,” he said. “I’m not going to be a part of continuing that into the future. I respect their sovereignty.”
Information on how COVID-19 has spread from casinos is limited. KPBS obtained San Diego County records and reported that outbreaks at seven casinos were linked to at least 638 COVID-19 cases from late June to mid-December. It said at least 208 outbreaks occurred in restaurants and at least 125 at large retailers and grocery stores.
Pollock, of UC Davis Health, said hotels present limited risk of spread but dining and gaming are more troublesome.
“How do you have a poker game with one dealer and one player per table?” he said. “I don’t know how you would (safely) do it otherwise.”
Associated Press writer Felicia Fonseca in Flagstaff, Arizona, contributed to this report.
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California, one of the most populous states, as well as the wealthiest states in the US, is planning to make some drastic improvements to its gaming legislation better to meet the needs and values of its local population.
California is considered to be a trendsetter when it comes to most US industries. It’s no surprise that California’s legalized online gaming has grown well ahead of many other US locations. Given what has been a largely fruitless effort to date, experts consider California as one of the next states to create legal online within state casinos. Every year, it appears as if several bills are being brought into circulation for the full and utter legalization and control of online gambling casinos in California.
Here is what you need to know about gambling in California.
The state of California’s gambling scene
Today, when it comes to online gambling laws, the United States is one of the most confusing countries globally, with most states having diverse rules and complexities of how they handle the subject. It is probably the rare exception when it comes to California. There are currently no specific regulations explicitly prohibiting State residents from playing online gambling.
For this reason, Californians have a slight hesitation when they have to play online casino games, and currently there is a range of reliable sites around the state that offer online casino games, poker, and sports betting
Unlike the state lottery, online casinos are not subject to any form of government oversight, and can function in certain respects without panic of legal repercussions. Due to this, several bills were suggested with the ultimate aim of legalizing and controlling California’s online gambling industry.
Gambling laws within the state
In California only tribal casinos are permitted. The tribal casinos typically sell poker, blackjack, bingo, keno, slot machines and video poker. Card-rooms in California are required. These are different from casinos because players are betting on each other, not on the house. Such businesses are making their money by charging players a fee.
Unless the slot machines are antiques, it is not legal to own it. These slot machines has to be more than 25 years old and do not use real money.
California State runs the California lottery and provides many games like Mega Millions and SuperLotto Plus.
No California law bans, prohibits, or controls online gambling. Residents are not charged for gambling online or punished. California allows people to turn 18 to play the lottery. California’s legal age for gambling is 21 to play at sportsbooks, online casinos, bingo halls, and poker rooms.
Gambling online in California is secure and legal. Starting your own online gambling company is illegal. Otherwise, there are no legal consequences for you to play online.
Top casinos in California
Pechanga Resort and Casino
The Pechanga Resort and Casino has California’s biggest casino floor measuring 188,000 sq ft. The casino has over 5,000 slot machines, 38-table non-smoking poker room, 158 table games, and a state-of-the-art 700-seat bingo facility. It is strictly limited in the areas where customers of different nature enjoy a fun and tasty buffet and plenty of liquor for people over 21 years of age.
Pala Casino Spa Resort
Sitting in the small town of Pala, California, about 50 miles north of San Diego the Pala Casino Spa Resort is a grand weekend relaxing destination. Among the table games are the 21, Pala Roulette, baccarat, Pala Craps, and Pai Gow Poker.
Table Mountain Casino
The Table Mountain Casino is situated in Friant, California, about 20 miles north of Fresno on CA-41. The gaming is open 24 hours daily and has 2,000 Gaming Machines, 10 Poker Tables Blackjack & Poker tournament, Bingo facility, 40 Table Games.
Red Hawk Casino
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The Red Hawk Casino opened on 17th December 2008 and is situated about 30 miles east of Sacramento on Highway 50. The Indian based casino is well known along with another 75 table games and poker with a non-smoking floor with 2300 slot machines.
Morongo Casino Resort and Spa
The Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, which rises from the desert along I-10 about 20 miles west of Palm Springs, shine dazzlingly every day and evening. The huge on-site casino features a lot from slots to table games to bingo.
Quick betting tips
Sports gambling is not based on random chance, and the industry’s enormous size means you’re not just up against the bookmaker anymore, but other sports punters around the world. Here are some betting tips:
- It’s all about the odds
- Bet with your head, not heart
- Look at the bigger picture
- Invest in what you know
- Accept losses
Californians’ teams in regards to sports betting in major sports leagues
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Most of the national professional sports teams such as UCLA and USC Powerhouse University teams, the three National Football League franchises and the four National Basketball Assn live in California.
NBA and Major League Baseball attorneys have told legislators that they support the idea of a constitutional amendment but want to ensure that any proposed mechanism protects customers and the integrity of the games.
Representatives of the Pro League said every scheme would provide customer protection, including operator screening, age limits, gambling prevention services, and guarantees that the sports leagues be the sources of data used to determine odds and bets.
Final thoughts
California’s gaming rules can be confusing. When you’re worried about the legality of your gambling operation, then you can speak to an experienced California gaming attorney who can explain what practices are prohibited.
The fact that they are not regulated by the California government does not mean that the online casinos in California that sell their games are untrustworthy. Online casinos are supervised overseas, and most of them are very trustworthy; you just have to sign up for stellar reputations with time-tested ones.
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To assist you pick a legal CA online casino to play at, we’ve checked and analyzed hundreds of casinos and recommended the best online casinos for California residents on this page.