California Limits Blackjack Style Games in Cardrooms

California regulators have approved new rules that will sharply limit blackjack style and player dealer games in cardrooms across the state. Industry groups warn the changes could cut licensed cardroom revenue by more than 50 percent and trigger widespread job losses.

Good to Know

• New rules approved Feb. 9 take effect April 1
• Blackjack style and player dealer games face strict limits
• Industry group warns of major job and tax revenue losses

California law already bans traditional banked games, meaning the house cannot act as the bank in casino style table games. Cardrooms have long worked around that restriction by using third party player dealers. Under that structure, outside companies provide dealers who rotate as the bank, allowing games such as California Blackjack to operate in a format that closely resembles classic blackjack.

Tribal casinos have pushed for tighter enforcement for years, arguing that player dealer models stretch the limits of state law. Regulators have now responded with two sets of updated regulations. California Attorney General Rob Bonta announced the passage of the measures in December 2025. Final approval came on Feb. 9, and implementation is scheduled for April 1.

New standards will restrict how player dealer games operate and reduce the number of permitted games in cardrooms. Critics say practical effect equals an effective ban on many blackjack style offerings that draw steady traffic in local gaming halls.

California Gaming Association quickly pushed back. The group represents cardrooms statewide and argues economic impact could be severe. In a public statement, the association said the rules may wipe out roughly half of all cardroom jobs and put tens of thousands of families at risk.

CGA president Kyle Kirkland, said:

“Attorney General Bonta and the Bureau have unilaterally implemented extreme regulatory changes that will harm thousands of working families and the dozens of California communities that depend on cardroom taxes. By the Bureau’s own simplistic economic assessment, these unnecessary regulations will eliminate over half of all cardroom jobs and force many communities to cut police, fire, parks, senior and food programs when the long-standing tax base disappears.”

Cardroom taxes support local budgets in many California cities. Municipal leaders often rely on gaming revenue to fund police departments, fire services, park maintenance, senior programs, and food assistance. Reduced gaming activity could shrink those funding streams at a time when many cities already face budget pressure.

Kirkland also said officials received warnings from cities, elected leaders, employees, and other stakeholders before adoption of the new framework. According to the association, concerns included potential local fiscal harm and questions around due process and regulatory transparency.

Tension between tribal casinos and cardrooms has shaped California gaming policy for decades. Tribal operators hold exclusive rights to certain casino style games under state compacts. Cardrooms, by contrast, operate under a different legal model that focuses on player to player gambling. Disputes over what qualifies as a banked game versus a player dealer game have fueled repeated legal and regulatory battles.

Search interest around California cardroom regulations, California blackjack ban, player dealer games, and Rob Bonta gaming rules has climbed since announcement of the changes. Operators now face a short runway before April 1 enforcement begins.

The post California Limits Blackjack Style Games in Cardrooms appeared first on iGaming.org.