You cannot win real money online with California casinos, despite lawmakers attempting to pass several bills to change this.
Still, players in California can access sweepstakes and social casinos, where they can play online casino games and win 'gold coins' in the process.
List of California online casinos
Here is a list of the best online casinos for California players as of September 2025.
Each CA online casino listed below is legal and licensed by the California Gambling Control Commission.
In the last column you will find the top California online casinos no deposit bonus:
Top online casinos in California reviewed
In the following sections, you can read mini-reviews of the best legal online casinos California residents can play.
You can see our analysis of each and what that specific casino site is recommended for, so you can make the best choice for your gambling needs.
1. Spree - Best online casino California for RTP percentage
2. Stake.us - Best California online casino for payout speed
3. High 5 Casino - Best California casino site for game variety
4. NoLimitCoins - Best for daily California casino bonuses
5. Funrize - Best for customer support
Best California online casinos compared 2025
How we rate & rank real money online casinos California
Our goal is to provide you with objective, concise reviews of US online casinos, highlighting their key strengths and weaknesses.
We use a set of essential criteria to evaluate each casino, ensuring effective comparison.
Game selection: We examine the variety and quality of casino games, like roulette or the best online slots, ensuring a broad online casino gaming experience.
Bonuses & promotions: We review the generosity and fairness of online casino welcome bonuses, no-deposit offers, and ongoing promotions, with a focus on transparent terms.
Mobile compatibility: We test the platform's mobile performance, including its online casino app features, to ensure a seamless gaming experience on all devices.
Payment methods: We assess the range of deposit and withdrawal options, processing times, and any fees, prioritizing fast payout online casinos.
Security: We verify that the site is licensed in the US and uses top-tier security measures like SSL encryption, so we only recommend the top safe online casinos.
Customer support: We evaluate the responsiveness and effectiveness of support options, including live chat, email, and phone.
Fair play: We review game fairness, focusing on return-to-player (RTP) rates and the integrity of random number generators, so players can gamble securely. Take a look at the top payout casinos for this feature.
We download each top online casino and interact with the platform ourselves, using our own money to test the quality.
If we do not recommend the site to our friends and family, we will not recommend it to you!
This streamlined approach ensures you can make informed decisions based on what matters most in your online gambling experience.
How do I choose a California online casino for me?
Game variety: Look for a casino that offers a diverse selection of games, such as slots, blackjack, roulette, and poker. Some California casinos even offer unique sweepstakes or social casino games. The more variety, the better your chances of finding games you enjoy.
Bonuses and promotions: Evaluate the welcome bonuses, promotions, and loyalty programs at California sweepstakes or social casinos. Many sites offer free Sweeps Coins, Gold Coins, or daily bonuses, which can enhance your playing experience without needing real money deposits.
Payout speed and banking options: Choose a casino that offers fast payouts and convenient banking options. Even though California social casinos don't deal with real money deposits, they allow you to redeem winnings, so check for smooth, reliable withdrawal methods like bank transfers or e-wallets.
Payout percentage (RTP): Consider the average Return to Player (RTP) for the games available. While California social casinos may not display real-money RTP rates, you can still find games with favorable odds that give you more chances to win redeemable prizes.
Mobile compatibility and user experience: If you prefer to play on the go, choose a California social casino with a well-optimized mobile app or website. An easy-to-navigate, mobile-friendly platform ensures a smoother, more enjoyable gaming experience wherever you are.
Reputation and customer support: Select California sweeps casinos with a strong reputation for fairness and security. Reliable customer support is also key, whether you need help with coin redemptions or technical issues. Look for casinos with responsive support via live chat, email, or phone.
Best California casino apps
Here's a list of the best CA casino apps with their App store rating for iOS and Android.
California online gambling laws
California's gambling laws currently prohibit most forms of online gambling, including real money online casinos and sports betting.
The state permits certain gambling activities like horse racing, the state lottery, and charitable gaming, but online casino games for real money remain unavailable.
Social and sweepstakes casinos are the main legal alternatives, offering Californians the chance to play casino-style games and win redeemable prizes without risking real money.
Although there have been ongoing discussions and legislative efforts to legalize online gambling, the powerful influence of Native American tribes, who control over 60 land-based casinos, has played a significant role in maintaining the status quo.
The history of California’s attempts to legalize online gambling has seen multiple setbacks.
In 2022, two propositions—Prop 26 and Prop 27—were presented to voters to introduce sports betting, but both were overwhelmingly rejected, with over 67% of voters opposing the measures.
The Native American tribes, which generate an $8 billion annual revenue from their casinos, have consistently opposed any expansion that could impact their operations.
Previous efforts, such as Bill SCA-6 in 2020, also failed to pass.
Despite California being the most populous state with significant potential for online gaming, these entrenched interests have kept any advancements at bay.
Legalization efforts are not expected to see substantial progress until the mid-to-late 2020s.
Responsible online gambling California
Before we end this article, we need to caution you to always bet and play responsibly with online California casinos.
To ensure you’re being cautious, these casinos implement various responsible gambling practices that will help you keep your betting habits in check and prevent unhealthy behaviors.
Limits: Online casinos allow you to set betting limits, i.e. limit how much you can bet in a day, a week, or a month.
Cashouts: You can withdraw your winnings quite easily from any online casino. This prevents you from spending all of your winnings. There’s also the option for early cashout, so you can still get paid if the bet is starting to go sideways.
Help & resources: Casinos provide access to resources for problem gamblers and point them to organizations that can help with gambling addiction.
Responsible gambling organizations and charities in the US
Frequently asked questions
Editorial policy
Our editorial policy ensures extensively researched, accurate, and unbiased content through strict sourcing standards and diligent review by top online gambling experts and seasoned editors.
This process maintains integrity, relevance, and value in all of our content for our readers.
References
To test casino sites accurately, we dive into analytical research of the online casino gambling industry, to understand what features are best for you.
Below are the references we use when making these decisions on their levels of security: