California · Explainer
California Gambling Age
The minimum age in California depends on the game and the venue, from lottery tickets at 18 to cardroom poker at 21, with tribal casinos in between.
Photograph by Rennett Stowe via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY 2.0)
California does not have one single gambling age: you must be 18 to buy lottery tickets or bet on horse races, 21 to play in a licensed cardroom, and 18 or 21 at a tribal casino, depending on the casino.
Gambling age by game and venue
Many people assume the legal gambling age in California is 21, but that is not the whole picture. State law, California Horse Racing Board rules and tribal-state compacts set different minimum ages for different activities:
| Activity | Minimum age | Where the rule comes from |
|---|---|---|
| California Lottery | 18 | Government Code section 8880.52 |
| Horse-race wagering | 18 | Horse Racing Board rule barring minors from buying or cashing pari-mutuel tickets |
| Charitable bingo | 18 | Penal Code section 326.5 bars minors from playing |
| Licensed cardrooms | 21 | Business and Professions Code sections 19921 and 19941 |
| Tribal casinos | 18 or 21 | Each tribe's compact and casino policy |
The Lottery law makes it a misdemeanor both to sell a ticket to someone under 18 and for someone under 18 to buy one, and tickets must carry a notice that prizes cannot be paid to minors. For cardrooms, state law says a person under 21 may not play, place wagers, collect winnings or loiter in a gaming area; people under 21 may enter only non-gaming areas such as restaurants and restrooms, or pass through gaming areas on a designated path with an adult.
Why tribal casinos differ
Tribal casinos operate under compacts negotiated between each tribe and the state, so there is no single statewide age for them. A California Research Bureau report noted that the 1999 compacts allowed people 18 or older to gamble, while compacts beginning in 2003 barred anyone under 21 from rooms where casino-style gaming takes place. In practice, many tribal casinos admit only guests 21 and older to the gaming floor, often because alcohol is served there, while some casinos that do not serve alcohol on the floor admit players from 18.
ID checks and visitors from other states
Anyone who plans to play the lottery, bet on horse racing, play in a cardroom or gamble at a tribal casino in California should check the venue's age rules and ID policy before visiting. Cardrooms can rely on a valid government-issued photo ID that shows name and date of birth as proof of age, and venues may ask for ID at any point, including before paying a prize.
The same age rules apply to visitors from other states and countries as to California residents; a lower age in a home state does not carry over. A casino's own website usually states its minimum age.
This article is general information, not legal advice. Rules can change, so check the California Lottery, the California Horse Racing Board, the California Gambling Control Commission or the casino itself. Anyone who needs help with gambling can call 1-800-GAMBLER (1-800-426-2537).
This article is general information about the law as it stood at the time of writing, not legal or tax advice. Rules change; check the official source before you act.
