- Casino
- By State
- Alabama
- Alaska
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Georgia
- Florida
- Hawaii
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Massachusetts
- Maryland
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Hampshire
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Tennessee
- Texas
- Utah
- Vermont
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin
- Wyoming
- By State
- Slots
- Poker
- Sports
- Esports
Fact-checked by Velimir Velichkov
California Governor Signs Bill Letting Tribes Challenge Private Card Rooms
The bill's approval grants tribes the legal authority to contest approximately 80 privately-owned card rooms throughout the state

California’s Governor Gavin Newsom has put his signature on Senate Bill 549 making it law. This new legislation gives Native American tribes the right to take legal action against private card rooms.
Political Clash Erupts Over Tribes’ Rights to Challenge California Card Rooms
The tribes claim that card rooms are breaking the law by running house-banked card games like blackjack and pai gow poker. This bill has sparked a heated political fight between two big players in California’s gambling world: tribal casinos and card rooms.
The bill’s approval gives tribes the legal right to challenge around 80 card rooms owned by private entities across the state, reported CalMatters.
They can now claim these places step on the exclusive gambling rights that voters gave tribes long ago. Before this, tribes could not take card rooms to court because they were sovereign nations. The new law has gotten rid of this legal obstacle.
The stakes are high, as many California cities depend on card room tax money. Places like Hawaiian Gardens and Commerce could face big financial problems. Card rooms provide two-thirds of Hawaiian Gardens’ budget and almost half of Commerce’s. Other cities worry too. San Jose gets about $30 million each year from its card rooms. City leaders there fear cuts to key services like police and fire if card rooms have to shrink their business. They are concerned this could happen after the new rules come into play.
California Legislation Sparks Lobbying Frenzy from Tribes and Card Rooms
The bill has sparked intense lobbying from both camps. Tribes have argued for years that card rooms drain money from tribal communities that have faced historical disadvantages. They view the bill as progress in tackling this economic gap.
On the flip side, card rooms insist their operations are lawful, with approval from the state attorney general’s office. Yet, they worry that giving tribes the right to sue without the chance to countersue might result in crippling legal expenses shutting them down for good.
Lobbying and campaign donations had a big impact on the political moves around the bill. Last year, one card room, the Hawaiian Gardens Casino, put over $9 million into lobbying. Tribes have spent more than card rooms in recent years to back Governor Newsom. Since Newsom started his run for governor, tribes have given more than $7 million to his various political efforts, while card rooms have donated $252,000.
The bill came at the same time as other moves focused on Native Americans, as Newsom signed more laws to help tribal communities on California Native American Day. These laws aim to add Native American views to school lessons and to make it easier to use traditional ways to manage land.
Related Topics:
Silvia has dabbled in all sorts of writing – from content writing for social media to movie scripts. She has a Bachelor's in Screenwriting and experience in marketing and producing documentary films. With her background as a customer support agent within the gambling industry, she brings valuable insight to the Gambling News writers’ team.
Previous Article
Poker
September 30, 2024
Arsenal vs. PSG 2024-25 Champions League Odds, Time, and Prediction
Next Article
Poker
September 30, 2024
Colorado: Ute Mountain Ute Tribe Challenges Sports Betting in Lawsuit
Must Read
Poker
January 31, 2025
Geleziunas Wants Third Consecutive Title at the DPF
Poker
January 27, 2025
YouGov Analyzes UK Online Poker, Highlights Key Trends
Poker
January 22, 2025
WPT Global’s New Spring Series Lunar Edition Features $8M GTD
More Articles
Industry
February 12, 2025
New Data: Casino Visitations Have Dropped But Patrons Spend More
Legal
February 12, 2025
WinView Files New Patent Lawsuit Against FanDuel and DraftKings
Industry
February 12, 2025
Senator Addabbo Seeks to Add New Legal Markets to NY Betting
Business
February 12, 2025
Light & Wonder Promotes from Within, Names Nathan Drane CPO
Legal
February 12, 2025
Mount Airy Casino Resort Faces $5M Legal Claim
Casino
February 12, 2025
IGT’s Flagship Games Hit Four More Massive Jackpots in January
Industry
February 12, 2025
Canada Struggles with Online Gambling Scams
Sports
February 12, 2025
Nevada Sportsbooks Reach Record Super Bowl Profit Despite Lower Handle
Industry
February 12, 2025
No Mass Deportations Expected For LV Hotel, Casino Employees
Industry
February 12, 2025
Tampa Police Crack Down on Illegal Gambling, Arrest Three
Casino
February 12, 2025
Spirit Lake Tribe Opposes Planned Grand Forks Casino
Sports
February 11, 2025
FanDuel Recorded 16.6 Million Super Bowl Bets