California online poker rooms are one of the only options for playing poker in the Golden State. The state’s restrictive gambling laws make it difficult for players to access most real money casino games, including poker.
Luckily, California online casinos are not as restricted by these regulations as their land-based counterparts. You can find plenty of safe poker games online in the Golden State if you know where to look.
Picking the right poker room is crucial to having a positive online poker experience. Keep reading to see the best options for playing online poker for real money in California.
Is Gambling Legal in California?
The federal government has taken a step back in recent years, allowing each state to have more control over its gambling laws. Most of the conversation in recent years about the Golden State’s gambling laws has been about creating new California sports betting legislation.
But the Golden State does not just place heavy restrictions on sports betting. The state also has restrictive casino gaming laws. Outside of California’s tribal casinos, the only option for playing casino-style games is in California’s legal card rooms.
All of the games offered in these card rooms must be approved by the California Gambling Control Commission and the Bureau of Gambling Control. Luckily, the Golden State is not as reactive when it comes to online poker.
Can You Play Online Poker in California?
California laws place heavy restrictions on land-based poker rooms in the state. But offshore poker rooms are largely able to avoid these regulations.
So, while poker rooms in the Golden State cannot offer online poker, out-of-state operators can accept players from California. This loophole is open for players in most US states, not just poker players in Cali.
Players in California can play online poker with people from all over the United States. You can also test your skills against players from around the world. Of course, there are also great options for playing casino poker online, where you can test your skills against the computer.
Wild Casino Is The Best Casino Poker Selection
When you think of online poker, you probably think of playing against other people. But you can have tons of fun and win plenty of money by playing against a computer. Casino poker games, like those offered by Wild Casino, are a great option for people who are new to online poker.
Wild Casino offers a great selection of nearly a dozen casino poker variations. The selection includes popular games like online Texas Hold’em, Tri Card Poker, and even Pai Gow.
If you choose to play Wild Casino from the Golden State you will also have access to great bonus options. New members can claim welcome bonuses that offer up to $9,000 in bonus funds, which can be used on table games like casino poker.
There are also a ton of bonuses for existing members looking to get extra poker funds. The 10% weekly rebate, for instance, is a great way to recoup your losses from a down week playing poker.
DuckyLuck Casino Has The Best Poker Rewards
Another great option for playing poker online is DuckyLuck Casino. This online gambling site offers a great selection of casino poker games. Members can also choose from over a dozen video poker games to play.
When you play poker at DuckyLuck Casino, you will be eligible to earn points in the DuckyBucks Rewards program. The bonus options in this reward program can give you an endless supply of extra poker funds to gamble with.
That is because the DuckyBucks program has daily and weekly bonus options available. Many of these DuckyLuck bonuses are aimed at increasing your bankroll, including offers such as these:
- Daily reloading megabonuses of up to 395%
- Unlimited EasyWin bonuses worth up to 90%
- Weekly cashback offers of up to 10%
Players who deposit with cryptocurrency will get even better rewards. For example, make your first deposit with crypto and receive a 600% match bonus. With a maximum deposit of $500, that means you’d receive $3,000 for a welcome bonus. Crypto bettors also get a 10$ daily cashback, faster payouts, and a 3% rebate on every crypto deposit you make!
Bovada Has The Best Live Poker Games
Casino poker games are not the only way for California bettors to play poker online. There are plenty of poker rooms, like the one at Bovada, that allow you to play against other live players.
Bovada’s dedicated poker room is arguably the best option for players in the Golden State. You can claim an exclusive 100% deposit match poker welcome bonus worth up to $500. These casino bonus funds will come in handy as you compete against players from across the globe.
There are a lot of options for competing against players in live events. Bovada has classic tournament options, such as Sit-and-Go events and Knockout Tournaments. The poker room also offers unique poker game options.
Zone Poker, for instance, is a great option for people who want to maximize the number of hands they can play. As soon as your hand is over, such as when you fold, you will be transferred to a new table with a fresh hand to play.
Ignition Casino Is The Best Site For Poker Tournaments
Speaking of tournaments, they are one of the most popular ways of playing poker. Online poker tournaments are a great option for players who want to test their endurance skills without traveling to a nearby card room. Ignition Casino is the best option for California players who want the tournament experience.
There are a lot of reasons to love Ignition’s poker tournaments. The variety of events, poker bonuses, and the guaranteed prize pools are our favorite parts of this poker room.
Guaranteed prize pools are self-explanatory, but the types of poker tournaments at Ignition deserve special recognition. Players can choose from a large variety of events, including:
- Knockout tournaments
- Jackpot Sit & Go tournaments
- Weekly Freeroll events
- Monthly poker opens such as the Black Diamond Poker Open
- Weekly poker events like the Super Saturday tournaments
Playing poker at Ignition also allows you to earn reward points for the Ignition Rewards program. You can turn in your rewards points for a ton of great prizes, including cash.
BetOnline Has The Best Mobile Poker App
The final spot on our list of the best poker sites to use in California goes to BetOnline. This online poker room offers a great variety of both casino and live poker games. There are also a ton of banking options available to players, including:
- Bitcoin
- Visa
- Mastercard
- Litecoin
- Ethereum
The benefits of using BetOnline extend far beyond the site’s great banking options. Californians can use this site to play poker via their preferred mobile devices.
BetOnline’s casino app is one of the best you will come across in 2023. You can play right from your mobile browser without having to download anything. Using your mobile device to play lets you access your favorite poker games at any time.
All of BetOnline’s poker features are available on mobile. This includes the poker room’s 100% poker welcome bonus and access to all of the poker tournaments. You can even win the exclusive poker room jackpots from your mobile device.
Tips for Playing Online Poker for Real Money in California
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All of the California online poker rooms listed above are great options for players in the Golden State. Choosing the right poker room is just one step toward becoming a great player. Here are three more poker tips to help you get the most out of your online playing experience:
Adapt Your Strategy to Your Opponents
A huge part of being a successful gambler is picking the right strategy. In poker, your strategy will largely depend on your opponents. Even casino poker games require strategy, and you should adjust your system to the opponents you are playing.
Your strategy will not be the same for all poker games, though. If you are playing against live players instead of a computer, such as when you play Texas Hold’em online, your strategy will change frequently. That is because you need to adjust your strategy based on the other players involved.
Take Advantage of California Online Poker Bonus
Another great tip for poker players in California is to make sure you maximize your funds using online poker bonuses. The right bonus offer can add hundreds, if not thousands, of bonus funds to your poker bankroll. A larger bankroll will allow you to play more hands of your favorite poker games.
Stick to Your Poker Bankroll
Sticking to your bankroll is one of the best skills any gambler can learn. This can be especially challenging to do when you are playing poker because many tournaments offer rebuy opportunities. As long as you plan for them, a well-timed reentry into a tournament can pay huge dividends.
Which California Online Poker Site Will You Play At?
Playing poker online in California is the easiest way to access your favorite card games. There are tons of great options for online poker in the Golden State. You can find our picks for the best online poker rooms in California in the list above.
