About the Commission
OFFICE LOCATION/HOURS
2399 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 220
Sacramento, CA 95833
8:00AM – 5:00PM, excluding State Holidays
General
The focus of the California Gambling Control Commission (Commission) is to act as the regulatory body over:
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1. Gambling establishments (cardrooms), and over all persons or transactions regarding ownership interest of gambling enterprises;
2. Third Party Providers of Proposition Players Services, and over all persons or transactions regarding ownership interest; and,
3. Tribal casinos, pursuant to the Commission's authority under the Tribal-State Gaming Compacts.
The Commission is responsible for setting policy, establishing regulations, making determinations of suitability for gaming employees and other individuals and entities, issuing licenses, acting as the administrator of gaming revenues deposited into the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund (SDF) and the trustee over the revenues deposited into the Indian Gaming Revenue Sharing Trust Fund (RSTF), and administering the provisions of the Gambling Control Act and the Tribal-State Gaming Compacts (Compacts).
The Bureau of Gambling Control within the Department of Justice (DOJ), is the State law enforcement authority with special jurisdiction over gambling activities within the State of California. The Bureau of Gambling Control is also the entity that receives applications and fees and conducts criminal background investigations and audits.
Cardrooms and Third Party Providers of Proposition Players Services
The Commission, under the Gambling Control Act, and pursuant to the Governor's Executive Order D-29-01 has jurisdiction over operation, concentration, and supervision of gambling establishments and over all persons related to the operations of gambling establishments in the State of California. There are approximately 89 cardrooms currently licensed by the Commission.
The Commission's primary responsibilities related to cardrooms and third party providers include:
- Making determinations of suitability for the issuance of licenses/registrations to owners, supervisors, players, related parties, and key employees;
- Issuing work permits to cardroom employees in specific jurisdictions;
- Taking reasonable actions to ensure that no ineligible, unqualified, disqualified, or unsuitable persons are associated with controlled gaming activities;
- Assessing and acting upon certain restricted transactions including ownership changes and lending arrangements;
- Taking reasonable actions to ensure that gambling activities take place only in suitable locations;
- Granting temporary/interim licenses, permits or approvals on appropriate terms and conditions;
- Developing and implementing regulations pursuant to the Gambling Control Act; and,
- Adjudicating recommendations concerning license denials or revocations, or disciplinary actions.
Tribal Gaming
The Commission, pursuant to the Compacts, the Gambling Control Act, the Governor's Executive Order D-31-01 and Governor's Executive Order D-66-03, has various fiduciary, regulatory and administrative responsibilities related to Tribal gaming and the distribution of revenues to eligible Indian Tribes. There are currently 66 Tribal casinos open and operated by 63 Tribes.
The Commission's primary responsibilities related to Tribal gaming and Non-Compact Tribes include, but are not limited to:
- Making suitability determinations for Tribal key employees, gaming resource suppliers (vendors), and financial sources;
- Serving as the administrator of the Special Distribution Fund;
- Serving as the trustee for the RSTF, including collecting and accounting for payments from Tribes, preparing reports, and distributing funds to eligible Non-Compact, Non-Gaming and Limited Gaming Tribes based on the approved distribution methodology;
- Ensuring that the allocation of gaming devices among the Compact Tribes does not exceed the allowable number of gaming devices as provided in the Compacts and that the license draws comply with the Compacts; and,
- Developing regulations related to the Compacts with the Tribal-State Association
