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 mission of the California Gambling Control Commission is to protect the public by ensuring integrity and justice in California's controlled gambling industry through effective regulations and fair application of the law.
The Commission has jurisdiction over cardrooms, third-party providers of proposition player services, and certain aspects of Tribal casinos, pursuant to state law and Tribal-State gaming compacts. The Gambling Control Act, Commission regulations, and the Tribal-State compacts define the Commission’s roles and responsibilities.
The Commission holds public meetings twice a month to consider gaming license applications, transactions, and other approvals. Also as a part of the Commission’s policymaking authority, the Commission holds public hearings to consider regulations that affect the gaming industry in California.
The Commission administers the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund, is the trustee of the Indian Gaming Revenue Sharing Trust Fund, and provides administrative support to the Tribal Nation Grant Fund.
Gambling in California is regulated by both the Commission and the Department of Justice’s Bureau of Gambling Control. The Bureau of Gambling Control is responsible for conducting investigations and audits, enforcing the state’s gaming laws and regulations, and collecting gaming license applications and the applicable fees.
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 80 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 to owners, workers, supervisors, key employees, and related parties;
- 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 license approvals, denials, 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 65 Tribal casinos open and operated by 62 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;
- Providing administrative support for the Tribal Nation Grant Fund, including processing grant applications, assisting the advisor and the panel, and making distributions to Non-Gaming and Limited-Gaming Tribes based on the approved methodology; and
- Developing regulations related to the Compacts with the Tribal-State Association.
