Gambling-Related Legislation Chaptered in 2025
Changes to the law become effective January 1, 2026, unless otherwise specified.
GAMBLING CONTROL ACT
Senate Bill 451 (Chapter 584, Statutes of 2025, Archuleta) – Gambling
Senate Bill (SB) 451 authorizes the Department of Justice (DOJ) to investigate suspected illegal gambling activities conducted outside of licensed gambling establishments and other suspected criminal violations of the Gambling Control Act and Chapters 9 and 10 of Title 9 of Part 1 of the Penal Code. Additionally, this adds to existing major league sports raffle authorization, the ability for an eligible organization to offer a raffle at a championship game if held at the same venue where the affiliated sports team plays their home games.
SB 860 (Chapter 76, Statutes of 2025, Committee on Governmental Organization) – Gaming: Bingo
SB 860 repeals obsolete sections of the Business and Professions Code (BPC) and Penal Code (PC) relating to the California Remote Caller Bingo Act (Act), which sunset in 2017. These include repeal of PC 326.4, 326.45, portions of PC 326.5, and BPC 19850.5 and 19850.6.
TRIBAL
Assembly Bill 221 (Chapter 129, Statutes of 2025, Ramos) – Tribal Nation Grant Fund
Assembly Bill (AB) 221 will streamline the Tribal Nation Grant Fund Program (Program) grant application process and provide more consistent funding to all eligible limited gaming and nongaming tribes. The Program’s Panel (Panel) will award annual equal shares grants to be distributed in equal amounts of $600,000 per eligible tribe, or at least 85% of the available moneys in the Tribal Nation Grant Fund (TNGF), whichever is greater. If distributing equal shares of $600,000 per eligible tribe exceeds 100% of the available moneys in the TNGF, the Panel is required to distribute all available moneys in the TNGF as equal shares grants. Additionally, the Panel is authorized to award any remaining available moneys in the TNGF to eligible tribes as specific distribution grants. This eliminates the Panel’s authority to establish deadlines for a tribe to encumber or expend any/all grant monies within a specified amount of time.
The California Public Records Act requires each state and local agency, as defined, to always make its records open to public inspection during office hours, except as specifically exempted from disclosure by law. AB 1004 makes any record that contains financial information provided by an Indian tribe to a state or local agency, as a condition of or requirement for receiving financial assistance to be confidential, not a public record, and not open to public inspection. This legislation also requires each state or local agency agreement or contract with an Indian tribe related to financial assistance to contain a provision stating that any financial information disclosed pursuant to the agreement or contract shall remain confidential, shall not be a public record, and shall not be open to public inspection.
AB 1527 (Chapter 202, Statues of 2025, Soria) – Tribal Gaming: Compact Ratification
AB 1527, an urgency measure, ratified the amendment to the tribal-state gaming compact entered between the State of California and the Picayune Rancheria of Chukchansi Indians of California. The bill provides that, in deference to tribal sovereignty, certain actions related to this amended compact are not projects for the purposes of the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA). As an urgency measure, AB 1527 was immediately effective upon the Governor’s signature on October 1, 2025.
SB 49 (Chapter 3, Statues of 2025, Grove) – Tribal Gaming: Compact and Amendment Ratification
SB 49, an urgency measure, ratifies amendments between the State of California and the Big Sandy Rancheria of Western Mono Indians of California, executed on December 12, 2024, and February 12, 2025, to extend the terms of the existing tribal-state gaming compact, executed on September 10,1999. The bill also ratifies a new tribal-state gaming compact entered between the State of California and the Big Sandy Rancheria of Western Mono Indians of California. SB 49 provides that, in deference to tribal sovereignty, certain actions related to these compacts are not projects for the purposes of CEQA. As an urgency measure, SB 49 was immediately effective upon the Governor’s signature on May 28, 2025.
SB 864 (Chapter 244, Statutes of 2025, Padilla) – Tribal Gaming: Compact Ratification
SB 864 ratifies the tribal-state gaming compact entered between the State of California and the Cher-Ae Heights Indian Community of the Trinidad Rancheria, the first amendment to the compact between the State of California and the Pinoleville Pomo Nation, California, and the first amendment to the compact between the State of California and the Sycuan Band of the Kumeyaay Nation. The bill provides that, in deference to tribal sovereignty, certain actions related to these compacts are not projects for the purposes of CEQA. As an urgency measure, SB 864 was immediately effective upon the Governor’s signature on October 1, 2025.
OTHER GAMING
AB 831 (Chapter 623, Statutes of 2025, Valencia) – Gambling: Operation of a Contest or Sweepstakes
AB 831 updates existing laws regarding the use of gambling simulators and online sweepstakes to address new technologies like internet websites and online applications. It prohibits using any methods, including digital platforms, to simulate gambling in a manner that awards or connects participants with prizes of value. This legislation revises the description of "gambling" to include lottery games, bingo, sports wagering, and any similar simulated gambling.
AB 831 allows lawful gambling activities by gambling enterprises licensed under the Gambling Control Act or operations of the California State Lottery, and promotional games by businesses, provided they are incidental to product sales and not ongoing gambling operations.
BAGLEY-KEENE OPEN MEETING ACT
SB 470 (Chapter 222, Statues of 2025, Laird) – Bagley Keene Open Meeting Act: Teleconferencing
The Bagley-Keene Open Meeting Act (Act) requires that meetings of state bodies be open to the public, with exceptions. The Act allows for teleconference, subject to specified requirements. Through January 1, 2026, the Act also includes temporary provisions for meetings to be held remotely, through electronic means (i.e. Zoom), requiring a majority of members to be in one location and visible online. These temporary provisions were initially scheduled to be repealed on January 1, 2026. However, SB 470 extends these provisions until January 1, 2030.
On November 17, 2025, the Commission issued a notice regarding SB 470. The notice advised interested parties that the Commission will continue to hold meetings and evidentiary hearings via Zoom, while also providing a physical location for a majority of Commission members and for members of the public who wish to attend in person.
