California to ban blackjack-style games from cardrooms by April

By Charlie Lapastora

New state regulations approved this month are set to significantly reshape California’s cardroom industry, with operators warning the changes would effectively outlaw blackjack-style games from within those facilities.

Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that two sets of DOJ regulations were sent to the Office of Administrative Law for review on December 23, 2025, before being approved late on Friday. The new regulations clear the way for major changes to player-dealer rotation games and blackjack-style games statewide.

Under the new rules, cardrooms say some of their most popular games may have to be eliminated or significantly changed to comply with the new interpretation of state law. The rules take effect April 1, but cardrooms will have until May 31 to submit compliance plans.

The California Department of Justice formally proposed the regulations in the spring of 2025 after numerous meetings with stakeholders to discuss potential regulation of games.

Kyle Kirkland, head of the California Gaming Association, told CBS News Sacramento this would outlaw blackjack and allow for stricter changes to player-dealer games. Kirkland said he believes a $6 billion industry with 20,000 working families and around $500 million in state and local tax revenue would see at least a 50% reduction in that.

“It’s just a dramatic, hard, 180-degree pivot in how the law is being interpreted, and that’s what we have the problem with, that it’s like, without any real reason, any visible harm to the public, we’re having a 180-degree change in how these games are being interpreted, and it’s devastating,” Kirkland said.

Kirkland also owns the largest card room in Fresno, Club One Casino, and says 60% of their revenue will be affected by the new regulations.

“Candidly, we’re not ready to just give up and fold up shop by April 1,” Kirkland said. “We’ve had our lawyers working on this. There’s going to be some legal pushback.”

Stars Casino co-owner Joseph Melech, who’s been the owner throughout different locations in Tracy for three decades, told CBS News Sacramento they currently have 80 full-time employees. Melech said this would affect 20% or more of the employees at Stars Casino.

“We have a lot of single parents here that raise their kids and want an income and been with us for years, so it’s good that way,” Melech said.

Kirkland shared concern about charity groups, saying they will be “incredibly harmfully affected.” Melech shared a similar sentiment.

“Right now, we’re doing well with our local charities and with job creation, and if some of these regulations go into effect, it’s going to affect the games that we offer, and the things that we’re going to be able to do for our community, like most card rooms and their communities,” Melech said.  

The California Nations Indian Gaming Association said the regulations are an “important step in combating unscrupulous and illegal gaming in California.

“The regulations further clarify that games and practices employed by commercial card rooms are indeed prohibited under California law. Running a business contrary to that law is an illicit business, period,” Chairman James Siva said. We hope that Department of Justice will now enforce these regulations so California can ensure a well-regulated gaming industry that is safe for consumers.”