Best Payout Casino In Northern California
- Best Payout Casino In Northern California Now
- Best Payout Casino In Northern California Casinos
- Best Payout Casino In Northern California Today
- Best Payout Casino In Northern California Right Now
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Northern California is known for its year-round sunshine, but it’s also becoming famous for its fantastic casinos.
There are nearly 70 casinos in the GoldenState, as well as a few dozen tribal casinos. In NorthernCalifornia, you are only ever a short drive away from slots or tablegames.
You can also get your fill of the best poker action at some of the biggest card rooms in the world.
Slots and video poker are permitted at many casinos in North California. However, state laws are more restrictive on games, including roulette and craps. Some casinos have come up with ingenious ways of navigating the strict rules.
Let’s take a closer look at the best places to play North of SanFrancisco.
Sweepstakes casinos for real cash prizes in California
California casino laws in 2020
Casinos were legalized in the Golden State in 1992.
The California Gambling Control Commission and the California Department of Justice oversee casino gaming in the state.
Native American casinos have flourished in North California under the TribalGamingAct of 1988. Most Native American tribes in the state operate at least one casino.
These offer thousands of slots and table games. House-banked games, including blackjack, are legal at tribal casinos, too.
Vegas-style roulette and craps aren’t permitted at non-tribal casinos. However, you will find card games, e.g., blackjack, baccarat, three card poker and UltimateTexas Hold ’em.
You can play exciting card game variants at many Bay Area casinos that comply with state law. In Pure Blackjack, you must reach 21.5; not 21. You also compete against other players instead of the house. Each player pays a small fee to the house to play each hand.
Because roulette and craps are banned, some non-tribal casinos have come up with ways to adapt games to get around casino legislation.
Mystery Card Roulette is a cross between roulette and a wheel of fortune. You place wagers on a roulette-style table, but instead of numbered slots, cards are drawn at random on the wheel to determine the winner.
- Legal age for casino gambling: It is 21 years or older (only 18 years for some forms of gambling).
- Permitted games (tribal casinos): Games allowed include slots, poker, blackjack, table games, roulette and craps.
- Permitted games (nontribal casinos): Games not allowed include slots, poker, Mystery Card Roulette and player collection card games.
Tribal casinos in NorCal
There are around 60 tribal casinos spread across California. Many of the best ones are in SouthernCalifornia, but there is still a good selection in NorCal.
So far, tribal casinos have resisted attempts to legalize online casino gambling. However, that didn’t stop the IipayNation from trying to set up a regulated online bingo site in 2018. The Iipay fell foul of state gaming commissioners, however, and the site shut down.
Live poker rooms in Northern California
Poker rooms have been around in California since the 19th century. It’s no wonder that California is home some of the biggest and best card rooms on the planet.
In Northern California, you can play Texas Hold ’em or Omaha cash games and tournaments at a range of excellent poker rooms.
The Bay 101 in SanJose is a regular host stop on the World Poker Tour. The card room also runs daily big-money tournaments and cash games.
Best Northern California casinos — 2020
Casino Marysville
515 Fourth St., Marysville, CA 95901
www.casinomarysville.com
Games: Poker, Pure 21.5 Blackjack, No Bust 21st Blackjack, pai gow, three card poker and Low-Ball.
Legal age: At least 21 years.
The only casino in Marysville focuses on card games. Play hold ’em or Omaha in a spacious cardroom or try your hand at unique California casino variants like Pure 21.5 Blackjack.
Rolling Hills Casino
2655 Everett Freeman Way, Corning, CA 96021
https://rollinghillscasino.com
Games: Slots, blackjack, pai gow, three card poker and Ultimate Texas Hold ’em.
Legal age: At least 21 years.
Rolling Hills houses a casino with more than 800 slot machines, as well as Vegas-style blackjack and pai gow. The resort features restaurants, a lodge and a golf course.
Robinson Rancheria Resort and Casino
1545 State Hwy. 20, Nice, CA 95464
www.rrrc.com
Games: Slots, bingo, blackjack, three card poker, Face Up Pai Gow, EZ Baccarat, River Hold ’em and Blackjack Switch.
Legal age: At least 21 years.
You can play slots and table games at the biggest casino in Lake County. The 10,000-square-foot gaming floor offers hundreds of slot machines and a high-stakes gaming room.
Casino M8trix
1887 Matrix Blvd., San Jose, CA 95110
www.casinom8trix.com
Games: Poker, Pure 21.5 Blackjack, double hand poker, three card poker, Casino War, Pai Gow Tiles, Crazy 4 Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ’em, Baccarat Gold 1.0 and Double Hand Poker Bonus Gold 10.
Legal age: At least 21 years.
Casino M8trix is a 24-hour gaming resort situated in the San Jose Bay Area. The eight-story casino offers a dedicated poker room, plus Californian table games like Pure 21.5 Blackjack.
Bay 101 Casino
1788 N. First St., San Jose, CA 95112
www.bay101.com
Games: Poker, Fortune Pai Gow, Ultimate Texas Hold ’em, Crazy 4 Poker and EZ Baccarat.
Legal age: At least 21 years.
The Bay 101 Casino is the biggest and best card room in NorCal. It is open 24 hours and is a host stop on the World Poker Tour. Legal table games include pai gow, Casino War and Crazy 4 Poker.
Napa Valley Casino
3466 Broadway St., American Canyon, CA 94503
https://napavalleycasino.com
Games: Blackjack, poker, pai gow, baccarat, three card poker and EZ Baccarat.
Legal age: At least 21 years.
Napa Valley Casino is located in the heart of wine country. The casino features a fully operational card room offering Texas Hold ’em and Omaha. There is no player collection on some table games like 21st Century Blackjack and three card poker.
Graton Resort & Casino
288 Golf Course Drive W., Rohnert Park, CA 94928
www.gratonresortcasino.com
Games: Slots, poker, baccarat, blackjack, pai gow, three-card poker progressive, Four Card Poker Progressive, Ultimate Texas Hold ’em and Let It Ride Progressive.
Legal age: At least 21 years.
Graton Resort & Casino boasts more progressive slots than any other casino in the Bay Area. You can also play Vegas-style table games like baccarat and pai gow. There is a full card room offering hold ’em and Omaha cash games and tournaments.
River Rock Casino
3250 CA-128, Geyserville, CA 95441
www.riverrockcasino.com
Games: Roulette, slots, video poker, three card poker, mini-baccarat, pai gow and blackjack.
Legal age: At least 21 years.
The Dry Creek Rancheria Band of Pomo Indians owns and operates the River Rock Casino, an award-winning establishment with more than 1,110 video slots and video poker machines, plus 18 tables featuring mini-baccarat and pai gow. Roulette is available and legal under tribal gaming laws.
Cache Creek Casino Resort
14455 CA-16, Brooks, CA 95606
www.cachecreek.com
Games: Slots, video poker, single-deck blackjack, double-deck blackjack, baccarat, pai gow, poker and bingo.
Legal age: At least 21 years.
Cache Creek Casino Resort is a tribal gaming resort owned and run by the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation. It started as a bingo hall in the mid-80s but has expanded to include more than 2,700 slots, a card room and more than 120 table games.
Twin Pine Casino & Hotel
22223 CA-29, Middletown, CA 95461
www.twinpine.com
Games: Slots, progressive slots, double-deck Blackjack, Six Deck Shoe Blackjack, Three Card Super Shot Poker, War Blackjack and Poker Burnout.
Legal age: At least 21 years.
The Middletown Rancheria of Pomo Indians of California owns and operates the Twin Pine Casino & Hotel. As a tribal casino, Twin Pine can legally provide slots and table games. The establishment offers some of the best progressive slots in Northern California, including the record-breaking Megabucks game.
Coyote Valley
455 Coyote Valley Blvd., Redwood Valley, CA 95470
www.coyotevalleycasino.com
Games: Slots, poker, blackjack, Ultimate Texas Hold ’em, Lucky Lucky, fortune pai gow and single 21.
Legal age: 18 or 21 years.
Coyote Valley is a small casino situated five miles north of Ukiah on Highway 101. Single deck and multi-deck blackjack are available, and you can play new additions like single 21, fortune pai gow and Ultimate Texas Hold ’em. Coyote Valley offers a handful of classic slots machines, too.
Bear River Casino Resort
11 Bear Paws Way, Loleta, CA 95551
www.bearrivercasino.com
Games: Slots, progressive slots, double-deck blackjack, craps, Six Deck War Blackjack, Spanish 21, three card poker, Ultimate Texas Hold ’em, Bear River Craps, Mystery Card Roulette, pai gow and baccarat.
Legal age: At least 21 years.
The Bear River Band of Rohnerville Rancheria runs Bear River Casino. As a tribal casino, Bear River can legally host table games and slots. You can try your hand at more than 365 classic slots and HD video slots. There is also a high-limit room featuring progressive slots with $100,000+ jackpots.
Blue Lake Casino & Hotel
777 Casino Way, Blue Lake, CA 95525
www.bluelakecasino.com
Games: Slots, progressive slots, poker, blackjack, Spanish 21, three card poker, pai gow, Premium Hold ’em, Mystery Card Roulette and Three Card Super Shot Poker.
Legal age: 18 or 21 years.
Blue Lake Casino & Hotel is located five minutes from Arcata and is owned and operated by the Blue Lake Rancheria Tribe. The casino houses more than 600 slots and table games on its main floor. If you are 18 or older, you can play around 70 slots on the PlayStation 777 gaming floor.
Cher-Ae Heights Casino
27 Scenic Drive, Trinidad, CA 95570
www.cheraeheightscasino.com
Games: Slots, bingo, roulette and blackjack.
Legal age: 18 or 21 years.
The Cher-Ae Heights Casino overlooks the Pacific Ocean and features lots of gaming, dining and entertainment. You can play Vegas-style table games on the “only real roulette wheel on the North Coast.” In addition, you can try your luck on more than 300 slots or blackjack. The bingo hall is open those 18 years or older.
Elk Valley Casino
2500 Howland Hill Road, Crescent City, CA 95531
www.elkvalleycasino.com
Games: Poker, bingo, slots, pai gow and blackjack.
Legal age: At least 21 years.
Elk Valley Casino is situated along the Northern California coast and is open to players 21 years or older only. The casino holds regular bingo sessions and poker tournaments, and you can play hundreds of video slots for 1 cent a spin.
Elk Valley offers exciting multiplayer slots, including the Jackpot Party Ultimate Party Spin slot series with 55-inch HD screens.
Lucky 7 Casino
350 North Indian Road, Smith River, CA 95567
https://lucky7casino.com
Games: Slots, poker, bingo and blackjack.
Legal age: At least 21 years.
Lucky 7 is a tribal casino offering 24-hour table games, slots, and poker. It is one of California’s northernmost casinos and is operated by the Tolowa Dee-ni’ Nation. You can play bingo, poker, slots or one of three blackjack games at $3-200 a hand.
Thunder Valley Casino & Resort
1200 Athens Ave., Lincoln, CA 95648
thundervalleyresort.com/home
Games: Poker, bingo, blackjack, Criss Cross Poker, Mystery Card Roulette, Ultimate Texas Hold ’em, Spanish 21, Zappit Blackjack, three card poker, four card poker, Blackjack Switch and Chase the Flush.
Legal age: At least 21 years.
Thunder Valley is one of NorCal’s biggest casino resorts. It features a hotel, spa and golf course, as well as a casino with progressive slots and a high-limit room. Thunder Valley is also a host stop on the World Poker Tour.
Gold Country Casino & Hotel
Olive Hwy., Oroville, CA 95965
www.goldcountrycasino.com
Games: Poker, bingo, slots, Spanish 21, Tre’ Card Stud, Double Deck Pitch, Face Up Pai Gow, Vegas Style 21 and Lucky Lucky Blackjack.
Legal age: At least 21 years.
You will find more than 900 slot machines as well as keno, table games and poker at the vast Gold Country Casino & Hotel. Traditional table games like Vegas Style 21 are permitted, and you can win big with the side bets in Lucky Lucky Blackjack.
California is a state with a mixed gambling history. These days, it technically allows all types of gambling in one form or another. However, the specifics of where and how you can enjoy these activities are heavily dependent on location and regulations. For instance, casino games are only legal at Indian casinos rather than resorts on state land.
Below we will break down the types of gambling you can enjoy in Northern California.
Northern California Indian Casinos
Tribal casinos are currently legal in California thanks to laws between the state and federal government and the Indian tribes who maintain various territorial pockets throughout the state. At the time of writing, 63 tribal casinos operate in California. Combined, they produce over $8 billion in revenue every year.
Legality And Revenue
Indian casinos do not follow the same gambling regulations that other gambling sites do within the state. Because of this, resort-goers can find most major gambling activities within these resorts, including blackjack, poker, electronic games, slot machines, lottery games, bingo, and more. Gambling activities are either regulated by the National Indian Gaming Commission or state authorities.
Because tribal casinos drawing so much revenue, casinos often feature distinct themes or special attractions or resorts. Northern California Indian casinos are largely positioned around Sacramento or the Bay Area, although a few stretch a little farther north. Most of these resorts may have themes revolving around wine country or the NorCal wilderness and mountains.
Be advised that you need to be 21-years-old to enter most of the top Northern California tribal casinos. This is despite the fact that the legal gambling age is 18-years-old. Many casinos require you to be 21-years-old since they serve alcohol on their premises.
Northern California tribal casinos don’t currently allow sports betting, but may bring in brick-and-mortar sports betting over the next few years.
Best Payout Casino In Northern California Now
Where To Play
Some of the best Northern California tribal casinos include:
Thunder Valley Casino Resort
This casino is just outside Sacramento and is one of the largest resorts in the entire state, featuring over 145,000 ft.². It offers 2,000 slot machines and over 100 gaming tables plus options for bingo and live poker. It’s 17-story tower hotel contains 297 rooms as well as a fine selection of excellent restaurants and other amenities. The casino is open 24 hours daily.
Table Mountain Casino
This casino is located north of Fresno. It’s actually due for a renovation, as it was built in 1987. It’s going to be replaced by a larger casino and hotel over the next few years. At the moment, it offers over 2,000 gaming machines, 10 poker tables, and a plethora of other table game opportunities.
Tachi Palace Casino Resort
This resort draws customers from all across the state, thanks to its expansive space and 45,000 square-foot concert venue. As a result, it’s a frequent location for entertainment tours and activities beyond regular gambling experiences. It also offers over 2,000 slot machines and a seven-table poker room. Other features include a 255-room hotel and spa along with nine restaurants for a variety of dining opportunities.
Northern California Card Rooms
California offers some of the best card rooms in the entire country. California card rooms are legal because they have players bet against one another instead of the house. The card rooms themselves make their profit by charging players small fees to enter games. Dealers rotate with every hand.
Games Available
Most California card rooms include staple poker varieties like Texas Hold’Em and Seven-Card Stud, although you can also find additional games depending on the location. Additionally, most California card rooms offer “Cal Games”, which are card games with rules tweaked to ensure their legality under California legislation. Cal Games include Blackjack, Pai Gow, Chinese Poker, and more.
Many of the best California card rooms also offer tons of poker tournaments for both beginners and experts. This draws plenty of traffic, especially at more popular card rooms. Tournament buy-ins and pools can range from the tens of dollars up to the hundreds or thousands of dollars.
All players need to be 18-years-old to legally gamble in a California card room.
Where To Play
There are 66 card rooms currently operating in California. Here are some of the best you can find in Northern California:
Bay 101
Bay 101 is located at the south end of the San Francisco Bay in San Jose, CA. They’re a great choice thanks to their proximity to the San Jose airport, making them a prime stopover destination for travelers who get a poker itch. They offer a variety of poker games and tournaments, and frequently draw experienced crowds to offer moderate to high-skill poker action.
California Grand Casino
This casino is actually the oldest continually operating poker room in the world, as it’s been offering poker since 1854. It served as stagecoach and Pony Express stop before becoming an explicit casino. Weekly tournaments and Cal Games are included, like blackjack, pai gow, and three-card poker for even more variety. The casino was moved into a new and modern building in 2009, so it offers fresh amenities and plenty of creature comforts.
Capitol Casino
This casino is a relatively simplistic entertainment venue without a lot of bells and whistles, but they offer plenty of excellent poker action. They also offer excellent restaurant and bar options, so it’s a good place for general entertainment and enjoyment. They draw crowds from all over the Sacramento area and offer daily and weekly tournaments.
Northern California Race Tracks
Horse racing is one of the few types of wagering fully legal in California at in-person locations and online horse racing apps. Horse racing was legalized in 1933 using a pari-mutuel model. In short, this meant that bettors wager against each other while the horse track facilities take a small cut of the overall pool in order to make a profit.
Best Payout Casino In Northern California Casinos
Most Northern and Southern California horse racing tracks emphasize thoroughbred races, although you can find Quarter Horse races at a few select tracks. There used to be many more tracks in general, but the overall decline in attendance and several other factors have resulted in only a few major California horse tracks remaining open today.
Those who enjoy horse racing can make straight and exotic bets depending on a track’s offerings. You’ll also be able to find 27 satellite locations that offer off-track horse race betting if you don’t want to use a mobile app. There’s only one really excellent Northern California horse racing track compared to the three you can find in the southern half of the state:
Golden Gate Fields Race Track
This 140-acre horse racing track is located in Berkeley, right next to the San Francisco Bay. As a result, attendees benefit from expansive views of the local Bay Area and generally pleasant weather all year round. It’s also the only major thoroughbred racetrack in Northern California.
Golden Gate Fields features a one-mile synthetic track and a turf course that measures 9/10 of a mile. It can fit thousands of customers and features on-site parking for visitor convenience. Horse racing enthusiasts will enjoy several graded events that are held every year, including the Berkeley Handicap, San Francisco Mile Stakes, and California Derby.
Admission is always free for children. There are plenty of comfortable facilities for both regular attendees and for those who are part of various clubs. Guests are even able to meet jockeys and see horses at the paddocks. The location is convenient since there are tons of hotels and dining options fairly nearby.
Northern California Gambling FAQ
As with Southern California, it depends on the activity in question. Gambling in general is legal only for those 18-years-old or older. However, you have to be 21-years-old to enter some Indian casinos because of alcohol restrictions.
Best Payout Casino In Northern California Today
This is largely because of the higher concentration of large metropolitan areas in the southern half of the state. Big cities like Los Angeles and San Diego have naturally drawn more gambling locations over time.
No. State authorities and the National Indian Gaming Commission are responsible for regulating all gambling institutions in California. They hold all institutions to the same standards.
Best Payout Casino In Northern California Right Now
No. Sports betting is technically illegal. However, new legislation may allow Indian casinos to bring brick-and-mortar sports betting to their casinos.
For the purpose of this article, we define Northern California as anything north of Fresno. Big metropolitan areas in Northern California include the San Francisco Bay Area and Sacramento.