Repealed and added by Stats. 1997, Ch. 867, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 1998.
This chapter shall be known, and may be cited, as the “Gambling Control Act.”
Article 1 - General Provisions
California Business and Professions Code — §§ 19800-19807
Sections (8)
Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 438, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2008.
The Legislature hereby finds and declares all of the following:
(a)State law prohibits commercially operated lotteries, banked or percentage games, and gambling machines, and strictly regulates parimutuel wagering on horse racing. To the extent that state law categorically prohibits certain forms of gambling and prohibits gambling devices, nothing herein shall be construed, in any manner, to reflect a legislative intent to relax those prohibitions.
(b)The State of California has permitted the operation of gambling establishments for more than 100 years. Gambling establishments were first regulated by the State of California pursuant to legislation which was enacted in 1984. Gambling establishments currently employ more than 20,000 people in the State of California, and contribute more than one hundred million dollars ($100,000,000) in taxes and fees to California’s government. Gambling establishments are lawful enterprises in the State of California, and are entitled to full protection of the laws of this state.
(c)Gambling can become addictive and is not an activity to be promoted or legitimized as entertainment for children and families.
(d)Unregulated gambling enterprises are inimical to the public health, safety, welfare, and good order. Accordingly, no person in this state has a right to operate a gambling enterprise except as may be expressly permitted by the laws of this state and by the ordinances of local governmental bodies.
(e)It is the policy of this state that gambling activities that are not expressly prohibited or regulated by state law may be prohibited or regulated by local government. Moreover, it is the policy of this state that no new gambling establishment may be opened in a city, county, or city and county in which a gambling establishment was not operating on and before January 1, 1984, except upon the affirmative vote of the electors of that city, county, or city and county.
(f)It is not the purpose of this chapter to expand opportunities for gambling, or to create any right to operate a gambling enterprise in this state or to have a financial interest in any gambling enterprise. Rather, it is the purpose of this chapter to regulate businesses that offer otherwise lawful forms of gambling games.
(g)Public trust that permissible gambling will not endanger public health, safety, or welfare requires that comprehensive measures be enacted to ensure that gambling is free from criminal and corruptive elements, that it is conducted honestly and competitively, and that it is conducted in suitable locations.
(h)Public trust and confidence can only be maintained by strict and comprehensive regulation of all persons, locations, practices, associations, and activities related to the operation of lawful gambling establishments and the manufacture and distribution of permissible gambling equipment.
(i)All gambling operations, all persons having a significant involvement in gambling operations, all establishments where gambling is conducted, and all manufacturers, sellers, and distributors of gambling equipment must be licensed and regulated to protect the public health, safety, and general welfare of the residents of this state as an exercise of the police powers of the state.
(j)To ensure that gambling is conducted honestly, competitively, and free of criminal and corruptive elements, all licensed gambling establishments in this state must remain open to the general public and the access of the general public to licensed gambling activities must not be restricted in any manner, except as provided by the Legislature. However, subject to state and federal prohibitions against discrimination, nothing herein shall be construed to preclude exclusion of unsuitable persons from licensed gambling establishments in the exercise of reasonable business judgment.
(k)In order to effectuate state policy as declared herein, it is necessary that gambling establishments, activities, and equipment be licensed, that persons participating in those activities be licensed or registered, that certain transactions, events, and processes involving gambling establishments and owners of gambling establishments be subject to prior approval or permission, that unsuitable persons not be permitted to associate with gambling activities or gambling establishments, and that gambling activities take place only in suitable locations. Any license or permit issued, or other approval granted pursuant to this chapter, is declared to be a revocable privilege, and no holder acquires any vested right therein or thereunder.
(l)The location of lawful gambling premises, the hours of operation of those premises, the number of tables permitted in those premises, and wagering limits in permissible games conducted in those premises are proper subjects for regulation by local governmental bodies. However, consideration of those same subjects by a state regulatory agency, as specified in this chapter, is warranted when local governmental regulation respecting those subjects is inadequate or the regulation fails to safeguard the legitimate interests of residents in other governmental jurisdictions.
(m)The exclusion or ejection of certain persons from gambling establishments is necessary to effectuate the policies of this chapter and to maintain effectively the strict regulation of licensed gambling.
(n)Records and reports of cash and credit transactions involving gambling establishments may have a high degree of usefulness in criminal and regulatory investigations and, therefore, licensed gambling operators may be required to keep records and make reports concerning significant cash and credit transactions.
Added by renumbering Section 19801.2 by Stats. 2002, Ch. 738, Sec. 1. Effective January 1, 2003.
The Legislature further finds and declares as follows:
Appropriate regulation of banking and percentage games or of gambling devices consistent with public safety and welfare would require, at a minimum, all of the following safeguards:
(a)The creation of an adequately funded gambling control commission with comprehensive powers to establish minimum standards and technical specifications for gambling equipment and devices.
(b)The creation of an adequately funded law enforcement capability within state government to inspect, test, and evaluate gambling equipment and devices and modifications thereto.
(c)An appropriation by the Legislature to sufficiently fund a full-time commission and law enforcement capability with responsibilities commensurate with the expanded scope of gambling.
(d)The enactment of necessary regulations setting forth standards and procedures for the licensing of persons connected with the manufacture, sale, and distribution of equipment and devices in this state.
(e)The enactment of standards related to the trustworthiness and fairness of equipment and devices, upon the commission’s recommendation to the Legislature.
(f)The enactment of statutory provisions governing the importation, transportation, sale, and disposal of equipment and devices, upon the commission’s recommendation to the Legislature.
(g)The enactment of statutes providing for appropriate inspection and testing of equipment and devices, upon the commission’s recommendation to the Legislature.
Added by renumbering Section 19802 by Stats. 2002, Ch. 738, Sec. 2. Effective January 1, 2003.
(a)It is the intent of the Legislature, in enacting this chapter, to provide uniform, minimum standards of regulation of permissible gambling activities and the operation of lawful gambling establishments.
(b)Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to preclude any city, county, or city and county from prohibiting any gambling activity, from imposing more stringent local controls or conditions upon gambling than are imposed by this chapter or by the commission, from inspecting gambling premises to enforce applicable state and local laws, or from imposing any local tax or license fee, if the prohibition, control, condition, inspection, tax, or fee is not inconsistent with this chapter. Nothing in this chapter shall be construed to affect the responsibility of local law enforcement agencies to enforce the laws of this state, including this chapter.
Amended by Stats. 2024, Ch. 860, Sec. 3. (SB 549) Effective January 1, 2025.
(a)In any action for declaratory or injunctive relief, or for relief by way of any extraordinary writ, other than an action initiated pursuant to Section 19932, wherein the construction, application, or enforcement of this chapter, or any regulation adopted pursuant thereto, or any order of the department or the commission issued pursuant thereto, is called into question, a court shall not grant any preliminary or permanent injunction, or any peremptory writ of mandate, certiorari, or prohibition, in connection therewith, except as follows:
(1)Upon proof by clear and convincing evidence that the department or the commission is abusing or threatens to abuse its discretion.
(2)Upon proof by clear and convincing evidence that the department or the commission is exceeding or threatens to exceed its jurisdiction.
(b)No temporary injunction or other provisional order shall issue to restrain, stay, or otherwise interfere with any action by the department or the commission, except upon a finding by the court, based on clear and convincing evidence, that the public interest will not be prejudiced thereby, and, except for preliminary injunctions, no order may be effective for more than 15 calendar days, except by stipulation of the department or commission. No preliminary order may be effective for more than 45 days, except by stipulation of the department or commission.
(c)This section does
not relieve a petitioner’s obligation to exhaust administrative remedies.
(d)In an action for relief of any nature wherein the construction, application, or enforcement of this chapter, or any regulation adopted pursuant thereto, or any order of the department or commission issued pursuant thereto, is called into question, the party filing the pleading shall furnish a copy thereof to the department and to the commission. The copy shall be furnished by the party filing the pleading within 10 business days after filing.
(e)This section does not apply to an action for declaratory or injunctive relief authorized by Section 98020 of the Government Code.
Amended by Stats. 2023, Ch. 79, Sec. 1. (SB 884) Effective January 1, 2024.
As used in this chapter, the following definitions apply:
(a)“Affiliate” means a person who, directly or indirectly through one or more intermediaries, controls, is controlled by, or is under common control with, a specified person.
(b)“Applicant” means a person who has applied for a state gambling license, a key employee license, a registration, a finding of suitability, a work permit, a manufacturer’s or distributor’s license, or an approval of any act or transaction for which the approval or authorization of the commission or department is required or permitted under this chapter.
(c)“Banking game” or “banked game” does not include a controlled game if
the published rules of the game feature a player-dealer position and provide that this position must be continuously and systematically rotated amongst each of the participants during the play of the game, ensure that the player-dealer is able to win or lose only a fixed and limited wager during the play of the game, and preclude the house, another entity, a player, or an observer from maintaining or operating as a bank during the course of the game. For purposes of this section, it is not the intent of the Legislature to mandate acceptance of the deal by every player if the department finds that the rules of the game render the maintenance of or operation of a bank impossible by other means. The house shall not occupy the player-dealer position.
(d)“Chief” means the head of the entity within the department that is responsible for fulfilling the obligations imposed upon the department by this chapter.
(e)“Commission” means the California Gambling Control Commission.
(f)“Controlled gambling” means to deal, operate, carry on, conduct, maintain, or expose for play any controlled game.
(g)“Controlled game” means any controlled game, as defined by subdivision (e) of Section 337j of the Penal Code.
(h)“Department” means the Department of Justice.
(i)“Director” means a director of a corporation or a person performing similar functions with respect to any organization.
(j)“Finding of suitability” means a finding that a person meets the qualification criteria described in subdivisions (a) and (b) of Section 19857, and that the
person would not be disqualified from holding a state gambling license on any of the grounds specified in Section 19859.
(k)“Game” and “gambling game” means a controlled game.
(l)“Gambling” means to deal, operate, carry on, conduct, maintain, or expose for play a controlled game.
(m)“Gambling enterprise” means a natural person or an entity, whether individual, corporate, or otherwise, that conducts a gambling operation and that by virtue is required to hold a state gambling license under this chapter.
(n)“Gambling enterprise employee” means a natural person employed in the operation of a gambling enterprise, including, without limitation, dealers, floor personnel, security employees, countroom personnel, cage personnel, collection personnel,
surveillance personnel, data-processing personnel, appropriate maintenance personnel, waiters and waitresses, and secretaries, or any other natural person whose employment duties require or authorize access to restricted gambling establishment areas. “Gambling enterprise employee” does not include a natural person employed solely to serve or prepare food or beverages if those duties are performed only in areas of the establishment in which gambling is not
conducted.
(o)“Gambling establishment,” “establishment,” or “licensed premises,” except as otherwise defined in Section 19812, means one or more rooms where a controlled gambling or activity directly related to controlled gambling occurs.
(p)“Gambling license” or “state gambling license” means a license issued by the state that authorizes the person named therein to conduct a gambling operation.
(q)“Gambling operation” means exposing for play one or more controlled games that are dealt, operated, carried on, conducted, or maintained for commercial gain.
(r)“Gross revenue” means the total of all compensation received for conducting any controlled game, and includes interest received in payment for credit
extended by an owner licensee to a patron for purposes of gambling, except as provided by regulation.
(s)“Hours of operation” means the period during which a gambling establishment is open to conduct the play of controlled games within a 24-hour period. In determining whether there has been expansion of gambling relating to “hours of operation,” the department shall consider the hours in the day when the local ordinance permitted the gambling establishment to be open for business on January 1, 1996, and compare the current ordinance and the hours during which the gambling establishment may be open for business. The fact that the ordinance was amended to permit gambling on a day, when gambling was not permitted on January 1, 1996, shall not be considered in determining whether there has been gambling in excess of that permitted by Section 19961.
(t)“House” means the gambling
enterprise, and any owner, shareholder, partner, key employee, or landlord thereof.
(u)“Independent agent,” except as provided by regulation, means a person who does either of the following:
(1)Collects debt evidenced by a credit instrument.
(2)Contracts with an owner licensee, or an affiliate thereof, to provide services consisting of arranging transportation or lodging for guests at a gambling establishment.
(v)“Initial license” means the license first issued to a person authorizing that person to commence the activities authorized by that license.
(w)“Institutional investor” means a retirement fund administered by a public agency for the exclusive benefit of federal, state, or
local public employees, an investment company registered under the Investment Company Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. Sec. 80a-1 et seq.), a collective investment trust organized by banks under Part 9 of the Rules of the Comptroller of the Currency, a closed-end investment trust, a chartered or licensed life insurance company or property and casualty insurance company, a banking and other chartered or licensed lending institution, an investment adviser registered under the Investment Advisers Act of 1940 (15 U.S.C. Sec. 80b-1 et seq.) acting in that capacity, and other persons as the commission may determine for reasons consistent with the policies of this chapter.
(x)“Key employee” means a natural person employed in the operation of a gambling enterprise in a supervisory capacity or empowered to make discretionary decisions that regulate gambling operations, including, without limitation, pit bosses, shift bosses, credit executives, cashier operations
supervisors, gambling operation managers and assistant managers, managers or supervisors of security employees, or any other natural person designated as a key employee by the department for reasons consistent with the policies of this chapter. “Key employee” does not include a natural person who is employed solely to supervise employees whose duties are solely to serve or prepare food or beverages if the supervisor and the employees perform their duties only in areas of the establishment in which gambling is not conducted.
(y)“Key employee license” means a state license authorizing the holder to be employed as a key employee.
(z)“License” means a gambling license, key employee
license, or any other license issued by the commission pursuant to this chapter or regulations adopted pursuant to this chapter.
(aa) “Licensed gambling establishment” means the gambling premises encompassed by a state gambling license.
(ab) “Limited partnership” means a partnership formed by two or more persons having as members one or more general partners and one or more limited partners.
(ac) “Limited partnership interest” means the right of a general or limited partner to any of the following:
(1)To receive from a limited partnership any of the following:
(A)A share of the revenue.
(B)Any other compensation by way of
income.
(C)A return of any or all of the partner’s contribution to capital of the limited partnership.
(2)To exercise any of the rights provided under state law.
(ad) “Owner licensee” means an owner of a gambling enterprise who holds a state gambling license.
(ae) “Person,” unless otherwise indicated, includes a natural person, corporation, partnership, limited partnership, trust, joint venture, association, or any other business organization.
(af) “Player” means a patron of a gambling establishment who participates in a controlled game.
(ag) “Player-dealer” and “controlled game featuring a player-dealer position” refer to
a position in a controlled game, as defined by the approved rules for that game, in which seated player participants are afforded the temporary opportunity to wager against multiple players at the same table, provided that this position is rotated amongst the other seated players in the game.
(ah) “Publicly traded racing association” means a corporation licensed to conduct horse racing and simulcast wagering pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 19400) whose stock is publicly traded.
(ai) “Qualified racing association” means a corporation licensed to conduct horse racing and simulcast wagering pursuant to Chapter 4 (commencing with Section 19400) that is a wholly owned subsidiary of a corporation whose stock is publicly traded.
(aj) “Renewal license” means the license issued to the holder of an initial
license that authorizes the license to continue beyond the expiration date of the initial license.
(ak) “Work permit” means any card, certificate, or permit issued by the commission, or by a county, city, or city and county, whether denominated as a work permit, registration card, or otherwise, authorizing the holder to be employed as a gambling enterprise employee or to serve as an independent agent. A document issued by any governmental authority for any employment other than gambling is not a valid work permit for the purposes of this chapter.
Repealed and added by Stats. 1997, Ch. 867, Sec. 3. Effective January 1, 1998.
Nothing in this chapter shall be construed in any way to permit or authorize any conduct made unlawful by Chapter 9 (commencing with Section 319) of, or Chapter 10 (commencing with Section 330) of, Title 9 of Part 1 of the Penal Code, or any local ordinance.
Amended by Stats. 2007, Ch. 176, Sec. 4. Effective August 24, 2007.
Except as otherwise provided in this chapter, whenever the department or commission is a defendant or respondent in any proceeding, or when there is any legal challenge to regulations issued by the commission or department, venue for the proceeding shall be in the County of Sacramento, the City and County of San Francisco, the County of Los Angeles, or the County of San Diego.