California to ban blackjack-style video games from cardrooms by April

New state laws accepted this month are set to considerably reshape California’s cardroom trade, with operators warning the adjustments would successfully outlaw blackjack-style video games from inside these amenities.

Attorney General Rob Bonta announced that two sets of DOJ regulations had been despatched to the Office of Administrative Law for overview on December 23, 2025, earlier than being accepted late on Friday. The new laws clear the way in which for main adjustments to player-dealer rotation video games and blackjack-style video games statewide.

Under the brand new guidelines, cardrooms say a few of their hottest video games could must be eradicated or considerably modified to adjust to the brand new interpretation of state regulation. The guidelines take impact April 1, however cardrooms can have till May 31 to submit compliance plans.

The California Department of Justice formally proposed the laws within the spring of 2025 after quite a few conferences with stakeholders to debate potential regulation of video games.

Kyle Kirkland, head of the California Gaming Association, instructed CBS News Sacramento this is able to outlaw blackjack and permit for stricter adjustments to player-dealer video games. Kirkland stated he believes a $6 billion trade with 20,000 working households and round $500 million in state and native tax income would see at the least a 50% discount 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 stated.

Kirkland additionally owns the most important card room in Fresno, Club One Casino, and says 60% of their income will probably be affected by the brand new laws.

“Candidly, we’re not ready to just give up and fold up shop by April 1,” Kirkland stated. “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 proprietor all through totally different areas in Tracy for 3 a long time, instructed CBS News Sacramento they at present have 80 full-time staff. Melech stated this is able to have an effect on 20% or extra of the staff 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 stated.

Kirkland shared concern about charity teams, saying they are going to be “incredibly harmfully affected.” Melech shared an analogous 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 stated.  

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