Gaming in
California was essentially unregulated until 1984 when the Legislature enacted
the “Gaming Registration Act”. The legislation required the Attorney General’s
office to provide uniform, minimum regulation of California’s card rooms. In
1997, the Legislature enacted the “Gambling Control Act” (Business and
Professions Code section 19800 et seq.) which created a comprehensive scheme to
statewide regulation of legal gambling.
The provisions of the Act are administered through a bifurcated system. The
Division of Gambling Control was created within the Department of Justice to
investigate the qualifications of persons who apply for state gambling licenses,
work permits, and registrations. The Division also monitors the conduct of these
persons to ensure compliance with the Act. More specifically, the Division's
role includes reviewing and approving contracts between third party providers of
proposition players and card rooms. Local law enforcement agencies maintain
concurrent jurisdiction for investigating suspected violations of gambling laws.
In addition, the Act created a five-member, Governor-appointed California
Gambling Control Commission to establish minimum regulatory standards for the
gambling industry, and to ensure that state gambling licenses are not issued to
or held by unsuitable or unqualified individuals.
The California Gambling Control Commission, under the Gambling Control Act, and
pursuant to the Governor's Executive Order D-29-01, has jurisdiction over
operation, concentration, and supervision of gambling establishments and over
all persons or things having to do with the operations of gambling
establishments in the State of California. The focus of the Commission is to act
as the regulatory body over gambling activities in the State, setting policy,
establishing regulations, issuing licenses, serving as the adjudicator for
license denials recommended by the Division of Gambling Control, and any other
related items and issues as they may come before the Commission. The California
Gambling Control Commission, as directed under the Gambling Control Act, also
created the Gaming Policy Advisory Committee which consists of ten members, both
casino owners and other citizens of the state.
In November 2003, California voters passed Proposition 1A to amend their
Constitution to allow the Governor (with the Legislature’s consent) to create
gaming compacts with recognized Indian tribes. The state-tribal compacts allow
tribes to run two casinos each. The State gaming agencies and the Tribal
Government work together to develop and implement a means of regulating Class
III gaming on Tribal lands to ensure fair and honest operations of gaming. The
Division investigates the qualifications of individuals who work as Key
Employees in the Tribal Casinos, Vendors who sell Gaming Resources to the
Tribes, as well as Financial Sources to determine whether they are suitable
pursuant to the Gambling Control Act (867, statutes of 1997). |
Regulators:
California Gambling Control Commission
2399 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 100
Sacramento, CA 95833
Mailing Address:
P.O. Box 526013
Sacramento, CA 95852
Phone: (916) 263-0700
Fax: (916) 263-0452
Website:
www.cgcc.ca.gov
Chairperson: Dean Shelton
Alexandra Vuksich
Stephanie Shimazu
Sheryl Schmidt
Division of Gaming Control
Department of Justice
Division of Gambling Control
1425 River Park Drive, Suite 400
Sacramento, CA 95815-4509
Phone: (916) 263-3408
Fax: (916) 263-3403
Field Office:
San Diego
Department of Justice
Division of Gambling Control
9425 Chesapeake Drive
San Diego, CA 92123
Phone: (858) 268-5450
Fax: (858) 268-5455
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