- California’s blackjack ban goes into affect on April 1st.
- Non-tribal card rooms will be forced to shut down blackjack games.
BELL GARDENS, Calif. – We are just days away from the statewide blackjack ban in California that takes place on April 1st. Under the new gambling laws in the state, all state-run card rooms will need to forfeit all of their blackjack games and its variations. Only tribal run casinos will be allowed to offer blackjack and the different versions of the game.
With that, we take a look at the new legal blackjack rules that are coming into place, as well as the major impacts that it will have on certain cities statewide.
What To Expect
Under these new blackjack rules, all styles of blackjack, including the classic version, double deck, single deck, free bet, and Spanish 21, to name a few, are all getting axed. Also, any game that uses the number 21 as the target point or in the name of the game itself will be prohibited.
On a smaller scale, privately held house games are subject to misdemeanor charges with up to a $5,000 fine and five years in prison if the person hosting the game takes an entry fee.
The Impact
Some California blackjack cities will see a bigger impact more than others. One in particular is Bell Garden, which sits in between Los Angeles and Anaheim.
According to Michael O’Kelly, the city manager, card rooms generate over $17 million annually in taxes.
"They generate over $17 million in card room taxes annually for our city, which is more than 40% of our entire general fund. That revenue supports the services that our residents depend on every single day. This is police, parks and recreation, senior and youth programs, crossing guards, and our community family services.”
Other impact projections include up to a 50% loss of jobs in some cities, according to Rob Bonata, California's Department of Justice under Attorney General.