- California recently passed new regulations that will ban cardrooms from offering blackjack games, while tribal casinos will still be authorized to do so.
- These changes are projected to eliminate over 10,000 jobs and lose cardrooms over $460 million in revenue yearly.
LOS ANGELES – Major changes coming to California regarding blackjack at cardrooms are likely to shake the state as new regulations will no longer allow such cardrooms to offer blackjack, which is expected to have devastating effects for the job market.
As of April 1st, 2026, cardrooms in California will be banned from offering blackjack while tribal casinos will still be allowed to do so, marking a major shift in accessibility for players, but more importantly, impacting the amount of jobs available in the state.
The California Gaming Association found that over 10,000 jobs are set to be eliminated due to these changes, leaving thousands without work.
The Department of Justice projects cardrooms in California to lose over $460 million annually due to these new regulations.
The majority of the revenue made at cardrooms in California comes from legal blackjack, meaning many cardrooms will suffer insurmountable revenue loss.
Cardrooms offering blackjack in California have been around since the 1950s and are a staple of the community, so losing one of the most popular games is likely to have a big effect on residents.