Here’s Your Guide to Sports Betting ... and Everything Else to Know About Gambling in California

By GRACE GEDYE, CalMatters

In California, you can bet on a horse race, buy a lottery ticket, put money on poker in a card room and play slots at a tribal casino all in the same—potentially expensive—day.

Nevada, right next door, is undoubtedly the national capital of all things gambling. But after Nevada, California has the most slot machines of any state—one measure of the state’s betting industry. 

The gambling industry, like many, took a hit during the pandemic. Nationally, commercial gaming revenue after winnings shrank by more than 25% between 2019 and 2020. Then, in 2021, it came roaring back—even faster than the rest of the economy—and brought in more money than any previous year. Tribal casinos also had a record-breaking year in 2021.

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