Overview
- California’s Office of Administrative Law approved two Department of Justice rule packages set to take effect April 1, 2026, with cardrooms required to file compliance plans by May 31.
- The regulations prohibit games that mimic blackjack mechanics—such as targeting 21, using standard blackjack values, or hit‑stand decisions—and bar the use of the names “blackjack” or “21.”
- Player‑dealer roles must be offered before each hand and rotate to at least two players other than the third‑party provider every 40 minutes or the game must end, with only one TPPPP allowed per table who can accept wagers only while dealing.
- Tribal groups, including the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, praised the decision as necessary enforcement to curb unlawful house‑banked play in cardrooms.
- Cardroom operators warn of steep job and tax‑revenue losses and are pursuing legal challenges, citing a sector supporting roughly 18,000–20,000 workers and 2023 revenues near $1.356 billion, with blackjack accounting for an estimated $136 million.