California AG's Blackjack Ban Could Devastate Cardroom Industry

New gaming regulations could lead to mass layoffs and hundreds of millions in lost tax revenue, cardroom operators warn.

Published on Feb. 20, 2026

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California Attorney General Rob Bonta has submitted new gaming regulations that would ban blackjack-style games from being played at cardrooms across the state. Cardroom operators say the rules, set to go into effect on April 1, could 'devastate' their industry, causing mass layoffs and the loss of hundreds of millions in tax revenue for local communities.

Why it matters

The cardroom industry employs around 20,000 people in California and generates over $500 million in table tax revenue for local jurisdictions, many of which rely heavily on this revenue to fund essential services. The proposed regulations could have a severe economic impact, especially on smaller cities that are heavily dependent on cardroom tax dollars.

The details

The new regulations would ban blackjack-style games at cardrooms and change the style of play for peer-to-peer games. Cardroom operators say these changes would eliminate around 70% of their industry's revenue. Smaller cardrooms across the state would likely go out of business, while larger operations like Casino M8trix and Bay 101 in San Jose would also take a major financial hit, potentially laying off hundreds of employees.

  • The new gaming regulations are slated to go into effect on April 1, 2026.

The players

Rob Bonta

The Attorney General of California who submitted the new gaming regulations.

Kyle Kirkland

The president of the California Gaming Association and owner of Club One Casino in Fresno.

Victor Farfan

A city councilmember in Hawaiian Gardens, a city that relies heavily on tax revenue from the local cardroom.

Rob Lindo

The vice president of Casino M8trix in San Jose, one of the larger cardroom operations in the state.

James Siva

The Chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association, which praised the new regulations.

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What they’re saying

“It's going to be devastating to us. Probably 70% percent of the industry's revenue is from the games that would be affected by these regulations.”

— Kyle Kirkland, President of the California Gaming Association and owner of Club One Casino (The California Post)

“We will not be able to provide essential services for our community.”

— Victor Farfan, Hawaiian Gardens city councilmember (KFI AM640)

“We have about 750 employees at Casino M8trix and we pay, you know, between the two cardrooms [Bay 101], $32 million in the taxes in San Jose. So, we are large employers, but also very large contributors to the city's general fund.”

— Rob Lindo, Vice President of Casino M8trix (The California Post)

“The regulations further clarify that games and practices employed by commercial card rooms are indeed prohibited under California law. Running a business contrary to that law is an illicit business, period. We hope that Department of Justice will now enforce these regulations so California can ensure a well-regulated gaming industry that is safe for consumers.”

— James Siva, Chairman of the California Nations Indian Gaming Association (The California Post)

What’s next

The California Gaming Association is weighing legal options to fight back against the new regulations.

The takeaway

This move by the California Attorney General highlights the ongoing tension between the state's cardroom industry and tribal casinos, with the new regulations seen as favoring the tribal casinos at the expense of thousands of jobs and hundreds of millions in tax revenue for local communities.