The California Gaming Association has filed two lawsuits in San Francisco Superior Court challenging new gambling regulations approved by Attorney General Rob Bonta, saying the rules threaten thousands of jobs and the finances of cities that rely on cardroom revenues.
The lawsuits, supported by the California Cardroom Alliance and Communities for California Cardrooms, seek to block regulations issued by the California Department of Justice’s Bureau of Gambling Control that would eliminate blackjack-style games and significantly restrict player-dealer games in the state’s cardrooms.
According to the Attorney General’s own Standardized Regulatory Impact Assessment, the rules could eliminate at least 50% of cardroom jobs and revenue, which the industry says could force many venues to close.
Unless blocked by the court, the regulations are scheduled to begin implementation on April 1, 2026, with changes to cardroom games potentially starting as early as June.
The lawsuits argue the regulations represent an unprecedented expansion of authority by the Attorney General and contradict state law governing cardroom operations.
The rules reverse decades of legal practice in which such games were approved as lawful by previous Attorneys General, the California Gaming Association says, including former California governor Jerry Brown and former U.S. vice president Kamala Harris.
The cardroom industry contends the regulations were finalized despite widespread opposition during the rulemaking process. The Department of Justice adopted the rules on February 9 after receiving 1,764 public comments, most of which raised concerns about their legality and potential economic impact.
Kyle Kirkland, President of the California Gaming Association, said: “Attorney General Bonta’s regulations threaten to eliminate more than half of California’s cardroom jobs and wipe out a critical source of revenue for dozens of cities. These games have operated legally for decades under multiple Attorneys General, yet one public official is now moving to shut them down without identifying a single public safety concern or addressing the 1,764 public comments about these regulations.
“Our industry repeatedly raised legal and economic concerns throughout the rulemaking process, but the Attorney General refused to engage with the communities and working families who will be harmed. We are asking the court to stop these unlawful regulations before they wipe out thousands of jobs and put many local economies into fiscal distress across California.”
The California Gaming Association highlighted that many cities, labor groups, and community organizations have warned that the regulations could create significant budget shortfalls for municipalities that rely heavily on cardroom revenue.
In a letter to the Attorney General, officials in San Jose warned that cardroom revenue helps fund police, fire, and 9-1-1 services.
The City of Commerce has placed a quarter-cent sales tax measure on the June 2026 ballot to help offset potential revenue losses linked to the new regulations. Other municipalities are considering similar steps, according to the industry group.
Original article: https://www.yogonet.com/international/news/2026/03/11/118014-california-gaming-association-sues-to-block-new-cardroom-regulations-approved-by-attorney-general
