California’s cardroom operators got the reprieve they’ve wanted after Attorney General Rob Bonta banned blackjack in the state.
On Thursday, San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard Darwin granted an injunction allowing California cardrooms to continue offering the game.
The court stated that Bonta’s office had overstepped its authority with the ban, according to a California Gaming Association news release.
The court also acknowledged the negative impact that eliminating the game would have on municipal tax revenues.
Kyle Kirkland, president of Fresno’s Club One Casino and president of the California Gaming Association, said the ruling prevents “severe and unnecessary harm to cities, workers, and small businesses dependent on the cardroom industry.”
Added Kirkland: “Today’s ruling validates what we have said all along: Attorney General Bonta and the Bureau of Gambling Control exceeded their authority by attempting to rewrite California gaming law. These regulations were driven by pressure from powerful tribal gaming interests that have long sought to eliminate lawful competition from California’s cardrooms.”
Bonta’s Office Acknowledged Economic Harms
According to the Attorney General’s own economic analysis, the blackjack ban could eliminate more than 50% of cardroom revenues statewide, threatening thousands of jobs and devastating the local communities reliant on those tax dollars to fund police, fire protection, parks, youth programs, and other essential city services.
In Fresno, Club One contributes about $1 million annually to the city’s general fund, with the taxes typically going to senior and youth programs, and public safety.
The state Department of Justice says the 86 licensed cardrooms across the state could together lose $396 million if blackjack became illegal. It also estimated that 25% of the revenue would divert to Indian gaming casinos, which weren’t affected by the rule change.
Despite getting about 1,700 public comments opposing the regulations, the Bureau of Gambling Control approved the elimination of blackjack. This ban came even though California cardrooms have operated for decades and offered blackjack under the supervision of six attorneys general before Bonta.
Meanwhile, Politico reported in October 2025 that tribal communities contributed at least $101,500 to Bonta from 2023 to summer 2024.
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