Online Oakland Poker Rooms in CA

Dive into Oakland’s online poker universe by joining the best poker sites! Read our guide to find the top poker rooms and learn all about the current CA poker laws.

Last Updated on February 15, 2024 by

Adrian Sterne

Fact checked by Dusan Jovanovic

Oakland is located in the San Francisco Bay Area, which is home to a few major poker venues.

Some of the casinos in this region have even hosted big poker tournaments, including the World Poker Tour.

Nevertheless, while land-based poker is thriving in California, its regulated online counterpart is not on the menu yet despite several attempts to make it legal.

Luckily for disappointed online poker fans, though, Oakland still offers sweepstakes or social casinos with poker games that don’t require real-money wagers. Many players have also stepped outside California’s virtual borders to find entertainment at offshore online poker rooms. So, if you’re interested in learning whether international websites are legal in California and which poker sites deserve your attention, read on!

Best Online Poker Sites in Oakland, CA

Every poker site is unique in its own way, but it may take some digging to find the best operators since these differences are often subtle. When looking for the top online poker rooms, we aim at those that offer certain benefits— big and frequent tournaments, better rakeback deals, and wider buy-in range, to mention but a few.

So far, we’ve found several sites offering these perks among others:

My list of the best poker sites which I consider to be the best rooms to play in 2024:

100% Legal & Licensed
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Must be 18+ to participate.

# 1 Poker Site

5.0 / 5.0

100% up to $1000

18+. T&Cs Apply

Regulated by

100% First deposit bonus
Top 3 in US player traffic
Great selection of games
Banking through cryptocurrencies

Payout speed 1-3 days

Deposit options

+10

Exclusive bonus

100% up to $1000

18+. T&Cs Apply

Visit Site Read Review

# 2

5.0 / 5.0

100% upto $3000

18+. T&Cs Apply

Regulated by

Increased Poker Crypto Bonus $1500
Exclusively for US players
Many Payment Options
Rich Player Traffic

Payout speed 1-3 days

Deposit options

Exclusive bonus

100% upto $3000

18+. T&Cs Apply

Visit Site Read Review

# 3

4.0 / 5.0

200% upto $1000

18+. T&Cs Apply

Regulated by

Recreational Player Traffic
Get a 200% Match on Your Initial Deposit
Wide Tournament Selection
High-Quality Games

Payout speed 1 - 5 days

Deposit options

Exclusive bonus

200% upto $1000

18+. T&Cs Apply

Visit Site Read Review

Displayed 3 of 8 rooms

Is Online Poker Legal in Oakland?

Legislators in California seem divided on the subject of online poker and its potential regulation. As it stands, real-money online poker isn’t legal in Oakland or any other city in the Golden State.

Nevertheless, this is not due to the state’s unwillingness to change its legal gambling landscape. Namely, California has tried to push for online poker legislation several times after signing the UIGEA but to no avail. The last attempt to make online poker legal was in 2017, but it failed just like the others. One of the main reasons why online poker is still not legally permitted is the opposing attitude of land-based casinos, both commercial and tribal.

While land-based and sweepstakes poker rooms serve as a substitute for real-money online poker to some degree, many Oakland players see offshore poker sites as the best alternative. However, it is important to remember that while a number of CA players use such websites, California doesn’t consider these operators legal. Therefore, if you decide to try your luck on offshore platforms, it’s best to seek legal advice prior to registration.

Oakland, CA Poker Laws

Law If you’re interested in finding out specific details about poker laws in Oakland, California, read the documents below:

How to Choose the Best Online Poker Room in Oakland

The goal of poker players is to find a site with different game variations, regular tournaments, enticing promotions, and a stellar reputation. Yet, a huge number of mediocre online poker rooms can make this job tedious, which is why we’ve compiled a few tips to help.

Licensing and Security

Since offshore poker sites aren’t considered legal in California, the state (let alone the city of Oakland) won’t be able to provide you with any assistance in case of an issue. For this reason, we advise you to always opt for a platform licensed by some of the reputable authorities in the iGaming industry, such as the Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), United Kingdom Gambling Commission (UKGC), Curacao, etc.

Also, the site should be able to keep your private information safe. In most cases, this is achieved through firewalls, SSL or TLS encryption, and 2FA, which is why these should also be an important part of your casino assessment.

Games and Tournaments

The quality of your poker session is largely influenced by the site’s game variety and tournament schedule.

The majority of poker sites offer Texas Hold’em or Omaha tables since these versions are among the most popular ones. Moreover, a number of operators also feature other poker variants, like Draw or Stud, in case players want to try something different.

Finding a poker tournament that suits your needs can be a more demanding task, though. While searching for the right match, it is important to remember that tournaments vary based on their type — for instance, freerolls are great for beginners, as they don’t require an entry fee, while more experienced players prefer websites with bounties, knockouts, MTTs, freezeouts, and other forms of poker competitions.

Traffic and Buy-Ins

Another key consideration is your budget, as it dictates the amount you can spend on your buy-in. Therefore, before enrolling in a poker cash game or a tournament, always check the buy-ins to see how much money you should have in your account in order to participate.

Player traffic is another thing to consider, along with the times when your preferred poker room is most crowded. Pay attention to time zones specifically, as offshore sites’ peak hours sometimes aren’t convenient for players in Oakland.

Promotions

Promotions on poker platforms can range from small no deposit free plays to massive match deposit welcome deals. Make sure to compare several operators to find the best offer.

Don’t forget to scan the site for promotions targeting registered users, either. These deals usually include weekly rakebacks, reloads, and special crypto bonuses, as well as VIP programs for the most loyal players.

Banking

Banking methods available on poker sites include all sorts of options, such as cards, e-wallets, prepaid vouchers, and a list of digital currencies.

When choosing the preferred payment option on a poker site, you should take into account its availability in Oakland, your familiarity with it, transaction limits, timings, and fees. Opt for the method that suits you based on all these criteria, and your deposits and withdrawals should be seamless.

Reputation

Even if a poker site appears legit on the surface, it may still be prone to some shady practices. Since it’s hard to assess operators without actually playing on their sites, we advise you to check what registered users have to say about a particular platform. Players often share their experiences via forums, blogs, and casino reviews — therefore, if a site is untrustworthy, you’ll probably find the details about it online.

Support

The easiest way to communicate with customer support on online poker sites is through live chat, preferably one that is open 24/7. Additionally, another option like email or phone line should be offered in case the chat is unavailable for any reason.

You can test the site’s responsiveness and accuracy by asking the agents a few questions. This way, you will also eliminate any doubts you might have regarding the quality of their support.

Benefits of Playing Online Poker in Oakland, California

Since playing poker online in Oakland is limited to offshore sites, players often need reassurance before joining these platforms. We’ve listed some of the reasons why you shouldn’t avoid international online poker rooms:

Online poker rooms are a more convenient option for players who live far from land-based venues. With a few mouse clicks, you can be sitting at a poker table without leaving your home.
Almost every poker site offers bonuses and promotions to its users, both new and registered ones. You can receive a substantial incentive to get started, get a refund through rakeback deals, or become a loyal member and enjoy various special perks.
Poker sites often have a greater game variety and a busier tournament schedule with events catering to different types of players.
Unlike sweepstakes and social casinos, international poker sites offer real-money gameplay.

Famous Poker Players From Oakland, CA

While you won’t exactly find many poker pros in Oakland, some talented players come from this city:

Bilguun Odgerel — Odgerel is currently the most successful Oakland poker player, with over $300,000 in live earnings. At the start of 2023, he won the WSOP Circuit/Thunder Valley Main Event and took home $195,194.

Tommy Angelo — Angelo started his poker career in 1990. Aside from being a poker player, he has also written books and articles about the game, made YouTube videos, and coached many successful pros.

Kelly Winterhalter — Ms Winterhalter entered the world of poker in her early thirties, thanks to her love for math and psychology. Although young, she’s already taken part in big tournaments like the WSOP and played against serious poker pros, such as Phil Hellmuth.

Best Land-Based Poker Rooms in Oakland

Even though it’s located in one of the most popular poker areas in the country, Oakland currently has only one land-based poker room near the heart of the city. This card room offers games like No-Limit Hold’em and Omaha H/L with buy-ins starting at $30. You can also find other poker variants like Pai Gow Poker, Stud, and Three Card Poker.

Name	Address	Number of tables	Cash games	Tournaments
Oaks Card Club	4097 San Pablo Ave, Emeryville, CA 94608	N/A	Yes	Yes

FAQ

Is online poker legal in Oakland, CA?

No, it’s not. California has tried to regulate online poker, but it has failed to do so, mainly because land-based commercial and tribal casinos have argued against it.

Does Oakland offer any land-based poker rooms?

Yes, it does. The closest land-based gambling venue for players from Oakland would be Oaks Card Club. Also, you can find more than a dozen establishments featuring poker tables in other cities in CA.

What’s the legal gambling age at offshore online poker rooms?

Offshore online poker rooms usually accept players who are at least 18 years old.

Do Oakland online poker rooms offer promotions?

Absolutely. Offshore poker rooms offer bonuses to new and regulated players alike, including welcome packages, rakebacks, reload offers, and more.

Adrian Sterne

Editor

Contact Me

Hi, I am the Chief Editor of top10pokersites.net, this site is dedicated to all thing poker. I have been working around the poker industry for the last 15 years, with different brands. The main purpose of this site is to keep you uptodate with the industry and offer you the best deals around.