Online San Diego Poker Rooms in CA

Like players from other major California cities, San Diego residents have always been fond of playing poker. Inevitably, with over 1.3 million people, America’s Finest City has been a poker hub for years. California might restrict some forms of gambling, but not poker.

San Diego is home to a wide range of quality live poker rooms, which feature popular poker titles and host regular tournaments. Additionally, nonprofits have the legal right to organize poker nights once a year.

However, online poker is still out of reach for locals since the law explicitly forbids operating an interstate online poker site. Since the legislation doesn’t say anything about playing on international sites, San Diego players visit them frequently.

Over the last decade, lawmakers have tried to legalize online gambling several times, but to no avail. Until that dream becomes a reality, we’ll discuss what offshore poker sites offer, how to choose the best one, and more.

Best Online Poker Sites in San Diego, California

Many international poker sites accept players from San Diego and the rest of California. That said, you’ll need to separate the wheat from the chaff to find those worth your time and money.

To cut down your search time, our team has tried and tested a number of these platforms. Before recommending any, we’ve looked into their licenses, game selection, reputation, and bonuses and singled out those that tick all the right boxes. You can find the list of the best and most reliable sites below.

• 100% Legal & Licensed
• Verified Bonus
• Mobile Friendly
• Advertiser Disclosure
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• Must be 18+ to participate.

# 1  Poker Site

5

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

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

+4

Exclusive bonus

100% upto $3000

18+. T&Cs Apply

Visit Site Read Review

# 3

4

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

+9

Exclusive bonus

200% upto $1000

18+. T&Cs Apply

Visit Site Read Review

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Is Online Poker Legal in San Diego, CA?

The Golden State is ideal for playing poker, and there is no shortage of live poker rooms. However, we cannot say the same for its online equivalent. Even though more and more US states are jumping on the bandwagon to legalize online poker, California is not there yet. What’s more, the state has completely banned operators from running online poker sites within state borders.

After the 2006 Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act, most online poker sites stopped accepting US players. Thus, no real-money online poker games are available in San Diego and California in general. Since then, California lawmakers have tried to legalize online poker, albeit unsuccessfully.

The first bill, SB 1463, was introduced in 2012, and soon after that, a few more followed, including AB 431 from 2015 and AB 2863 from 2016. However, none of them went for a full body vote. After that, online poker lost momentum, and the state shifted its focus to sports betting.

Despite this, San Diego players still have a few options to pursue their favorite games. They can visit some of the 15 land-based casinos on Indian land or have fun playing on sweepstakes sites. Another option is to visit offshore casinos catering to players from San Diego. Make sure you choose a reliable website before creating an account and making a deposit.

San Diego, CA Poker Laws

Before entering a live poker room or joining an international site, you should become acquainted with the Californian regulatory framework supplied below:

• Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act of 2006
• Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988
• California Gambling Law, Regulations, and Resource Information of 2022

How to Choose the Best San Diego Poker Site

Choosing a trustworthy poker site in San Diego is not an easy feat, especially with so many platforms at your disposal. Before deciding, you must consider a few things, such as security, game selection, bonuses, and player traffic.

To point you in the right direction and teach you how to recognize sketchy sites, we will highlight the most important aspects to keep in mind.

Licensing and Security

Although no international online poker site holds licenses from the regulatory bodies in San Diego, that doesn’t mean they operate without them. Trustworthy and reliable poker platforms obtain licenses from established agencies, such as the Malta Gaming Authority, the Kahnawake Regulatory Board, and the Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner, to name a few. If you come across a site operating without proper certification, avoid it at all costs.

Playing in a safe environment is also vital. The platform must employ up-to-date security protocols, such as SSL encryption and firewalls, to protect its players against theft and various data breaches.

Cash Game Selection and Tournaments

Online poker platforms usually offer popular titles, such as Texas Hold’em and Omaha. Still, it’s not uncommon to find other variants, like Razz, Mississippi Stud and Zone Poker. Whether you’re just starting out or have experience playing, make sure a site features a variety of games.

Great sites also organize daily and weekly poker tournaments, adding to their appeal.

Rake and Player Traffic

Experienced poker players know the importance of player traffic, so make sure to keep an eye on it at all times. What is the point of finding a game that suits your needs if there aren’t enough players online? In general, it is better to avoid sites with low traffic. You can read the reviews and feedback about the operator and check what other people say about it. The same applies to tournaments — you should always ensure there are enough entrants to generate prizes for the winners.

Rake goes hand in hand with player traffic. It is the amount of money an operator charges players to let them participate in a poker event or tournament. If the rake is too high, this is another red flag, and you should stay away.

Bonuses and Promotions

Nowadays, you will rarely see an online casino that doesn’t offer different promotions to its new and seasoned players. Most of the time, you will encounter welcome bonuses, cashback, freerolls, and reload promos. Plus, there may be loyalty programs with special perks for those with a long mileage at the casino.

Bonuses may be enticing, but what the fine print says is more important. For instance, you should avoid promos with high wagering requirements.

Banking Options

A poker site must ensure safe ways to make deposits and withdrawals. Most importantly, check if these banking options are available in your state because international poker sites may use payment methods different from those in San Diego. Other things you should consider are transaction speed and maximum and minimum withdrawal limits.

Device Compatibility

Unlike PCs and laptops, you can carry your mobile phones everywhere. This convenient gadget allows you to play games regardless of your location. Therefore, you should pick a casino compatible with your device’s operating system. These sites are usually optimized for a wide range of devices, so that shouldn’t be a problem.

Some operators have native poker apps, which you can download from the official app store. You should also pay attention to the speed and the layout. As long as you have a stable internet connection, you will have no trouble loading good websites.

Customer Support

Instead of registering right away without giving any thought to the site’s customer support because you are convinced you’ll never need it, consider checking out this aspect as well. You’ll want knowledgeable and friendly staff to solve your problems and answer your questions. You should examine how efficient their team is in offering beneficial solutions. The best sites offer a few communication channels, and their support works around the clock.

Benefits of Playing Online Poker in San Diego, CA

Since some players only favor the traditional casino experience and are skeptical about online poker, we have listed several advantages of playing this popular card game online.

• Easy access — Instead of traveling to your favorite land-based casino that may be far from your home, players can access any online offshore casino from any location. Plus, they can do it 24/7.
• Wide gaming variety — Online gambling platforms offer a large game selection with many variations. So, whether you are looking for popular or rare titles, they’ve got you covered. Players can also join the tournaments and try to win a portion of the hefty prize pools. This also means you can get a chance to play with opponents of different skill levels.
• Broader payment options — Many poker websites usually allow deposits and withdrawals from different locations through multiple payment gateways.
• Great bonuses and promotions — Promo deals draw most people to online poker sites. They range from welcome bonuses for new players to deposit bonuses, non-deposit offers, loyalty programs, and more.
• Lower entry fees — This is extremely important for new players who want to limit their losses and start small. Thus, they need access to games with buy-ins as low as a few cents.
• Short waiting time — Excellent online poker sites allow you to find a vacant seat immediately, regardless of the stakes you choose. Thanks to shorter waiting periods, you will be calmer and more focused on the game.

Famous Poker Players From San Diego, CA

The most successful poker pros from San Diego include Salman Behbehani, Mike Gorodinsky, and John Edward Monette.

Salman Behbehani has amassed more than $3.3 million in poker tournaments alone. He participated in over 60 events, and one of them gave him his biggest prize of $818,799. Behbehani is ranked #298 poker player in the US and #538 in all-time cash rankings.

Mike Gorodinsky took part in more than 25 poker tournaments earning over $3.3 million. His biggest achievement was a prize of $1.2 million in one live competition. Gorodinsky is ranked #478 on the all-time money list.

John Edward Monnette is another notable player from San Diego who won more than $2.8 million in tournaments only. Monnette was part of more than 35 live competitions, winning $276,206 as his biggest prize. He is ranked #543 on the all-time money list.

Other San Diego-native poker pros are Christopher Vitch, Hamid Dastmalchi, Markus Gonsalves, David Miscikowski, and others.

Best Land-Based Poker Rooms in San Diego, CA

Although San Diego is home to more than a dozen land-based casinos, only three have dedicated live poker rooms, and all of them are on Native American land.

Jamul, Sycuan, and Ocean’s 11 casinos host daily poker events, and players can enjoy Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Progressive 3-Card Poker, Fortune Pai Gow Poker, and No-Limit Hold’em. The buy-ins range from $10 to $110.

You can find more information on each of them in the table below.

FAQ

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.