El Cajon, CA Gambling & Gaming: Card Room Licensing (2026)

Chapter 5.28 defines a card room as any space furnished with tables or implements used for playing cards or similar games and available to the public, excluding public parks and city recreation centers where visitors occasionally play cards recreationally (Section 5.28.010). It is unlawful to own or operate a card room in El Cajon except as an accessory use to one of two primary uses: a restaurant establishment, or a bona fide club, society, professional organization, union hall, fraternal organization, or similar membership use with adopted rules or bylaws and members selected by established criteria; the primary use must hold all applicable discretionary permits or qualify for nonconforming status under Chapter 17.120 (Section 5.28.020).

No card room may open without a special operation license under Chapter 5.16, and the city caps the total at a maximum of eight card rooms operating at any one time citywide (Section 5.28.030). Card rooms must also conform to Title 17's zoning code, including additional development and operational standards for card rooms operated as an accessory use (Section 5.28.040(A)). The chapter is explicit that it does not authorize any game prohibited under state law (Section 5.28.070). A special operation license for a card room cannot be assigned or transferred to another owner (Section 5.28.060).