Los Angeles, CA Gambling & Gaming: Card Room Licensing (2026)
Key Facts
- Permit authority
- Board of Police Commissioners
- Fee threshold
- Any membership, admission, or play fee
- Hearing notice
- Published twice, 5+ days apart, within 21 days
- Mailed notice radius
- 300 feet of the business
- Void condition
- Permit cannot authorize Penal Code-barred games
Summary
Los Angeles requires a written permit from the Board of Police Commissioners before anyone may run a card club, social card club, or card school. The Municipal Code defines these as any place charging a membership fee, admission fee, or card-playing fee, or collecting donations, and bars any permit from authorizing games the Penal Code or a City ordinance already prohibits.
"CARD CLUB" or "SOCIAL CARD CLUB" means any place maintained, operated or conducted, for the principal purpose of furnishing a place where members or guests or other persons play card games, and where: (i) A fee is charged either as membership dues or for admission to such place, or for the privilege of playing at cards; or (ii) Any collection or donation of money is made or received. "CARD SCHOOL" means any place maintained, operated or conducted for the purpose of giving instructions in the playing of card games of any type. Permit Required. No person shall maintain, operate, conduct or carry on any card club, social card club or card school without a written permit from the Board. Games Prohibited by Law. No permit issued by the Board shall authorize the conduct of any card game which is prohibited by the Penal Code of California or any ordinance of this City. Any permit issued in violation of this subsection shall be void.
Full Breakdown
01 can also delegate authority to its Police Permit Review Panel. 103(a) splits the regulated activity into two definitions: a "card club" or "social card club" is any place operated principally so members, guests, or other persons can play card games where either a membership or admission fee is charged, a fee is charged for the privilege of playing, or any collection or donation of money is made or received; a "card school" is any place operated to give instruction in playing card games. Subsection (b) makes the permit mandatory, no person may maintain, operate, conduct, or carry on a card club, social card club, or card school without a written Board permit.
Subsection (c) caps what any permit can cover: no permit may authorize a card game already prohibited by the California Penal Code or by any City ordinance, and any permit purporting to do so is void on its face. Subsection (d) forces a public vetting step before the Board rules on an application: the applicant must publish notice of a public hearing twice, at least five days apart, within the 21 days following filing, in a newspaper of general circulation in the district where the business will sit, post notice at the business location, and cover every printing, publishing, and posting cost.
Interested persons may file written protests or appear and object at the hearing, and the Board must weigh those protests before deciding. 03 additionally lets the Board mail notice to property owners within 300 feet.
Violations & Fines
Operating a card club, social card club, or card school without a Board permit violates LAMC § 103.103(b) directly. A permit that purports to authorize a Penal Code- or ordinance-prohibited card game is void under § 103.103(c), exposing the operator to prosecution as if no permit existed. LAMC § 103.04 separately makes any false statement in a permit application or a required report a misdemeanor, and unpermitted operation of a Board-regulated business generally carries misdemeanor penalties enforced by LAPD and the City Attorney, with the Board able to deny, revoke, or decline to renew the permit outright.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Los Angeles allow standalone card rooms?
Can a permit cover any card game?
Is public notice required before a card club permit issues?
What happens if someone lies on a card club permit application?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles
California rules heatmap·Compare Los Angeles to another location·View the California gambling & gaming overview
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Card Room Licensing in Nearby Cities
How other cities in Los Angeles County handle card room licensing.