Los Banos, CA Gambling & Gaming: Card Room Licensing (2026)
Key Facts
- License required
- LBMC § 11-10.02
- Application fee
- $100 (nonrefundable)
- Table cap
- 6 tables per card room
- Player cap
- 7 players per table
- Operating hours
- Closed 2:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
Summary
Los Banos allows card rooms but only under a City license, and Municipal Code Section 11-10.17 caps every licensed card room at six tables and seven players per table, with a mandatory closure from 2:00 a.m. to 10:00 a.m.
It is unlawful for any person, for him or herself, or for any other person, firm, or corporation, to engage in, carry on, maintain, or conduct, or cause to be engaged in, carried on, maintained, or conducted, any card room in the City without first having secured a license so to do in accordance with the provisions of this chapter or without complying with the provisions of this chapter. ... Not more than six tables shall be permitted in any card room. ... Not more than seven players shall be permitted at any one card table. ... All card rooms shall be closed at 2:00 a.m. and shall remain closed until 10:00 a.m.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: rev 4356507; v3 updated 2025-03-05).
Full Breakdown
02 makes it unlawful to engage in, carry on, or conduct any card room in the City without first securing a license under Chapter 10 of Title 11. 04 sets the application fee at $100, nonrefundable even if the license is refused, revoked, or suspended. citizens who have resided in Merced County for at least two years, unless the operator was already running a card room as of June 17, 1964. , open availability for police inspection during all operating hours, a ban on exterior advertising signage, and a ban on admitting anyone who is intoxicated.
19 makes clear the chapter does not authorize any game banned by state law, specifically citing Penal Code Section 330's prohibition on banking and percentage games. 13, with appeal to a three-member Council appointed Board of Appeals within 10 days.
Violations & Fines
Operating a card room without a license, exceeding the six-table or seven-player limits, staying open between 2:00 a.m. and 10:00 a.m., or violating any other rule in Section 11-10.17 is a misdemeanor under Section 11-10.20, punishable as set out in Title 1 Chapter 2, and grounds for license or work permit revocation under Section 11-10.16.
Frequently Asked Questions
How many tables can a Los Banos card room have?
What hours must Los Banos card rooms be closed?
Can minors be inside a Los Banos card room?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Banos
California rules heatmap·Compare Los Banos to another location·View the California gambling & gaming overview
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