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San Luis Obispo County, CA Gambling & Gaming: Card Room Licensing (2026)

Significant Restrictions
Compiled from the official code textEditor Martyn O'NeillLast verified September 2026

Key Facts

Countywide card room cap
10 rooms maximum
Tables per room
4 tables maximum
Countywide table cap
40 tables total
Per-game wagering limit
$1,000 per person
License term
1 year from issuance
Reviewing agency
County Sheriff, approved by Board of Supervisors
State license required
Bureau of Gambling Control (Bus. & Prof. Code § 19800 et seq.)

Summary

San Luis Obispo County caps card rooms at ten countywide and four tables per room under Code Chapter 6.36. The sheriff reviews every license application, the board of supervisors approves it, wagering is capped at $1,000 per game, and operators must first hold a state gambling license from the Bureau of Gambling Control.

These county ordinances apply to unincorporated areas of San Luis Obispo County. Incorporated cities within the county may have their own rules that take precedence over county-level regulations.

6.36.010 - Application review. ... (1)Card rooms may operate for twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week... (3)The number of card rooms allowed in the county's jurisdiction shall not exceed ten rooms, and the number of card tables allowable for any card room shall not exceed four tables, and shall not cause the county to exceed its jurisdictional limit of forty tables, except that a maximum of ten tables may be allowed for up to five days for a tournament, upon application to and approval by the board... (5)The per person wagering limits shall be clearly posted in the card room, and shall not exceed one thousand dollars per game.

Full Breakdown

010 requires the sheriff to review every card room or card table license application and report findings to the board of supervisors, which then confirms the applicant has met a list of county requirements: card rooms may run 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with hours posted and not conflicting with the county's Title 22 or 23 land use rules; the location must comply with those same land use titles; the county allows no more than ten card rooms total and four tables per room, capped countywide at forty tables, except a tournament may add up to ten temporary tables for up to five days with board approval; a license holder seeking temporary tournament tables must first get California Gambling Control Commission approval under Regulation Section 12358; posted per-person wagering limits cannot exceed $1,000 per game; and the operator is liable for patron safety and must provide adequate security.

; the board may also limit how many county licenses it issues in the interest of public peace, safety and welfare. 030 runs for one year from its issue date.

Violations & Fines

Chapter 6.36 does not print its own separate criminal penalty section; operating a card room or card table without the license required by this chapter falls under the general Title 6 misdemeanor at Section 6.00.020 for engaging in a licensed activity without first procuring it, punishable per Section 6.00.080 by a fine or imprisonment up to the limits set by California Government Code Section 25132, with each day of unlicensed operation a separate offense. The board of supervisors can also decline to renew or can revoke a card room license that no longer meets the sheriff-reviewed conditions on hours, tables, wagering limits or security.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many card rooms can operate in San Luis Obispo County?
Section 6.36.010(3) caps the county at ten card rooms total, with no more than four card tables per room, and a hard countywide ceiling of forty tables. A tournament can temporarily add up to ten extra tables for up to five days if the board of supervisors approves and the operator first gets state Gambling Control Commission sign-off.
What is the maximum bet allowed at a licensed card room?
Section 6.36.010(5) requires per-person wagering limits to be clearly posted in the card room and caps them at $1,000 per game. The sheriff reviews compliance with this limit as part of the license application, and the board of supervisors will not approve a license unless the posted limits comply.
Does a card room need a state gambling license in addition to the county one?
Yes. Section 6.36.020(a)(2) conditions county license issuance on the applicant having already complied with California Business and Professions Code Sections 19800 et seq. and received a gambling license from the State of California, on top of the sheriff-reviewed county requirements for hours, location, tables and security.

Sources & Official References

Other rules in San Luis Obispo County

All San Luis Obispo County rules

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