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

Chapter 8 of the Oceanside City Code governs cardrooms citywide. Sec. 2(a) makes it unlawful to operate any business where tables are used for playing cards for a fee without a city license, and Sec. 2(c) caps the city at no more than two cardroom licenses; if one owner holds both, they consolidate into a single license and no further licenses issue. Sec. daily, and until noon on Sundays, unless a conditional use permit for 24-hour operation is granted for a cardroom outside a redevelopment area (Sec.

2(f)). Applicants file with the city manager under Sec. 3, are fingerprinted, and must disclose financial statements, house rules, table counts and criminal history; the Oceanside Police Department and city manager investigate the applicant, the premises and the proposed games under Sec. 6, and the city council alone decides whether to grant or deny the license under Sec. 7, with no more than 56 tables permitted per license. Sec. 8 lets the council deny a license outright if the operation would violate law, involve an unlawful game, or sit near a school, church, playground, hospital or similarly unsuitable area.

Fees under Sec. 5 run $2,000 per table annually, paid monthly, plus a quarterly gross-revenue fee that rose from 5% to 6% effective January 1, 2013, verified by a CPA-certified statement filed with the business license inspector. Sec. 12 allows suspension or revocation for fee delinquency, rule violations, fraud in the application, or ceasing operations for more than 90 days, following a noticed hearing before the city council whose decision is final.