_____________________
_____________________
By Brian Hews
Publisher | Follow X
May 21, 2026
San Francisco judge halts regulations targeting blackjack-style games after finding likely overreach and potential economic devastation statewide.
May 21, 2026
By Brian Hews
A San Francisco Superior Court judge has dealt a major blow to Rob Bonta and his controversial crackdown on California cardrooms, issuing a preliminary injunction that blocks enforcement of regulations threatening thousands of jobs and millions in local government revenue.
In a sharply worded ruling issued Thursday, Judge Richard Darwin found that Bonta’s Bureau of Gambling Control likely exceeded its legal authority when it adopted sweeping regulations targeting blackjack-style games long operated by California cardrooms.
The ruling temporarily halts enforcement of the regulations while a lawsuit filed by the California Gaming Association proceeds through court.
The court also found “clear and convincing evidence” that enforcement of the regulations would cause irreparable harm to California cardrooms and the communities that rely on them.
The decision marks a significant victory for California’s cardroom industry and for cities heavily dependent on gambling tax revenue, including Commerce, Hawaiian Gardens, and Bell Gardens.
According to the Attorney General’s own economic analysis cited during the rulemaking process, the regulations could eliminate more than 50% of statewide cardroom revenue.
That revenue supports police departments, parks, youth programs, fire services and general fund operations in numerous California cities.
“Today’s ruling validates what we have said all along: Attorney General Bonta and the Bureau of Gambling Control exceeded their authority by attempting to rewrite California gaming law,” said California Gaming Association President Kyle Kirkland.
“These regulations were driven by pressure from powerful tribal gaming interests that have long sought to eliminate lawful competition from California’s cardrooms,” Kirkland said.
The now-blocked regulations targeted blackjack-style games and other popular table games that California cardrooms have operated for decades under oversight from multiple prior attorneys general, including administrations led by Kamala Harris and Xavier Becerra.
Cardrooms argued throughout the legal battle that Bonta’s office was attempting to effectively outlaw games that had long been permitted through prior state approvals and regulatory practices.
The case has become one of the most politically explosive gambling disputes in California, pitting wealthy tribal gaming interests against cardrooms, labor unions and local governments dependent on casino tax revenue.
During the rulemaking process, cardroom operators, labor leaders and local officials warned that the regulations would devastate local economies and eliminate thousands of middle-class jobs.
Despite receiving more than 1,700 public comments opposing the regulations, critics say the Bureau finalized the rules with few meaningful changes.
The ruling also raises broader questions about whether the Attorney General’s office attempted to accomplish through administrative regulation what gaming tribes have unsuccessfully pursued for years through legislation and litigation.
California tribes have long argued that blackjack-style cardroom games violate tribal exclusivity protections granted under California gaming compacts.
Cardrooms countered that the games have been lawfully operated for decades using state-approved third-party proposition player systems.
The court’s ruling now significantly strengthens the cardrooms’ argument that the Bureau overstepped its authority by effectively rewriting California gaming policy without legislative approval.
For Bonta, the injunction represents a major political and legal setback as opponents increasingly portray the regulations as an attempt to appease powerful tribal casino interests at the expense of local cities, workers and small businesses.
The preliminary injunction will remain in effect while the underlying lawsuit proceeds through the courts.
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
