Government Code section 98006

The gaming authorized pursuant to this chapter, including, but not limited to, the gaming authorized pursuant to the Gaming Compact set forth in Section 98004, is not subject to any prohibition in state law now or hereafter enacted. Without limiting the foregoing, and notwithstanding any other provision of law, the following forms of gaming specifically are permitted and authorized to be conducted on Indian lands by a tribe that has entered into a Tribal-State compact with the state pursuant to this chapter, IGRA, or any other law:

(a)

Any card games that were operated on any Indian reservation in California on or before January 1, 1998, provided that, with respect to card games that are not within class II of IGRA (which class II games are not affected by this chapter), those card games shall pay prizes solely in accordance with a players’ pool prize system in which one or more segregated pools of funds that have been collected from player wagers are irrevocably dedicated to the prospective award of prizes in those card games or other lottery games, promotions, or contests and in which the house neither has acquired nor can acquire any interest. The tribe may set and collect a fee from players on a per play, per amount wagered, or time-period basis, and may seed the pools in the form of loans or promotional expenses, provided that the seeding is not used to pay prizes previously won.

(b)

Any gaming or gambling device, provided that the devices do not dispense coins or currency and are not activated by handles, and prizes therefrom are awarded solely from one or more segregated pools of funds (1) that have been collected from player wagers, (2) that are irrevocably dedicated to the prospective award of prizes in such games or in other lottery games, contests, tournaments, or prize pool promotions, and (3) in which the house neither has acquired nor can acquire any interest. The tribe may set and collect a fee from players on a per play, per amount wagered, or time-period basis, and may seed the pools in the form of loans or promotional expenses, provided that the seeding is not used to pay prizes previously won. The introduction, possession, manufacture, repair, or transportation of gaming devices that are authorized by the terms of any Tribal-State gaming compact between the State of California and any federally recognized Indian tribe exercising jurisdiction over Indian lands in California is lawful in this state.

(c)

The operation of any lottery game, including, but not limited to, drawings, raffles, match games, and instant lottery ticket games.

Source: Section 98006, https://leginfo.­legislature.­ca.­gov/faces/codes_displaySection.­xhtml?lawCode=GOV§ionNum=98006.­ (accessed Apr. 24, 2025).

Last Updated

Apr. 24, 2025

§ 98006’s source at ca​.gov