San Francisco Superior Court Judge Richard Darwin has granted a preliminary injunction to California cardrooms, blocking the state from applying restrictions on...
California judge allows cardrooms to offer blackjack
On June 30, 2026, Superior Court Judge Richard Darwin ruled that cardrooms would be allowed to continue offering blackjack, stating that Attorney General Rob Bonta’s Department of Justice (DOJ) didn’t have the authority to impose bans.
Previously, California ruled in favor of cardrooms in the blackjack battle on May 21, 2026, preventing the restrictions from being applied during the process of the lawsuit; however, the preliminary injunction was granted only until June 30. According to the new ruling, Judge Darwin argued that the DOJ stepped outside of its authority zone as it’s only allowed to enforce gambling laws, not create new policies that fully restructure the operations of cardrooms.
The California Gaming Association, which was responsible for launching the legal action against the DOJ’s decision, praised the court’s ruling, with president Kyle Kirkland stating that the judge gave a clear answer.
Kirkland commented:
“The court’s ruling is a lifeline for communities across California. If these regulations had been allowed to stand, the consequences would have been devastating for working families, local businesses, and the cities that rely on cardroom revenues to fund police, parks, libraries, youth programs, and other essential services.”
A spokesperson for Attorney General Bonta responded:
“The attorney general’s office is disappointed in today’s ruling but is reviewing our options and will respond appropriately.”
Both sides will appear in court during the coming week, where Judge Darwin will issue a written explanation for his ruling.
After California approved restrictions on cardroom games on February 6, 2026, the California Gaming Association (CGA), the California Cardroom Alliance, and Communities for...
