Page 43 - 2023-2024 Travel Guide to California

CASINOS
LET IT RIDE
Want to try your luck? California has plenty of options for gambling
BY MATT VILLANO
PECHANGA
RESORT CASINO
Located in Temecula Valley, the
Pechanga Resort Casino is among
the largest resort/casinos in the U.S.
A four diamond property, it is
owned and operated by the
Pechanga Tribe, with cultural
artifacts throughout the resort. It
boasts more than 12 restaurants, an
on-site golf course and luxury spa, a
4.5 acre pool complex, a live sports
and concert events venue and a
24-hour casino with 200,000
square feet of gaming space.
In days gone by—the days of Frank Sinatra
and Bugsy Siegel—U.S. gamblers looking
for a date with Lady Luck had one option:
Las Vegas. Nowadays, with changes to gam-
bling laws in many states, it’s a safe bet that
bettors can throw down their cash just
about anywhere. Of all the states that now
offer gambling, the best (and most plentiful)
options are in California.
The Golden State has two choices for
people looking to place bets: Native Amer-
ican casinos, and card rooms (which are
glorified bars where gambling is legal, so
long as the house doesn’t win).
The Native American outposts tend to be
farther from major cities but offer nicer
digs. They have slots. They have table
games. They even have bingo. Many of
these wagering wonderlands are “Vegas-
style” resorts, complete with luxury hotels,
top-notch restaurants and indulgent spas.
A few of the properties even have their own
golf courses.
Card rooms are smaller, quieter and, in
many cases, more geared toward locals.
Games here are far less varied. In most
cases, as the name suggests, only card
games are available. The upside? Gam-
bling action is usually loose (and that’s a
good thing).
We’ve divided California’s gambling
scene into four distinct geographical
2023-24 TRAVEL GUIDE TO CALIFORNIA 41