California Gambling Control Commission

What California Gambling Control Commission does

The California Gambling Control Commission (CGCC) is a California state government regulatory agency established in 1997 under the Gambling Control Act (Business and Professions Code 19800-19987), headquartered at 2399 Gateway Oaks Drive, Suite 220, Sacramento. It serves as the licensing and oversight authority for controlled gambling in California, regulating 78 licensed cardrooms, 65 tribal casinos operated by 62 federally recognized tribes, third-party providers of proposition player services (TPPPS), gaming resource suppliers and financial sources serving tribal casinos, and manufacturers and distributors of gambling equipment. Its core regulatory functions include suitability determinations, license issuance and renewal, work permit approvals, ownership and lending transaction reviews, administrative hearings for contested matters, and rulemaking under the Administrative Procedure Act.

The Commission's "product surface" consists of regulatory and public-engagement services rather than commercial offerings. These include a publicly searchable Licensee and Registrant Look-Up tool, an online forms and applications portal for licensing and renewals, twice-monthly public meetings and evidentiary hearings conducted via Zoom (Meeting ID 285 757 8614) and in-person, a YouTube-based educational tutorial library, email subscription services for agendas, regulations, and precedential decisions, and quarterly industry newsletters. Underlying technology is conventional government IT plus Zoom and YouTube; no proprietary technology, API, or SDK is documented. The Commission also acts as trustee of the Indian Gaming Revenue Sharing Trust Fund and administrator of the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund, giving it fiduciary responsibilities over tribal gaming revenue distribution.

The Commission does not generate commercial revenue. It is funded through regulatory fees collected from licensees pursuant to Section 12090 and related regulations, supplemented by state appropriations. There is a $30 temporary badge fee for TPPPS employees and various licensee fees, but the agency does not sell products or services in the conventional sense. Operational scale is small — 11-50 employees, up to 5 commissioners (one position currently vacant), and an executive team led by Executive Director Lisa Wardall. A 2013 reorganization shifted certain investigative and enforcement responsibilities from CGCC to the Department of Justice's Bureau of Gambling Control, with the Commission retaining final licensing decision authority based on Bureau recommendations. The Commission's go-to-market motion is event-driven: twice-monthly public meetings drive the licensing pipeline, supplemented by website publishing, email subscriptions, and educational outreach to licensees and the general public.

Name

California Gambling Control Commission

Legal name

California Gambling Control Commission

Website

https://www.cgcc.ca.gov

Company type

Private

Founded year

2001

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

The California Gambling Control Commission is a California state regulatory agency that licenses and oversees 78 cardrooms, 65 tribal casinos (62 tribes), third-party proposition player services, gaming suppliers, and gambling equipment distributors, administering suitability determinations, public hearings, and tribal gaming trust funds.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Gambling Regulation

NAICS

Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (92615), Regulation, Licensing, and Inspection of Miscellaneous Commercial Sectors (926150), Gambling Industries (7132)

akta.pro primary industry

Gambling, Alcohol & Controlled Substances Regulators (BPAIAOAN)

akta.pro secondary industries

Gaming Regulatory Consulting & Advisory (MPAEAOAA), Licensing Application Preparation & Management (MPAEAOAB), Responsible Gambling (RG) Compliance & Player Protection (MPAEAOAE), Regulatory Investigations, Enforcement Response & Legal Representation (MPAEAOAM)

Keywords

• Gambling regulation
• Gaming licensing
• Cardroom oversight
• Tribal gaming compacts
• Suitability determinations

Headquarters

HQ city

Sacramento

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Regulatory Fees and Licensing Fees: The Commission collects annual fees from cardrooms, third-party providers, tribal gaming operations, and other licensees. Fees are assessed pursuant to Section 12090 and related regulations. The Commission also administers the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund and serves as trustee for the Indian Gaming Revenue Sharing Trust Fund.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The California Gambling Control Commission is a state regulatory agency that licenses, supervises, and regulates gambling establishments (78 cardrooms), tribal casinos (65 operated by 62 federally recognized tribes), third-party providers of proposition player services, and manufacturers and distributors of gambling equipment. It conducts suitability determinations, issues work permits, approves ownership changes and lending arrangements, and administers the Indian Gaming Special Distribution Fund and the Indian Gaming Revenue Sharing Trust Fund. The Commission holds public meetings twice a month and conducts evidentiary hearings for contested licensing decisions.

Product overview

The California Gambling Control Commission is a state regulatory agency (not a technology product company) that provides regulatory services including licensing and oversight of gambling establishments (78 cardrooms), tribal casinos (65 tribal casinos operated by 62 tribes), third-party providers of proposition player services, and gaming equipment manufacturers/distributors. The Commission's online services include a licensee search database, virtual public meetings via Zoom, downloadable licensing forms, administrative hearing management, and educational resources. There is no commercial product portfolio; these are government regulatory services.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Licensee and Registrant Look-Up Online search tool allowing the public to verify license status, view license conditions, and search for individuals and businesses licensed by the Commission.
• Commission Public Meetings via Zoom Virtual meeting platform enabling public participation in regulatory hearings, licensing meetings, and evidentiary sessions through video conferencing.
• Online Forms and Applications Portal Digital repository of licensing applications, renewal forms, work permit requests, and regulatory submissions for cardroom owners, TPPPS providers, tribal gaming employees, and vendors.
• Gaming Resource Supplier and Vendor Licensing Determination of suitability services for gaming resource suppliers and financial source providers seeking to do business with California Tribal casinos, including registration and renewal processing.
• Administrative Hearings Management Evidentiary hearing services for contested licensing decisions, including GCA and APA proceedings, with documentation of pleadings and decisions.
• Tribal Gaming Oversight Services Regulatory oversight of tribal casinos including suitability determinations for tribal key employees, administration of the Special Distribution Fund and Revenue Sharing Trust Fund.
• Cardroom Regulation Services Licensing, supervision, and compliance oversight for 78 licensed cardrooms including suitability determinations, work permits, and operational approvals.
• Education and Tutorial Resources Video tutorials, FAQs, brochures, and educational materials explaining licensing requirements, application processes, badge requirements, and regulatory compliance.

Named customers5 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Department of Justice's Bureau of Gambling ControlcoreOthersCollaborative regulatory relationship where the Bureau is responsible for conducting investigations and audits, enforcing state gaming laws and regulations, and collecting gaming license applications and applicable fees. The Commission makes final licensing decisions based on Bureau recommendations.
• Tribal Gaming AgenciescoreOthersTribal Gaming Agencies conduct background investigations on tribal key employees and gaming resource suppliers at the tribal level. The Commission receives suitability recommendations and makes final determinations for state-level licensing.
• Tribal-State Gaming CompactscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFormal agreements between the State of California and federally recognized tribes governing the conduct of Class III gaming. The Commission has fiduciary, regulatory and administrative responsibilities related to tribal gaming and revenue distribution under these compacts.
• Gaming Policy Advisory Committee (GPAC)minorOthersAdvisory committee of 10 members composed of representatives of controlled gambling licensees and members of the general public in equal numbers. Provides advisory recommendations to the Commission concerning matters of controlled gaming regulatory policy. The committee may not advise on Indian gaming.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Nevada Gaming Control Board: Nevada's state-level gambling regulatory agency, which licenses and oversees casinos, gaming equipment manufacturers, and non-restricted license holders. Direct peer to CGCC as a state gambling regulatory body with similar licensing, suitability, and enforcement authority.
• New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement: New Jersey's primary state-level gambling regulator with jurisdiction over Atlantic City casinos and, increasingly, online gaming. Directly comparable to CGCC as a state regulatory body exercising licensing, investigative, and enforcement authority over controlled gambling.
• Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board: Pennsylvania state agency that licenses and regulates casino gaming, sports wagering, and video gaming terminals. Functionally parallel to CGCC as a state gambling regulator with licensing, suitability determination, and oversight responsibilities.
• New York State Gaming Commission: New York's state gaming regulator overseeing commercial casinos, lottery, horse racing, and charitable gaming. Comparable to CGCC as a state-level regulatory body with licensing, enforcement, and tribal/state coordination responsibilities.
• Michigan Gaming Control Board: Michigan's state agency regulating commercial casinos, tribal gaming compacts, and online gaming. Directly comparable to CGCC as a state gambling regulator with licensing, investigative, and tribal/state gaming oversight.
• Illinois Gaming Board: Illinois state gaming regulator overseeing riverboat casinos, video gaming, and sports wagering. Functions as a peer state gambling regulatory body with licensing, suitability, and enforcement authority similar to CGCC.
• Massachusetts Gaming Commission: Massachusetts state gaming regulator overseeing licensed casinos, slots, and sports betting. Directly comparable to CGCC as another state gambling control body performing licensing, suitability, and oversight functions.
• Arizona Department of Gaming: Arizona's state agency responsible for regulating tribal gaming compacts, commercial casinos, and event wagering. Comparable to CGCC as a state gaming regulatory body with compacts-based tribal oversight and licensing functions.

Broad incumbents

• National Indian Gaming Commission: Federal regulator of tribal gaming across all states. While broader in scope than CGCC, NIGC shares jurisdiction over California's tribal casinos and operates in the same regulatory space at the federal level.

Regional players

• Bureau of Gambling Control (California): California's parallel enforcement and investigative arm within the Department of Justice. While not a regulator in the same sense, BGC is the closest functional partner to CGCC and operates in the same controlled-gambling regulatory space under the same statutory framework.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat2 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/calgamblingcomm
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/californiagamblingcontrolcommission

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about California Gambling Control Commission