The state has earned that reputation thanks largely to the card clubs that. Instead, Cali residents can. Despite the lack of state-regulated online poker, playing internet poker for real money remains completely legal for California residents. The only sites available in California are offshore poker sites. However, that doesn't prevent players from finding. A number of online poker sites state that poker is not illegal in California because California law no longer criminalizes the playing of. Only a handful of US states have legal online poker sites that are licensed to operate. Online poker California is not legal, however, there are options. Online poker is not yet allowed in California, meaning that the state doesn't issue licenses to poker operators. So yes, since online poker is played at home with the only gains being your winnings, it's perfectly legal. What about Online poker operators? There are no. . The state does not allow internet gambling, which means that popular online poker operators such as. Yes, home poker games are legal in California, as long as the host of the game doesn't take a rake from the pots or require any sort of fee from the players. California online poker FAQ . Can you play PokerStars in CA. California does not currently have its own online poker industry. No, PokerStars isn't legal in California.