California may be the state that abounds in land-based casinos, but the Bay Area is an exception.
Although brick-and-mortar casino gambling is permitted exclusively to the Native American tribes, there is only a handful of them, and they are primarily located in the San Francisco Bay Area or the vicinity of approximately 120 miles.
Naturally, not all of these gambling establishments resemble one another, except their minimal age requirement for players, which is 21+ years old.
To help you make up your mind, we will compare them and discuss the games they offer, locations, accommodation, and more.
San Pablo Lytton Casino
13255 San Pablo Avenue, San Pablo, CA 94806
The Lytton Band of Pomo Indians operates the San Pablo Lytton Casino, located in San Pablo, California. It started as a cardroom in 1994 but evolved into a full-fledged casino in 2005.
This casino, 19 miles away from San Francisco and a 60,000 square feet casino floor, mainly attracts players for its slot machines and card games. With over 1,500 Class II slots, players have a vast selection of themes to pick from. Some of the most popular ones include Buffalo Gold, Wheels of Fortune, Ice on Fire, Blazing Hot Inferno, Red Hot Tamales, and Black Diamond.
If you are into other games, Lytton Casino also offers video bingo and card games, such as blackjack, roulette, dice games, and poker.
Players are welcome to join the casino’s exclusive program, Players Advantage Club, and earn points they can redeem at its premises or win bonus play funds and learn about upcoming promotions first. You can become a member for free, and the casino will award you $5 to get started.
Red Hawk Casino
1 Rew Hawk Parkway, Placerville, CA 95667
Red Hawk Casino is the farthest casino from the City of Fog, approximately two hours away. Located in El Dorado County, this casino is owned by the Shingle Springs Band of Miwok Indians.
It is a true gambling oasis with over 2,300 slot machines and many table games situated on the 88,000 square feet of its gaming floor.
Slot machines range in denominations from one penny to $5, and you can choose among reels, video, or progressive slots from providers like AGS, Zitro, and Gaming Arts.
The casino also caters to high-rollers by providing a private high-limit room. Moreover, playing your favorite slots earns you points for dining, free play, and various other discounts.
With over 70 table games, Red Hawk Casino offers a mix of games that cater to every budget. Players can have a crack at Mystery Card Roulette, Single and Double Deck Blackjack, Mini Baccarat, EZ Baccarat, Multi-Deck Shoe Blackjack, and others.
There is also a poker room with seven tables that feature Three Card Poker, Fortune Pai Gow Poker, DJ Wild Stud, Four Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em.
Aside from a fuel station, convenience store, kids quest, and cyber quest arcade, this gambling establishment has seven exclusive restaurants.
There are also bars, lounges, and a stage for live entertainment.
Additionally, Red Hawk Casino will soon open a 150-room hotel and plans to add a bowling alley, an indoor go-caring, and virtual reality gaming suites.
Graton Casino Hotel
288 Golf Course Dr W, Rohnert Park, CA 94928
Graton Casino Hotel is approximately 50 miles away from San Francisco, owned by the Federated Indians of Grand Rancheria and operated by the Station Casinos.
Its massive gambling venue is due to its remote location amid the Northern Californian hills in Sonoma County.
The casino provides an exceptional gambling experience featuring over 3,000 slot machines, table games, a live poker room, and VIP gaming salons stretching across 320,000 square feet.
Graton Casino regularly updates its slot library, adding classic and new progressive titles featuring numerous themes.
Timber Wolf Diamond, Stinkin’ Rich Skunks Gone Wild, Wheel of Fortune Mystery Link, and Zoltar Triple Jackpot are some of them. Atop that, some titles are Graton Casino exclusive.
Table game fans can find over 140 options at their disposal, including classics like blackjack, baccarat, roulette, and poker.
Additionally, its live poker room features 18 poker tables where you can play Pai Gow Poker, Three Card Poker, Four Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em. For a dose of competitiveness, check out the casino’s morning or night poker tournaments.
Aside from its impressive gaming floor, Graton Casino provides accommodation, exclusive restaurants with various cuisines, a marketplace, a spa and salon, and a business center. Other amenities include an outdoor pool, fitness center, a gift shop, a live event center, and a lobby bar.
Graton Casino grants its customers an opportunity to become exclusive casino members by signing up for Graton Rewards. The program includes access to exclusive promotions, discounts, and free play offers. The more you play, the more points you collect and enjoy different tier benefits like Preferred, Premier, Platinum, or Elite.
Furthermore, the casino introduced its mobile app — Graton App, which is compatible with both Android and iOS operating systems. It allows you to book a room, make a dining reservation, see your reward offers, and stay in the loop with all the latest promotions.
Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort
12222 New York Ranch Road, Jackson, CA 95642
Situated at the Sierra Foothills, Jackson Rancheria Casino Resort is 130 miles away from San Francisco. The Jackson Rancheria Band of Miwuk Indians opened it as a bingo hall in 1991 but later grew it into a full-scale casino.
With more than 1,700 slot machines, 36 table games, and round-the-clock cardroom, Jackson Rancheria Casino is a top gaming destination. This casino, with its massive gaming floor of 258,000 square feet, has everything from the newest titles to classic video and reel slots with denominations ranging from a penny to $25. Thus, you can enjoy titles like Moneyball Inferno, Little Shop of Horrors, Hex Beaker, Money Link, and many others. And if you are into progressives, you will love Wheel of Fortune and Buffalo Diamond.
Table game enthusiasts have 36 table games at their disposal, including blackjack, Pai Gow, Spanish 21, Three Card Poker Progressive, DJ Wild Stud Poker, Ultimate Texas Hold’em Progressive, and Baccarat Dragon Bonus. Additionally, you can also play a round of video poker or video keno.
Playing any of these games qualifies you for the Dreamcatcher’s Club membership. Tiers are accessed based on points earned: Classic, Premier, VIP, and Elite. Each offers higher benefits that may bring you various discounts, free slot play, and special promos.
Jackson Rancheria offers 86 spacious rooms to its guests. Other amenities include a pool, spa, business center, exercise room, RV park, five casino restaurants, one exclusive bakery, and one cafe.
Colusa Casino Resort
3770 CA-45, Colusa, CA 95932
The Cachil Dehe Band of Wintun Indians of the Colusa Indian Community founded the Colusa Casino Resort in 1986, establishing a prominent gambling location 130 miles away from San Francisco.
Its 50,000 square feet casino floor consists of slot machines, table, and bingo games where players can enjoy a selection of over 1,200 slot titles and try to win on one of the progressive slots. This resort highlights bingo games and requires a buy-in for seat reservation.
The casino’s table games cater to all player levels, allowing you to experience anything from traditional Blackjack, Lucky Lucky Blackjack, Zappit Blackjack, and Down Under Blackjack to Three Card Fortune Poker and Fortune Pai Gow Progressive.
Loyal players are eligible to join the Rewards Club and receive exclusive discounts, unlimited points accumulation, access to exclusive offers, and much more. Your mileage with the casino determines your tier — Valley, Ridge, Butte, Vista, and Summit, each coming with higher benefits subsequently.
However, Colusa Casino offers more than just gambling.
Its famous hotel — River Valley Lodge, provides luxurious accommodation to its customers. Other facilities include a wellness center, spa, three restaurants, a coffee bar, a heated pool, and volleyball and basketball courts. Moreover, the guests can enjoy frequent entertainment shows and DJ nights.