Existing law, the Gambling Control Act, provides for the licensure and regulation of various legalized gambling activities and establishments by the California Gambling Control Commission and the investigation and enforcement of those activities and establishments by the Department of Justice. The act prohibits, until January 1, 2020, an ordinance in effect on January 1, 1996, that authorizes legal gaming within a city, county, or city and county from being amended to expand gaming in that jurisdiction beyond that permitted on January 1, 1996. Existing law requires any amendment to any ordinance that would result in an expansion of gambling, as defined, in the city, county, or city and county, to be submitted for approval to the voters of the city, county, or city and county and to be approved by a majority of the electors voting thereon in order to be valid, except that an ordinance may be amended without the approval of the electors to expand gambling by a change that results in an increase of less than 25% with respect to specified matters, including the number of gambling tables or the hours of operation of a gambling establishment in the city, county, or city and county.

This bill would authorize a city, county, or city and county to amend its ordinance to increase the operating hours of a gambling establishment to up to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.