Golden Acorn Casino. An hour east of San Diego along Interstate 8, Golden Acorn Casino and Travel Center is a casino/truck stop just before you head down into the desert region of San Diego and Imperial counties. Golden Acorn has 750 slots as well as more than 13 table games. Pechanga Arena San Diego is the premier venue for concerts, sports and live events. Formerly San Diego Sports Arena and Valley View Casino Center. View the event calendar, buy tickets, seating chart, box office, parking, directions and more.
In the U.S., we have two major milestone birthdays that take place within 3 years of each other: 18 and 21. At age 18, a person is considered a legal adult and can vote, play the lottery, and join the armed forces. At age 21, a person can legally drink and buy alcohol and patronize casinos in Las Vegas and Atlantic City. But in many states, people can gamble at age 18—and there’s no better place to host a milestone birthday than a local casino. Here’s a roundup of the various states and their restrictions regarding 18 and over casinos.
Pari-mutuel betting
Pari-mutuel betting is a type of wager where the final payout is determined after all bets are made, which is different from the fixed odds offered by casinos. The most popular type of pari-mutuel betting is off-track betting facilities. When you bet on horse races, all bets are pooled together and the house takes its fee. Once betting closes, the payouts are finalized based on how much money is in the pool and the results of the event. States that allow pari-mutuel betting for people aged 18 and over include:
- Arkansas
- Delaware
- Florida
- Indiana
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- New Mexico
- Ohio
- Pennsylvania
- Washington
Bingo
Anyone can participate in a few rounds of bingo at the local church, but most casino bingo halls have an age limit to gamble. States that allow people age 18 and up to play bingo in a casino include:
- Connecticut
- Florida
- New Mexico
- Oregon
- South Dakota
- Wisconsin
Mixed age limits
Some states allow gambling for ages 18 and up or 21 and up, some depending on the particular casino, others depending on the particular casino game. For example, Florida allows those 18 and up to gamble on pari-mutuels, bingo, and poker, but has an age minimum of 21 for slots. States with mixed age limits include:
- Florida
- New York
- Oklahoma
- Washington
- California
Age 18+ welcome
A few states welcome anyone age 18 and older to gamble at local casinos, including California (with a few exceptions). California is home to casinos in over 100 cities—the largest number by far in the U.S., exceeding even the number found in Nevada. Southern California alone boasts two dozen cities with casinos, including Campo, which is home to Golden Acorn Casino! States that allow gambling at the age of 18 include:
18+ Casinos In San Diego
- Alaska
- Idaho
- Minnesota
- Wyoming
- California (with a few exceptions)
Celebrate your 18th at Golden Acorn Casino
If you’re looking for the best place to celebrate your birthday at one of the 18 and over casinos near San Diego, come see us at Golden Acorn Casino. We offer hundreds of slot machines and dozens of table games to choose from, and we’re conveniently located right off the I-8, about an hour away from downtown San Diego. And who knows, maybe your wish for a big jackpot will come true when you blow out your candles!
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LATEST UPDATES: Tracking COVID-19 Racial Justice
Wednesday, March 18, 2020
By Amita Sharma
Credit: Barona Resort & Casino
Above: People entering the Barona Resort and Casino in this undated photo.
Even though schools and businesses have mostly shut down to stop the spread of the coronavirus, several San Diego County casinos remained open Wednesday and won't shut down until Friday.
The bright lights outlining the words “Welcome Home” were turned on just above the doors at Barona Casino on Wednesday morning.
Aired 3/19/20 on KPBS News
Listen to this story by Amita Sharma.
Inside, people — including a number of seniors — played the slot machines and blackjack tables. Many sat next to each other, violating social distancing recommendations.
Over the past week, county officials have prohibited gatherings of 50 or more and on Wednesday reduced the number to 10. Meanwhile, Gov. Gavin Newsom is asking seniors to stay at home.
“We specifically included casinos in the examples of places where gatherings are prohibited,” said county spokesman Michael Workman on Wednesday.
Yet, the casinos are owned by Native American tribes that are considered sovereign nations and are not subject to state and county laws. This is why a recently issued county order does not demand, but 'respectfully requests the cooperation of the Tribal Governments in ensuring the Public Health Officer’s Order regarding gatherings….”
But the casinos had been ignoring the order. On Wednesday morning, for example, KPBS journalists observed at least 100 people in the Barona Casino.
One of those people was an elderly man, who did not want to give his name. He said he brought his wife to the casino to play the slot machines so she would have “something to do.”
Casino officials did not grant KPBS an interview. However, hours after KPBS’s visit, Barona and other tribal casinos in the county announced they were closing temporarily, beginning Friday.
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Amita Sharma
Investigative Reporter
As an investigative reporter for KPBS, I've helped expose political scandals and dug into intractable issues like sex trafficking. I've raised tough questions about how government treats foster kids. I've spotlighted the problem of pollution in poor neighborhoods. And I've chronicled corporate mistakes and how the public sometimes ends up paying for them.
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