Gardens Casino
Corporate brand
UnclaimedGardens Casino is a California cardroom casino in Hawaiian Gardens that offers table-based card games rather than traditional house-banked casino games.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Gardens Casino is a cardroom casino located in Hawaiian Gardens, California. The property was founded in 1997 and operates primarily as a destination for table-based card games. Unlike a conventional casino that operates slot machines and a broad range of house-banked games, the casino's published profile is centered on cardroom gaming. Its business is therefore tied to California's regulated cardroom model, in which players participate in permitted card games under state and local regulatory requirements. The casino began with approximately 59,900 square feet of space. A major redevelopment completed in 2016 substantially enlarged and modernized the property, expanding it to roughly 200,000 square feet through an investment reported at approximately $90 million. The renovation marked a significant change in the scale and presentation of the venue, positioning Gardens Casino as a large-format cardroom and entertainment property in the Los Angeles metropolitan area. Poker has been an important part of the property's public identity. The television and webcast program Poker Night in America hosted programming at the casino, including a live broadcast in March 2018. Such programming connected the venue with televised poker and helped present the casino as a setting for organized and spectator-oriented card play rather than only as a local gambling hall. The casino has also faced significant compliance scrutiny. In 2017, it acknowledged failures involving federal anti-money-laundering requirements and faced the possibility of losing its license. The matter concerned shortcomings in its compliance systems and reporting practices. Gardens Casino's general counsel, Keith Sharp, said that management accepted responsibility and had made substantial improvements to its programs. In December 2019, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced a $3.1 million settlement concerning allegations that the casino had misled gambling regulators and violated the federal Bank Secrecy Act. That settlement was separate from a $2.8 million penalty imposed by the U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. The agreement also required the casino to complete a 24-month compliance period. Gardens Casino's brand is consequently defined by three overlapping characteristics: a large California cardroom property, a poker-oriented entertainment profile, and a heightened regulatory-compliance history. Publicly available reference material does not establish a current parent company, ultimate owner, listed-company relationship, or a complete roster of current executives. The casino's official website remains the primary public-facing source for current operations, offerings, and visitor information.
History
Gardens Casino is a cardroom casino in Hawaiian Gardens, California. It was founded in 1997 and began operations in a facility measuring approximately 59,900 square feet. Its core business has been cardroom gaming, placing it within California's distinctive casino and cardroom environment rather than the conventional resort-casino model built around slot machines and house-banked table games. The property underwent a major redevelopment in 2016. The renovation was reported to have cost approximately $90 million and expanded the casino's footprint to about 200,000 square feet. This enlargement materially changed the scale of the venue and supported its role as a major cardroom destination in the Los Angeles area. Public reference material does not provide a complete account of the property's ownership structure or the corporate entities involved in the redevelopment. Poker has been a visible part of the casino's entertainment profile. Poker Night in America, a television and webcast program, used the casino as a host venue for programming, including a live show broadcast in March 2018. The association gave Gardens Casino exposure beyond local in-person gaming and linked the property to televised poker events. The casino's later history includes substantial regulatory and compliance issues. In 2017, Gardens Casino acknowledged failures to follow federal anti-money-laundering laws. The issue created a potential threat to its license and raised concerns about the effectiveness of its internal controls. Keith Sharp, identified in contemporary reporting as the casino's general counsel, said that management accepted responsibility and had made significant efforts to improve its compliance programs. On December 5, 2019, California Attorney General Xavier Becerra announced a $3.1 million settlement with Hawaiian Gardens Casino. The settlement addressed allegations involving misleading gambling regulators and violations of the federal Bank Secrecy Act. It was in addition to a $2.8 million penalty imposed by the U.S. Treasury Department's Financial Crimes Enforcement Network. The casino was also required to undergo a 24-month compliance period designed to ensure that it met the settlement's requirements. The available reference material does not establish a complete current executive roster, current ownership, or a detailed breakdown of the casino's present gaming menu. Its public identity can nevertheless be summarized as a large California cardroom with a poker-oriented entertainment presence, a substantially renovated facility, and a documented history of regulatory remediation.
- 2019
California settlement and compliance period announced
[2]The California Attorney General announced a $3.1 million settlement concerning alleged regulatory misrepresentations and Bank Secrecy Act violations, with a required 24-month compliance period.
- 2018
Poker Night in America hosted a live program
[1]Poker Night in America broadcast a live show from Gardens Casino in March 2018.
- 2017
Federal anti-money-laundering compliance failures disclosed
[1]The casino acknowledged failures to comply with federal anti-money-laundering requirements and faced possible licensing consequences.
- 2016
Major renovation and expansion
[1]A reported $90 million renovation expanded the property from approximately 59,900 square feet to about 200,000 square feet.
- 1997
Gardens Casino was founded
[1]The cardroom casino was established in Hawaiian Gardens, California, initially occupying approximately 59,900 square feet.
Products and positioning
A large California cardroom focused on poker and other permitted card games, with a significant renovated property and an entertainment-oriented venue profile.
Casino gaming · 1997
Cardroom gaming
Gardens Casino's principal offering is cardroom gaming in a regulated California casino environment. The property is described as offering card games rather than a conventional mix of slot machines and house-banked casino games. The venue's scale, following its 2016 expansion, supports a broad in-person gaming and entertainment operation, although the available reference material does not specify every game currently offered.
Poker entertainment
Poker events and programming
Poker is a prominent part of Gardens Casino's public-facing identity. In addition to in-person cardroom play, the property has hosted organized and televised poker programming. Poker Night in America used the casino as a broadcast venue, including for a live show in March 2018. The available sources do not provide a complete current schedule of tournaments or recurring events.
Hospitality and entertainment · 2016
Casino hospitality and venue services
The expanded Hawaiian Gardens property functions as a large casino and entertainment venue. Its approximately 200,000-square-foot post-renovation footprint provides space for gaming and associated visitor services. Specific restaurants, amenities, and hospitality sub-brands are not identified in the supplied reference material.
Controversies
2019
Regulatory settlement over Bank Secrecy Act and regulator-misleading allegations
California announced a $3.1 million settlement concerning allegations that Hawaiian Gardens Casino misled gambling regulators and violated the Bank Secrecy Act. A separate $2.8 million FinCEN penalty and a 24-month compliance period were also reported.
2017
Anti-money-laundering compliance failures
Gardens Casino acknowledged failures to follow federal anti-money-laundering laws and faced possible loss of its license. Management said it accepted responsibility and was improving its compliance systems.
Marketing campaigns
- 2018Poker Night in America live broadcast
United States
Gardens Casino hosted programming for Poker Night in America, including a live show broadcast in March 2018. The activity functioned as an entertainment and visibility initiative connecting the casino with televised poker.
Outcome. The available source confirms the broadcast but does not report audience figures or a measured commercial outcome.
Brand decisions
2019
Regulatory remediation agreementOtherBackground
The casino faced enforcement action related to alleged failures involving anti-money-laundering controls, the Bank Secrecy Act, and communications with gambling regulators.
Action taken
The casino entered a $3.1 million settlement announced by California and accepted a required 24-month compliance period, alongside a separate FinCEN penalty.
Aftermath
The agreement imposed an extended compliance obligation. The available material does not document later regulatory outcomes.
California settlement amount. $3.1 million (2019)
2016
Large-scale property renovation and expansionStrategyBackground
The casino operated from a comparatively smaller facility before undertaking a major redevelopment.
Action taken
Gardens Casino completed a reported $90 million renovation that expanded the property to approximately 200,000 square feet.
Aftermath
The project made the casino a substantially larger cardroom and entertainment venue. The supplied sources do not provide subsequent revenue or attendance figures.
Reported renovation investment. $90 million (2016)
Sources3 sources
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