On Feb. 9, 2026, the San Jose City Council approved a series of changes to local card room regulations in a unanimous vote, with Mayor Matt Mahan absent. The decision is part of an ongoing effort to ease restrictions on the city’s two card houses, Casino M8trix and Bay 101 Casino.
The council’s action marks the final step in a reform process that began in June. According to Kirill Yermanov, gaming administrator with the San Jose Police Department’s Division of Gaming Control, “With these changes, the division of gaming control will continue to ensure the integrity of gaming operations, safeguard public welfare and uphold public confidence in San Jose card rooms.” Yermanov said the reforms are intended to remove outdated requirements and clarify reporting standards for local gambling establishments.
The approved changes include increasing the time casinos have to report illegal activity on their property; doubling the maximum number of betting squares allowed on casino tables from 10 to 20; and removing a limit on the number of tournaments casinos can hold each year. Card rooms are now permitted to offer complimentary or discounted food and beverages to patrons. Additionally, a previous rule limiting patrons’ time inside casinos to no more than 20 continuous hours has been repealed.
Rob Lindo, vice president and director at Casino M8trix, welcomed the new rules. “We appreciate the city of San Jose’s thoughtful approach to reviewing and modernizing its regulations to align them with state standards,” Lindo told San José Spotlight.
The reform proposals were initially scheduled for December but faced two delays before Tuesday’s approval. Since then, police officials have conducted further outreach with one card room operator—public records indicate meetings between Casino M8trix lobbyists and city officials over recent months. Additional proposed rule changes remain under review following these discussions.
In August, councilmembers voted to reduce annual fees for each card room from $1 million to $857,000 and eliminated two civilian positions within SJPD’s division of gaming control. Supporters say these revisions help stabilize San Jose’s gambling industry after state regulators blocked expansion efforts in 2021. A memo authored by Councilmembers Bien Doan, Pamela Campos and George Casey said: “When businesses make new investments in the City of San Jose, which has a chronic job to housing imbalance, it is essential we act fairly and strike a balance between being pro-business and securing money to fund critical city services.” For more information visit Local News Matters.
