Just some more miscellaneous information about CA cardrooms --
While the state is "neutral" on where cardrooms are located, the local jurisdiction (city or county) has the power to permit or deny card room openings.

In Los Angeles county, it used to be that the city of Gardena was the only locality that permitted cardrooms. They had 6-8 different places at one time, prior to the opening of the California Bell (Bell, CA). Eventually, several other blue-collar cities voted for cardrooms, so the Bicycle Club/Casino (Bell Gardens, CA), the Commerce Club (City of Commerce, CA) and others opened. The Hollywood Park casino (Inglewood, CA) is the latest major-size cardroom in LA County.

Back in the Gardena-only days, the rooms were limited to 35 tables max. However, the Monterrey & Rainbow cardrooms were next door to each other, so effectively, it was a 70-table location. Only draw poker (high, lowball, or hi-lo split) and pan were played, usually self-dealt by the players, with "time" seat rental paid by the half-hour. If talking slowed down the game, it was common to hear "shut up and deal", since you were charged every 30 minutes you occupied your seat.

For a long time, the draw-only poker games in California were due to the prohibition of certain games, including "stud horse poker". Yes, the Calif legislature, many years ago, banned such a game, but no one could recall what it was. Did they mean stud poker, as in 7-card stud? Eventually, stud, holdem and asian games were introduced, were challenged legally, but survived. Draw poker has almost (or completely) been replaced by the newer games. There's even blackjack-type games, though the house can't bank any of these games. (Excluding the games on Indian Reservations, which are totally different jurisdiction.)

And finally, if you're want to collect chips that are guaranteed to become obsolete in the pretty near future, I suggest chips from cardrooms in the city of San Diego (not county or Indian casinos; CITY of San Diego). San Diego's cardroom regs only permitted max of 7 tables, so small hole-in-the-wall rooms were the norm. (Some of my more adventurous chip hunting trips were to these cardrooms, though it's been 10-15 years since I've been to any of them!) A few years ago, San Diego modified its regs so that the permit for the cardroom could not be transferred to anyone else. Not even inherited by a relative. When the permit holder quits or dies, the cardroom must close. Period. I'm not sure even how many rooms survive today, since the Indian casinos in the San Diego county area, plus Ocean's 11 in Oceanside, have taken most of the business. I wouldn't be surprised if all the old 7-table San Diego cardrooms haven't already closed, but if not, they're on the endangered species list for sure!