Marcus Thompson
About Our California Online Casino Editor
Marcus grew up in the East Bay and started covering US offshore casinos in 2018 after a stretch writing personal-finance copy for a Bay Area fintech. He moved to LA in 2021 and now spends most of his time reading state-level gambling bill drafts and depositing $20 at every casino that opens its doors to California players.
His angle: California players don't get the full DraftKings / FanDuel experience, but they do have access to dozens of legal-grey offshore sites — and the difference between a good offshore site and a junk one is the difference between getting paid in 48 hours and chasing support for three weeks. Marcus tests withdrawals personally, every site, every quarter.
Outside of work he coaches his nephew's u-14 football team in Glendale and is slowly restoring a 1996 Toyota 4Runner.
Areas of Expertise in California Casino Reviews
How I Test California Online Casinos
Every casino review on this site is preceded by a real deposit (always my own money, never the operator's), a real bonus claim, real play through, and a real withdrawal. I time the withdrawal from request to wallet/bank, note every verification request, and pay attention to which support channels actually work. If I can't get paid in two weeks, the casino doesn't make the top 15.
California Casino Testing Stats
Credentials and California Casino Memberships
- BA, Journalism — UC Berkeley, 2017
- Member, California Council on Problem Gambling resource list (volunteer panel)
- Responsible Gambling Compliance Course — 2024
Editorial Standards for California Casino Coverage
Every review on this site discloses affiliate relationships. I never accept payment in exchange for a positive review or a higher ranking. If a site stops paying out reliably, it gets dropped from the list — operator relationship or not. Contact: editor@(site domain).