Entry No. 16 — the Sacramento file — filed under: gambling-hall
Dai Loy Museum
Inside Locke — the only town in America built entirely by and for Chinese immigrants — sits a 1915 gambling hall preserved almost exactly as it operated until Sacramento County shut it down in 1950: original Pai Gow and Fan Tan tables, an antique safe, and photos of the men who ran games here for over three decades.
The story
Drive out onto Highway 160 along the levee roads of the Sacramento River Delta, and you'll hit Locke—a single wooden-boardwalk block established in 1915 as the only town in America built entirely by and for Chinese immigrants. Tucked away at 13951 Main Street is the Dai Loy Museum, a former gambling house that operated quietly for over three decades before Sacramento County law enforcement finally shut it down around 1950.
Inside, the room feels like the last game broke up just yesterday. You won't find sleek glass cases or interactive touchscreens; instead, the space holds the actual Pai Gow and Fan Tan betting tables, complete with original gaming gear, an antique iron safe, and black-and-white photos of the men who ran the house. It is an unvarnished relic of how Delta agricultural workers spent their hard-earned wages away from the eyes of city authorities.
What it's like
Step off the wooden boardwalk directly into a dim, quiet space that smells faintly of old timbers and iron. You walk right up to the worn wooden tables where fortunes changed hands over dominoes and brass buttons. Admission is free, but operating hours in a tiny Delta town can be erratic, so confirm current opening times before making the trip down the levee.
The move: Walk Locke's single wooden-boardwalk block, step inside the Dai Loy to see the actual betting tables and gaming equipment, then talk about what a Delta boomtown night must have sounded like in the 1920s.
- 📍 Locke
- 💸 $
- ⚡ Up for anything
- 🌗 Indoors
Where: 13951 Main Street, Locke, CA 95690
Hours: Added 2026-07-20 — confirm current hours before you go.
⚠ Seasonal or scheduled — always check before you go.
Pair it with
- Western Railway Museum — Combine a trip to Locke's preserved 1910s gambling hall with a ride on historic electric trains out in Suisun Marsh.
- Sp3ctrum Creation Lab — Follow a historic Delta levee drive with a hands-on custom scent-building session in Elk Grove on your way back north.
- Dragon House — Pair Locke's preserved early-20th-century wooden architecture with a Curtis Park residential bungalow covered in decades of hand-set mosaic art.
Good to know
How much does it cost to enter the Dai Loy Museum?
Admission is free, making it an easy stop while walking Locke's historic boardwalk.
What games were played inside the gambling hall?
The house specialized in traditional Chinese games, primarily Fan Tan and Pai Gow, played at heavy wooden betting tables that remain in their original spots.
When was the gambling house closed down?
After operating continuously since 1915, the venue was shut down by Sacramento County law enforcement in 1950.
Where is the museum located?
It sits at 13951 Main Street in Locke, located along the Sacramento River Delta levee roads near Walnut Grove.
Plan a visit & invite your people →
Further reading: locke-foundation.org · Official site · visitcadelta.com · Tripadvisor
last checked: 2026-07-20