Casino Gambling By State
American Casino Guide Book has the most comprehensive list of U.S. casinos by state available on the internet. Use this to find the most detailed and up to date information on every US casino hotel, riverboat casino and tribal casino.
- Casino Gambling By State Capitol
- Casino Gambling Age By State
- Casino Gambling By State Parks
- Casino Gambling By State Laws
The COVID-19 pandemic closed all commercial and tribal casino properties in the U.S. This map tracks reopening across the country at the property-level. A property is considered open based on gambling availability. Please contact an individual property to determine what amenities are available. Current Status: 112 Closed 884 Open. Casino gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1931 and it was the only state to offer that type of gambling until 1977 when New Jersey legalized casinos for its seaside resort town of Atlantic City. It is these land-based, stand-alone, casinos that were the original forms of casinos until riverboat and Indian casinos came along in the 1990s. Casino Maps See Maps of all U.S. Casinos in Every State Use our comprehensive list of casino maps, broken down by state, to find detailed information on every U.S. Casino Resort, Riverboat Casino, and Indian Casino. Simply click on a state name below to see a detailed map showing every casino in that state!
We provide users with a detailed list of all casinos in each US state and we give a detailed explanation on what kind of casino gambling is legal in each state.
Different types of casinos in U.S.
There are several different types of casinos found across the United States. Depending on your location in the country there could be any of the following: tribal or native american casinos (also called indian casinos), pari-mutuel casinos, traditional casinos, casino boats and in some smaller markets, riverboat casinos.
Just choose the state you want from the below list of U.S. casinos by state. This will bring up detailed information on what forms of casino gambling are available in that state, including slot machine payback statistics for all U.S. casinos . There will also be a list of every casino in that particular state.
Each casino listing will give details about that particular casino, including: hours of operation, games offered, hotel rates, buffet prices, minimum gambling age, photos, maps, directions and more! Also, you can read and write reviews for all of these US casinos.
What States have casinos?
Whether it be a native american casino, pari-mutuel casino, land-based casino, riverboat casino or a casino boat, there are 44 states that offer some form of casino gambling.
Click here to see a list of U.S. Casinos by city
Click here to see Maps of Casino Locations in Every U.S. State
Indian Casinos
Casino Gambling By State Capitol
These casinos, also known as Tribal casinos, are usually located on federally recognized Indian reservations. They range in size from small truck stops and convenience stores with a handful of machines like many located in Oklahoma or Wisconsin, up to some of the largest casinos in the world such as Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut.
Also depending on the agreement reached with the state where the indian casinos are located, they can offer either Class II gaming or Class III gaming. Class III (Class 3) gaming is what most people would describe as “normal” casino gaming. This is kind of casino gambling you would find at a majority of casinos in the country like Las Vegas where it is the player against “the house” such as blackjack, craps, roulette, or any other table game, as well as slot machines.
Class II (Class 2) gaming on the other hand is slightly different. These are games where it is players competing against other players such as poker or bingo. Over the years, casinos have found ways around this to offer other casino games that play similarly to Class III games but still adhere to Class II rules. A great example of this are Class II slot machines that closely resemble a normal, Class III machine but you will notice a small bingo card in the corner of the screen. So, in essence, you are actually playing a speeded-up game of virtual bingo against other players in the casino. The reels still spin and you will see winning combinations if you win. However, the reels are “for entertainment purposes only” and whether or not you win on each spin is based entirely on the bingo card located in the corner.
Another example of Class II games would be player-banked table games where you are competing against other players rather than against the casino itself. These look identical to traditional table games and the only difference is that players have to pay an ante of around $0.50-$1 per hand. This is because in most cases there is someone who supplies the money to be the “bank” and the only money the casino receives is the ante made by each player.
Pari-Mutuel Casinos
Some states such as Arkansas or Delaware only allow casinos in pari-mutuel facilities. These are locations with legalized wagering on several different kinds of horse or dog racing or, in Florida, jai-alai games. Since a vast majority of pari-mutuel facilities in the United States are racetracks, these types of casinos are often also known as “racinos,” a combination of the words racetrack and casino.
Other than having legal betting on horse racing, dog racing or jai-alai on property, these casinos are almost identical to other land-based casinos like those in Las Vegas or Atlantic City. However, depending on the laws of the states where they are located, some may not offer live table games, or may only have slot machines.
A somewhat new development at pari-mutuel facilities in some states like Kentucky where traditional casino gambling is not legal is something called “historical racing machines.” These are considered Class II machines similar to the bingo-based machines at many Indian casinos but instead of being based off of a bingo card, the results of these games are based on racing results from previous horse races.
Land-Based Casinos
These are the regular casinos that people think of when they think of a casino. This would be like the casinos in Las Vegas or Atlantic City. Casino gambling was legalized in Nevada in 1931 and it was the only state to offer that type of gambling until 1977 when New Jersey legalized casinos for its seaside resort town of Atlantic City. It is these land-based, stand-alone, casinos that were the original forms until riverboat and Indian casinos came along in the 1990’s.
Riverboat Casinos
Riverboat casinos are exactly what they sound like, they are casinos located inside boats that are in rivers. They are located in many states through out the South and Midwest such as Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Missouri and Mississippi. However, they have evolved over the years as the laws regulating them have been relaxed. Originally, they were required to leave the dock and go on a cruise for several hours then come back and dock and they would do that several times throughout the day. Originally, some states even required the casinos to enact loss limits during these cruises.
Eventually the loss limits were lifted, as were the requirements for them to cruise, so they began operating while docked on the river. Some states later allowed the casinos to be built on barges that float in man-made lagoons that are fed from the rivers. That is where most of the states are now, but some such as Mississippi have also allowed their “riverboat” casinos to be built on land, but they are still required to be built within a certain distance of the water
- In 2018, their record-setting revenues totaled $41.68 billion, an increased of 3.5 percent from the previous year.
- One of the first major casinos to open in Las Vegas was El Rancho Vegas, opened in 1941
- The decision was made to allow states to set their own gambling policies, without federal government interference.
- In 2018, there were 465 commercial casinos in the United States
Gambling could well be America’s favorite pastime, with the commercial casino industry raking in billions every year. In 2018, their record-setting revenues totaled $41.68 billion, an increase of 3.5 percent from the previous year. This is a far cry from the New Orleans gambling halls of the 1800s, gambling halls of the Old West, and the small casinos that opened in Nevada in the 1930s.
One of the first major casinos to open in Las Vegas was El Rancho Vegas, opened in 1941. Although many did not set their stakes on casino gambling being successful, it grew by fits and starts and eventually shot for the stars.
Casino Industry Growth In The U.S.
In 1976, the U.S. Commission on the Review of the National Policy toward Gambling published “Gambling in America,” a report that studied attitudes about gambling in America. The Commission then made recommendations to different state governments that were thinking about legalizing gambling. The decision was made to allow states to set their own gambling policies, without federal government interference.
Just two years later, New Jersey opened its first legal casino in Atlantic City. Less than 20 years later, casino gambling was legal in nine more states. As of 2020, these states all have legal casinos. Some are the traditional Las Vegas style, some are land-based; others are Native American owned, on riverboats, or pari-mutuel (pool betting).
Casino Gambling Age By State
- Alabama
- Arizona
- Arkansas
- California
- Colorado
- Connecticut
- Delaware
- Florida
- Georgia
- Idaho
- Illinois
- Indiana
- Iowa
- Kansas
- Kentucky
- Louisiana
- Maine
- Maryland
- Massachusetts
- Michigan
- Minnesota
- Mississippi
- Missouri
- Montana
- Nebraska
- Nevada
- New Jersey
- New Mexico
- New York
- North Carolina
- North Dakota
- Ohio
- Oklahoma
- Oregon
- Pennsylvania
- Rhode Island
- South Carolina
- South Dakota
- Texas
- Virginia
- Washington
- West Virginia
- Wisconsin Casinos
- Wyoming Casinos
More Ways to Gamble
In 2018, there were 465 commercial casinos in the United States, with Nevada (334), California (150+), Oklahoma (134) and Colorado (40) leading the pack. This is merely the tip of the iceberg, though, as the proliferation of online casino gambling has created even more places to place bets 24/7, 365 days a year. There is also sports betting, lotteries, Bingo, and other games, and gambling laws vary by state.
Casino Gambling By State Parks
Casino Gambling By State Laws
Some of the live casinos are way over the top, especially ones like the Wynn in Las Vegas and Borgata in Atlantic City. Visitors enjoy spending long weekends – if not days – in these resort towns, taking in the local attractions, seeing shows, sampling the local food, and even going on breathtaking roller coasters. Smaller casinos can be fun too, but you may have to drive out of your way to get to some of them.
Gambling Restrictions
Some of the 44 states on the legal casinos list do place restrictions on their gambling. For example, New Hampshire, Indiana, and other states do not permit online gambling. Georgia only has one casino, and it is a cruise ship. There are two states in the country that have a 100 percent ban on all gambling, and they are Utah and Hawaii.