The United States are home to over 1500 casinos—more than any other country in the world, in fact–and those gambling dens generate over $71 billion in revenue per year. The casino gambling business continues to grow throughout the country, too. Critics are quick to dismiss the casino industry as being harmful to consumers, but these businesses employ at least half a million people.

1. Casinos Are Under Many Different Strains Of Coronavirus
2. Casinos Are Under Many Different Codes
3. Casinos Are Under Many Different Names

Depending on your location in the country, there could be a mix of the following casinos: Indian casinos. Pari-mutuel casinos. Land-based casinos. Riverboat casinos. Just choose a state from the American casino guide below, organized by state, and have a look at the detailed information of each. The Internet's largest casino directory and gaming supersite. Casino maps, news, reviews, driving directions and much more. Trusted by players and industry professionals for over 10 years.

But the USA is also a patchwork quilt of gambling laws that vary from state to state. Most states have at least one casino now, but there are still some holdouts where there is no legal casino in which to gamble.

Even the states that are home to the most casinos—Nevada, Oklahoma, Colorado, and California—have dozens of sometimes strange laws on the books regulating the operation of these casinos. For example, Oklahoma is allowed to host casino games that use playing cards, but games with spinning wheels or dice are illegal. (That law is about to change, but you should see the contortions Oklahoma casinos go through to offer roulette and craps powered by decks of cards.)

In the state of Colorado, the most you’re allowed to bet in a casino is $100 at a time.

The rest of this posts looks at the various situations related to casinos by state. I think you’ll find these facts and statistics of interest.

This might seem obvious, as Nevada is home to Las Vegas, the former gambling capital of the world. It’s also home to Reno, which is also known as a casino destination. Nevada has 334 casinos operating within its borders.

But you’d be surprised as some of Nevada’s closest competitors. I live and work in Texas, which is right on the border of Oklahoma, a state which is fast becoming a gambling mecca in its own right. Oklahoma now has 134 casinos operating there, too. That’s about a third of the number of casinos as Nevada, but the latter has been opening casinos since 1931. Oklahoma just got into the business in 2004.

According to WorldAtlas.com, these are the 10 states with the most casinos, in order:

• 1. Nevada – 334
• 2. Oklahoma – 134
• 3. California – 62
• 4. Colorado – 40
• 5. South Dakota – 39
• 6. Florida – 35
• 7. Mississippi – 35
• 8. Arizona – 34
• 9. Washington – 32
• 10. Michigan – 30

I’m not sure how long these numbers will remain accurate, of course. The industry continues to grow throughout the United States.

2- The Best Casino in the United States Is the Mohegan Sun

USA Today runs a website called “10 Best.” They rank various businesses and products by category, and their ranking of casinos in the USA might be definitive, as it’s based on a readers’ poll. The #1 casino in their poll is the Mohegan Sun in Connecticut.

Along with Foxwoods, the Mohegan Sun is one of just 2 casino resorts in the state. It’s made up of 3 casinos:

• 1. Casino of the Earth
• 2. Casino of the Wind
• 3. Casino of the Sky

Between the 3 casinos, Mohegan Sun is host to over 5000 gambling machines and over 275 tables games. They also have a poker room with over 42 tables and a race book. If you enjoy Asian style gambling, they have a separate area for that which offers games like baccarat, pai gow poker, and sic bo.

The rest of 10Best’s list looks like this, in order:

Only 4 of the casinos in the top 10 are in Nevada, which sounds like a lot, until you consider how many casinos are in the state of Nevada compared to other states.

3- The Largest Casino in the United States in the Winstar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Oklahoma

For years, Foxwoods in Connecticut was the biggest casino in the United States. It has over 340,000 square feet of entertainment. It’s been open since 1986, and the resort itself has over 2200 rooms for guests.

But the Winstar World Casino in Oklahoma has been growing like a weed since it opened in 2004. It doesn’t compete with Foxwoods in terms of number of sleeping rooms, but it has over 500,000 square feet of gambling space. I can remember when it first opened, and it was little more than a big tent on the side of the road.

Those 2 casinos combined are bigger than the next 5 biggest casinos in the country, each of which has about 150,000 square feet for gaming.

According to TripInfo.com, the next biggest casinos in the United States include:

Casinos Are Under Many Different Strains Of Coronavirus

Every state in the Union now has at least once casino, with only 5 exceptions:

• 1. Alaska
• 2. Tennessee
• 3. Utah
• 4. Vermont
• 5. Virginia

You would think Alaska would be a prime state for casinos, as there’s a relatively large Native American population there compared to other states. But the Indian reservations in the state of Alaska don’t fit the legal definition of “Indian Lands.” This has to do with, among other things, the tribes’ authority to levy taxes.

Tennessee is possibly the most conservative state in the Union. As a result, even though there have been repeated attempts to legalize casinos, the state still can’t pass legislation to allow casinos there. Tennessee does have a state lottery, though, and fantasy sports for money is legal there, too.

Utah, like Tennessee, is extremely conservative, largely because of the large Mormon population and influence there. When my wife visited the state a few years ago, she had trouble finding a place that would sell her a real cup of coffee. (Mormons eschew caffeine.) I think she might have been exaggerating, though, but still—that’s the kind of attitude you’re dealing with there.

Vermont is one of the smallest states in the country, and they’re best-known for their maple syrup. All the states surrounding Vermont offer casino gambling, so it’s not much of a priority to legalize, regulate, and open casinos there in the state itself.

Virginia has been politically opposed to casinos for years, even though Maryland is nearby and offers casino gambling. Their situation is similar to that of Texas. Lots of money going across the border because the state can’t find a way to convince the religious conservatives running the government to legalize and regulate casino gambling. (Texas does have one casinos, though—it’s just so out of the way that it might as well not exist.)

5- Roughly a Third of the Casinos in the United States Are Native American Casinos

Unless you’re completely unaware of United States history, you already know that we weren’t the first people here. In fact, we took over the country from the natives who already lived here. What’s left of the indigenous tribes now have a certain amount of legal authority when it comes to governing themselves.

This is referred to as “tribal sovereignty.” These tribes are considered “domestic dependent nations,” and they’re recognized by the United States federal government. The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 is one of several laws that try to clarify the legal relationship between the federal government and these tribal governments. It’s specific to the operation of gambling businesses.

That law limits the ability of state governments to regulate gambling businesses run on tribal lands.

And that’s the reason we’ve seen so many Native American casinos springing to life over the last 30 years. There are close to 500 casinos run by over 200 different tribes. Since there are only 1500 or so casinos throughout the entire country, it’s easy to calculate the percentage of those that are run by Native American tribes.

Also, since Native American tribes aren’t required to report casino revenues, the actual dollar amount of revenue generated by these properties is unknown.

6- Not All United States Casinos Are the Same—They’re Categorized in Multiple Ways

You can probably guess based on what I’ve included in this post already that you can categorize U.S. casinos according to whether they’re run by a Native American tribe or not. That’s a good starting point, but you can make further categorizations, too.

One category of casinos is “pari-mutuel.” These are casinos located in horse racing or dog racing tracks. Pari-mutuel casinos are also often called “racinos.” They don’t usually differ much from other casinos, but some of them have specific laws allowing slot machines but not table games. And sometimes they offer slot machines where the results are determined by historical racing results, similar to how some casinos use bingo results to determine their slots results.

Another category of casinos is the “riverboat casino.” In many southern states, gambling was illegal, but only on dry land. These riverboat casinos used to have to go on a cruise every day, but the laws aren’t as strict now. Most riverboat casinos never leave the dock anymore.

In fact, many of these riverboat casinos aren’t even on rivers anymore. They’re now docked in lagoons. In Mississippi, the laws have relaxed so much that a riverboat casino can be built on land. It just has to be close to a river.

7- You Must Be at Least 21 Years Old to Gamble in a U.S. Casino, but There Are Some Exceptions

The laws related to the legal gambling age are state laws, so they vary by state. They’re remarkably consistent, though. In almost all states, you must be 21 to gamble. The only exceptions are:

In those states, the minimum age to gamble legally is 18.

Some states do allow limited gambling by 18 to 20-year-olds. Usually, the only kind of gambling you’re allowed to participate in if you’re under 21 is bingo and other kinds of pari-mutuel gambling. These states allow limited gambling by 18, 19, and 20-year-olds:

8- The First United States Casino Was Called Brown’s Saloon

Casino gambling as we know it dates back to 1822. Brown’s Saloon was the name of this proto-casino, and it was located near the border between Colorado and Wyoming. It was so named because it was located in a town called Brown’s Hole. The saloon catered mostly to trappers who were trading in furs, which was a popular industry at the time.

Brown’s Saloon, aka Brown’s Hole Saloon, was open for 18 years, from 1822 to 1840.

9 – The Only 2 States with Legal, Regulated Online Casinos Are Delaware and New Jersey

Delaware was the first state to legalize online casinos in 2012. They didn’t launch their first sites until late 2013. It’s a relatively small market, although they posted gambling earnings in excess of $3 million in 2016

New Jersey legalized online casinos in 2013. Compared to Delaware, the online casino marketplace in New Jersey is huge—they posted revenues of $196 million in 2016. That number increased by over 25% in just a year, so the market is still growing there.

New Jersey is expected to start taking online sports bets, soon. This should show a dramatic increase in revenues again.

Pennsylvania has passed legislation allowing online casinos, but there are no companies in business yet. The legislation is still recent.

10- Sports Betting Will Soon Become Legal in a Lot of States

Until the recent Supreme Court decision on May 14, 2018, the only state where you could legally bet on sports was Nevada. The Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA) was the law preventing states from legalizing, regulating, and offering sports betting.

In light of this Supreme Court decision, multiple states have started the ball rolling toward offering legal, regulated sports betting. Delaware, Mississippi , New Jersey, and West Virginia already had legal mechanisms in place for launching sports betting. They were just waiting for PASPA to be struck down. They’ll be the first states to offer sports betting in this new environment.

At least another dozen, and maybe as many as two dozen, other states are considering passing legislation to legalize and regulate sports betting. Most of them won’t have any action available until 2019, though, as they need time to get the legislation passed.

And there are 10 interesting facts and statistics about the state of casino gambling in various states. The United States has a rapidly changing casino and gambling environment, both legally and business-wise. It will be fascinating to watch the environment continue to grow over the next couple of decades.

• You're damn lucky if your state doesn't have a casino they are just stealing peoples $$ big time

• KY has slots at a race track in Mitchelleville/Franklin, KY. IL has casinos, Metropolis. There are a Lot of mistakes reference casinos!

• Does Alabama have slots ? Darn state does not even have lotto

Searching casinos by state yields a clear answer—Nevada outranks them all. Yet a search will also produce a healthy dose of options for gambling all over the United States. The casino directory on this page offers links to articles about casino options throughout the US, totaling to a huge variety of casinos offering a diversity of gaming choices. Several states provide the opportunity to explore more than 100 different casinos, many of which are colossal entertainment facilities with adjacent hotels, bars, spas, restaurants and other amenities.

State Casinos

Alabama Casinos
Arizona Casinos
California Casinos
Colorado Casinos
Connecticut Casinos
Idaho Casinos
Illinois Casinos
Indiana Casinos
Iowa Casinos
Kansas Casinos
Louisiana Casinos
Minnseota Casinos
Mississippi Casinos
Missouri Casinos
Montana Casinos
Nebraska Casinos
Nevada Casinos
New Jersey Casinos
New Mexico Casinos
Oklahoma Casinos
Oregon Casinos
Pennsylvania Casinos
Rhode Island Casinos
South Carolina Casinos
South Dakota Casinos
Texas Casinos
Washington State Casinos
West Virginia Casinos
Wisconsin Casinos
Wyoming Casinos

This casino directory offers a thorough look at a wide range of different types of casinos, from casino hotel resorts to cruise ships to card rooms. Las Vegas is clearly the heavyweight when ranking casinos by state and with first-class establishments like Bellagio, Wynn, and MGM Grand, most gaming enthusiasts are seduced by the opportunity to experience Las Vegas vacations at one of the major casinos on The Strip.

Atlantic City, New Jersey, and Bossier City, Louisiana, are both among the top places to find the best casinos in the US. If you want to gamble, almost all states have some options for you, whether they are small places with a few slots and tables or larger Native American casinos, but if you want to gamble in a world-class casino, a few spots around the country are better than others. Riverboat casinos are also another very cool way to get your gamble on. The shores of South Carolina are a great place to find these.

Florida is another top contender on the list of casinos ranked by concentration of gaming venues by edging in with a huge amount of casino cruises as well as a nice offering of casinos like Big Cypress. Wonderful beaches and exciting attractions pair with casinos on both land and water to offer a wide assortment of things to do in Florida. In the Sunshine State, gambling is enjoyed through an array of casino games including table games like Texas Hold ‘Em and blackjack as well as roulette and craps. Classic and well-loved slot machines are also widely available. Pari-mutuel wagering is also huge in Florida with dozens of horse and dog tracks situated over the state.

Many options are also available for casinos in California. Horse tracks, cruise ships, and land-based casinos are found from north to south and all along the coast and inland. In general California’s casino directory reveals that most cities feature one casino rather than a large cluster in one location. From Blue Lake to Citrus Heights to Oceanside and the well-known Ocean’s Eleven Casino, it’s evident California doesn’t really do much on a small scale.

Casinos Are Under Many Different Codes

Several states take top spots on the list of casinos for their offer of a large concentration of gaming facilities. Oklahoma and Washington both set forth a growing number of casinos shaped by the noteworthy Las Vegas model of one-stop vacations. With large-scale hotels, theaters, and restaurants seamlessly amalgamated with casinos featuring tens of thousands of square feet, more and more gaming fans are realizing that making the trip is entirely worth their time. As the casino business lunges forward with many new casinos already in the works in these two established gaming states, the opportunities become more and more varied, not just for gambling but also for enjoying the activities, spas, golf, and more that many casinos present alongside their main attractions.

Casinos Are Under Many Different Names

Exploring the list of casinos throughout the United States makes it clear that gambling in many forms is a major pastime. The thrill of placing bets, rolling the dice, or pulling the levers comes with high stakes but also with enormous payouts. Though losing is a stark reality, the chance of winning hundreds, if not thousands, of dollars continues to hold major appeal for millions of people across the world. Whether it’s the thrill of the bet, the excitement of the rushing energy, or the enjoyment of the scores of great vacation deals and promotions, casinos all have one thing in common; they provide an experience unlike any other organizations can.