Best Overall Casino Outside Las Vegas
Las Vegas is often called the gambling capital of the world, but you can find plenty of premium action outside Sin City. From exclusive gambling clubs to big, splashy resort casinos, from New Jersey to California, these establishments represent some of the best non-Vegas gaming venues in the States. You'll find a wide array of gaming options, including slot machines, table games and sports and race betting.
These 10 winners were chosen by our expert panelists and contributors and voted on by readers as the best of the best.
1. Pechanga Resort Casino—Temecula, CA
Spanning 200,000 square feet, the gaming floor at Pechanga Resort Casino holds the distinction of being among the largest in the country. Guests can choose from 152 table games, including pai gow, poker and blackjack, as well as 5,400 slots. The high-limit salon allows for more adventurous gaming in a luxe setting. Pechanga features 1,100 AAA Four Diamond hotel rooms and suites, 12 restaurants, a luxury Native American-inspired spa, a 4.5-acre pool oasis and an on-site championship golf course.
2. The Greenbrier—White Sulphur Springs, WV
America's only private casino, The Casino Club at The Greenbrier is open only to resort guests and members, providing an exclusive gaming experience. Table games, slots and sportsbook are on offer. Decorated in Dorothy Draper's Modern Baroque style, the club's elegant environment brings together world-class gaming, international cuisine and cocktails and designer boutiques for an elevated experience.
3. Atlantis Casino Resort Spa—Reno, NV
Leading Reno's casino hotels, the AAA Four Diamond Atlantis Casino Resort Spa transports guests to a tropical gaming paradise with its luxe decor and wide variety of exciting casino games, including premier slots. Race and sports betting are also available. Enjoy award-winning restaurants, a Forbes Four-Star spa and guest rooms backdropped by the stunning Sierra Nevada mountains.
4. Monarch Casino Resort—Black Hawk, CO
Monarch Casino Resort offers guests in Black Hawk an expansive gaming arena filled with more than 1,000 slot machines, keno, sportsbook, a poker room and table games where they can enjoy a daily happy hour from 2 to 6 pm. The casino is elevated by its sumptuous surroundings—guest rooms with spa-like amenities, a rooftop pool, a world-class spa and numerous varied dining venues.
5. Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage—Rancho Mirage, CA
Situated near Palm Springs, the Agua Caliente Rancho Mirage offers a luxurious setting with 77,000 square feet of gaming. Sample the area's best slots, electronic gaming and table games, including high-limit and poker rooms. After a slot tournament, guests can visit Sunstone Spa for a relaxing shoulder massage. The beautiful pool area is another easy way to unwind after a big win.
6. Hard Rock Hotel and Casino—Atlantic City, NJ
Set against the legendary Boardwalk backdrop, the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Atlantic City offers an energetic environment with more than 2,300 slots, over 130 American and Asian table games and sportsbook. Music enthusiasts can enjoy big-name performing acts and noteworthy rock 'n roll memorabilia the Hard Rock brand is known for.
7. Yaamava' Resort & Casino at San Manuel—Highlands, CA
Housed in a luxury resort and event venue in Highland, California, the award-winning Yaamava' Casino offers more than 7,200 slot machines and 150 table games, including five high-limit rooms where guests can venture into truly world-class gaming. Each zone of the casino bears a distinctive vibe, from Lotus 8 Palace's Asian influences to the Vaults blend of steampunk and Gatsby style.
8. The Artesian Hotel—Sulphur, OK
A boutique enterprise in Sulphur, Oklahoma, the Artesian Casino still offers 300 of the most popular electronic games as well as tables for Jackpot Hold 'Em, Blackjack and Blackjack Match. The adjacent hotel and spa provide a charming background with soothing amenities like an indoor/outdoor pool and deluxe whirlpool, all less than a block from the Chickasaw National Recreation Area.
9. Gila River Resorts & Casinos, Wild Horse Pass—Chandler, AZ
Gaming, nightlife and dining provide the perfect mix at Gila River Resorts & Casinos, Wild Horse Pass in Chandler, Arizona. Guests can choose from over 1,100 slot machines with the latest themes, 20 tables of classic games and a sportsbook lounge. A high-limit salon provides elevated action. Prime Steak House leads the dining scene with dishes and vintages from around the world.
10. Beau Rivage Resort and Casino—Biloxi, MS
Located on the Gulf Coast's sandy beaches, Beau Rivage Resort & Casino in Biloxi boasts beautiful water views along with more than 1,800 slot machines. Table games and a poker room are also available for a change of pace. The casino recently completed an extensive remodel of its luxury rooms and dining ventures, capturing the Coastal Mississippi lifestyle mixed with Las Vegas flair.
About Newsweek Readers' Choice Awards
Our nominees are editorially driven with contributions from a panel of travel experts. The final list is determined by Newsweek editors. Readers can vote once per category, per day. For more details, read our terms and conditions. For any questions, please see our FAQs or email us at readerschoice@newsweek.com.
Panel of experts
Ava Roxanne Stritt is a top authority on luxury travel and is called the most influential person in the world regarding spa travel. Followers of @SpaTravelGal will tell you she is responsible for transforming the idea of a spa day into a wellness adventure! Her passion for unique experiences has carried her around the world from "taking the waters" in Europe's thermal spas to hiking waterfalls in the rainforests of Ecuador for a massage surrounded by hummingbirds. She is the founder of Spa Travel Gal and a member of the Society of American Travel Writers and Wellness Tourism Association.
In pursuit of her stories, Elaine Warner has flown in helicopters, hot-air balloons, and even a glider. She has eaten her way through St. Louis (and a number of other places) and descended at night to the bottom of a canyon to see dismalites - tiny, glowing larvae of fungus gnats. She draws the line at bungee jumping and hang gliding and her idea of roughing it is a Holiday Inn without a Holidome. Learn more about Elaine's adventures at okietravel.com or follow her on Instagram.
K.C. Dermody is the author of Best Travel Guide for First Time Visitors to Ireland and has had hundreds of travel articles published online and in print, including Yahoo! Travel, Trips To Discover, Hotels.com, Travelocity and more. She also creates itineraries for major tour companies focused on Greece, Croatia, Iceland, Ireland, the UK, Canada and the US. She's traveled the world, visiting over 40 countries to date. When she's not writing, she might be found snorkeling in the Sea of Cortez, exploring haunted castles in Ireland or visiting ancient sites in Greece. Read more about her travels at www.nevertoolate2travel.com.
Paul Johnson is editor of A Luxury Travel Blog, the world's leading luxury travel blog. With a combined social media following of more than 1.2 million, he has won multiple awards including Winner of the Innovations in Travel "Best Travel Influencer" Award from WIRED magazine.
Shannon DalPozzal began her travel writing adventures exploring her home state of Louisiana, expanding her journeys around the US. Soon she spread her wings and traveled to exotic destinations such as Malaysia, Bali, Thailand and Qatar. Shannon has appeared on Good Morning America, Lifetime Television Network, BBC Radio and various news outlets worldwide, sharing cruise and travel information with viewers and readers. She recently relocated to Coastal Maine with her husband, renovating a 1950's cottage into a rustic elegant hideaway, hosting guests from around the globe. Her next book is set for release in the fall of 2023. Learn more at shannondalpozzal.com.
Newsweek contributors speak from a variety of backgrounds and offer expertise in a wide range of subject areas.