The Best Native American Casinos
The Native American casinos are some of the best gambling locations you can find. All of them are owned and operated by Native American tribes and located on Indian reservations. Read our article, and you will learn which are the best Native American resorts, what games you can play there, and more. We will tell you about the extra features and what is the position of the native tribes regarding the legalization of the cannabis.
Each Native American casino is created following the strict regulations of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. We will tell you more about the history of the Native American gambling, who created the first casino, and more. Read on to learn which are the most profitable and top-rated casinos in 2024.
Native American Casino – Ancient Gambling in North America
There are many facts about North America known to the scientists, and even more discoveries are made daily. We will not be surprised if soon we hear the news that the first Native American casinos in the USA were created thousands of years ago. That is absolutely possible, considering the vast areas that are still not diligently explored by archaeologists.
According to a National Geographic article, over 5000 years old dice sticks were found near Mexico. This game was first played by Mexico’s local tribe the Chantuto and remained popular.
We can find out the rules from Arizona’s Walapai people. In short, the game is close to the modern Snakes and Ladders or Dungeons and Dragons. The players threw a “dice” (with one flat and one curved side) and moved a “pawn” across the game board marked by stones.
Native American Games Before Columbus
The native tribes of North America knew how to have fun with games long before the first Native American casino was created. Besides entertainment and social gathering, the games aimed to teach the children necessary survival skills, to improve their coordination, and thinking. Some playing techniques remained specific to one tribe, while others spread to all native tribes.
If Santa was an Indian, Santa’s new moccasins would be made out of Dasher. Arnold Richardson
You may not know it, but you are playing the Laughing Game every time you tell a joke. The goal of the game was to make your opponent laugh; therefore, the ultimate winners managed to stay serious while being able to draw a smile on anyone’s face. Tanaka Means, Marc Yaffee, Howie Miller and more Native American comedians are really good players. Another interesting representative of the Native American history games is favoured by mothers from around the world, and it is called the Game of Silence.
What about bets and gambling games? There is a misconception that the people of the different nations are different from each other in every way. That is not so. Even though there was no currency in the Americas before the white people, there was an exchange of goods. An alternative way to get something is by betting it in a game. Just think about it: you throw a bean in a cup, you win, and someone else has to go out in the cold winter night to get wood for the fire, while you stay warm and safe. Those small daily bets may be considered gambling in all ways except in the title.
What Games the Europeans Brought to the Americas?
In our days, the Native American casinos are extremely popular, and they all offer world-renowned gambling games. How European gambling methods arrived in the Americas? It happened with the arrival of the first Europeans of course. Over 10 centuries ago Leif Erikson first set foot in continental North America. We know that the Vikings liked playing dice and board games like the Ballinderry board game.
Later, the first Europeans brought the popular games in Europe at the time. We can find a lot of information online and in the libraries about the preferred gambling and betting games after the end of the Dark Ages. After the inventing of the printing press in 1440, it became an obsession with everything to be printed and recorded. That is how the first printed cards appeared and spread to the American native tribes. During the conquests, the Europeans brought their knowledge of games, and not all of them were related to betting and gambling.
- Roulette
- Card Games
- Dice
- Card Tricks
- Thimble-Rig
- Tennis
- Chess
- Backgammon
- Patience Card Games
- Children Games
Native American Casino Laws and The First Casino
Anyone who is even remotely familiar with the Native American history knows that gambling was the last thing the native tribes had in mind. Being suppressed and chased away from their lands, the native tribes in North America ended up trapped in reservations. Many books and movies show different sides of the life of local tribes. Undoubtedly, you all have seen one of the best gambling western movies Maverick (1994), and noticed the fun and creative side of the characters when it comes to betting money and gambling.
The First Native American Casino
The Native American history games are known for a long time, but the history of the Native American casino as such began in the 1970s. First in the history of Indian casinos in the USA was a high-stakes bingo parlour by the Seminole tribe. When Indian gaming was legalized in 1988, over 150 tribes have created casinos and gambling sites on the tribal property and inside the reservations by the year 2000.
If you are wondering “Are there Native American casinos near me”, the short answer is probably yes. Since the Native American tribes have landed all around North America, there is a great chance that there is a Native American gambling location near you. Read on, because we picked the casino that is close enough for you to visit. We remind you to keep responsible and ask for help, if needed, from the Responsible Gambling Trust.
Native American Gambling Laws and USA Legislation
If you are intended to play, but you are not sure how much taxes you have to play, then this is the part of our article that will help you. Every citizen of the USA who is serious about making a profit in casinos is aware of the US gambling laws. In addition to this, every state can have additional rules regarding this business and the taxes you must pay upon winning.
But what about the story that there are no taxes on the reservation casinos, you may ask. The casinos do not pay taxes for their income. However, all employees’ salaries and the players do pay taxes. Casinos on Native American reservations do follow the standard government legislation and most of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. This means that you should pay taxes upon winning. We advise you to check the laws of the state you are in because there may be differences from playing at the Pennsylvania’s best online casinos and the top New Jersey online casinos.
Another difference is that the casino games are not regulated like in Las Vegas. This means that the payoff schedules are individually set, and the pay rates may not be written clearly. It is noticed that the individual casino rules can make the table games more generous towards the players. That is possible because the gaming revenues are higher. For example, in 2017 the Indian gaming revenue went up to $32.4 billion, while in Las Vegas the revenue was $17.8 billion.
The Native American casino laws give more authority to the security guards, so it is advisable not to cause trouble. Winning is the first thing that may draw you to the native tribe-operated casinos. What you will get as an extra are the unique vibe and the amazing architecture. You may not know that, but the Native American casinos invest their profits into improving the local community.
Native American Online Casinos
There is a long Native American casinos list, but you will not find any online Native American casino. An attempt was made by the California tribe, Iipay Nation of Santa Ysabel, with its online Desert Rose Casino. In 2018 the US Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit ruled that gambling violates the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act.
The Desert Rose Casino and any other native tribe online casino could exist under the condition that they follow the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act. This means that the tribe needs to have the website’s server located on its tribal land, similar to US Paypal casino sites, and all gamblers have to use a proxy while wagering on the tribal land.
The Native American tribes today still have not received a solution to this matter and can’t proceed with creating an online gambling site. We are sure that some witty lawyer will find a door in the online gambling laws in the United States of America. Until then, the land-based casinos on tribal land will continue to deliver an excellent gaming experience and proper pampering to the guests of the resorts.
Native American Casinos and Cannabis
Cannabis, hemp, Mary Jane, pot, hashish… the name of the plant is considered medicine by many and demonized by even more people. Regardless of the name or the common mood of society, it is medically proven that marijuana may soothe chronic pain and improve mood when consumed in small quantities. In later days, more and more doctors and scientists confirm the positive use of this plant. We chose one of the many articles on the matter, published in the Health Europa site, that holds a list of the 20 health benefits of medical cannabis.
You may wonder what this detour from the casino topic is? One of the facts about North America is that the medical marijuana is legal in many states. This relates to the native tribes because in 2014 the Justice Department had released a memorandum stating that the “tribal cannabis is a manifestation of tribal sovereignty”. In 2020, there are over 32 tribes from 16 states that support the medical marijuana industry.
The Native American casinos’ pros and cons of allowing this product on their grounds are clear. One of the first, if not the first, casino to legally offer cannabis products was the Tulalip Resort Casino. The trend to have a designated shops marijuana-based products spread over many casinos. Now you can find similar small shops in all states with legalized medical cannabis owned by all kinds of people. So, if you are still wondering if you can smoke pot in the casino, the answer is yes. You can smoke and buy, just don’t overdo with the huffing and the puffing.
Top 10 Native American Casinos – Stunning Architectural Design
Having a profitable casino is nothing compared to owning an architectural masterpiece resort. Some of the most famous Native American casinos are also incredible constructions that combine elegance and modern design. We found some of the Native-owned casinos and listed them below. Each of the resorts has a unique location or exterior, but they are all oriented towards providing the best hotel and gambling experience to their guests. Unfortunately, not even one of them was announced as the best online casinos in the USA in 2024 yet.
Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino
We will start our Native American casinos list with the famous Seneca Niagara Resort & Casino. Located near the Niagara Falls in New York, this hotel and casino offers incredible natural scenery to its guests. The history of the Indian casinos was changed in 2002, with the opening of this casino.
The hotel was constructed four years later, and the entire resort had a complete renovation in 2018. The improvements cost over $40 million and included upgrades on all hotel rooms, the restaurant, and the casino by adding 500 slots.
Seminole Hard Rock Hollywood Hotel & Casino
The Seminole tribe in Florida is known for opening the first Native American casino in 1979. Today, there are a total of 7 casinos owned and operated by the tribe. The most famous one has unique architecture that stamped it with the name the Guitar-Shaped Hotel. The resort spreads over 86 acres near Ft. Lauderdale and Miami, Florida. The proximity to the Miami beaches, the unique architecture, and the abundance of gambling games can satisfy every player. Just don’t forget to obey the gambling laws in Florida and pay your taxes when you win.
Odawa Casino Resort
It may be difficult to judge the Native American casinos’ pros and cons without seeing the building. Petoskey, Michigan has a gambling location that will make you say “yes” to the trip once you see it. The Odawa Casino Resort spreads over 300,000 square feet. Walk towards the main entrance, and you will notice that the portico is designed to look like an upside-down canoe. The interior of the resort has a Native print and design. There is no need to beat the drum when you go hungry. Just enter the restaurant that is in a drum-shaped building and enjoy the delicious dishes.
Buffalo Thunder Casino Resort
Santa Fe, New Mexico, is popular for many reasons. One of them is the astonishing Buffalo Thunder Casino Resort. This hotel and casino are part of the Hilton chain and match all requirements for a top gambling location in the USA. The Pueblo native tribes’ members named the resort after a bank of clouds that looked like a buffalo heard.
Even though the exterior is modern, the interior design has the proper vibe of the North American native tribes in colours, traditional carvings, and tribal accents.
Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino
If you are wondering “Are there Native American casinos near me?” and you live near Chandler, Arizona, then our answer is definitely yes. You are one of the lucky people who are a short distance away from the astonishing Wild Horse Pass Hotel & Casino. This is one of the casinos in the USA that cost hundreds of millions to be built (over $200 million). Every penny is worth it because the result is a modernistic building that combines the Gala River Indians affinity to water and the latest novelty in designs. It is great that in 2020, the owning tribe invested $140 million in expanding the resort that should be completed by the end of 2021.
Prairie Band Casino & Resort
Kansas has a Native American casino and a hotel that introduces the Potawatomi culture to its visitors. The exterior design of the building has rock decorations, typical for the prairie constructions. The first thing you will notice above the gates is the giant Dreamcatcher holding the Prairie Band Casino & Resort name. Inside, you will see the traditional fireplaces, colours, decorations, and wood carvings part of the local Native American culture. The gamblers will remain perfectly happy with the 1100+ slot machines and the luxurious hotel with 300 rooms.
Native American Casinos Pros and Cons?
The Native American casinos list holds over 500 American Indian gaming operations. They are luxurious locations for tourists and preferred gambling sites for players from all over the world. In this part of our article, we will tell you what each casino is known for and what awards they have received.
Native American Casino’s Games Selection
According to the current Native American casino laws, you can’t hit one of the biggest roulette wins of all time in a tribal casino. In 2002, a set of rules came to power, and the Indian casinos are not allowed to offer roulette and craps. This does not prevent the North American native tribes from providing some of the best blackjack and poker locations.
| Banned Games in Native Casinos | Allowed Games in Native Casinos |
|---|---|
| Roulette | Poker |
| Craps | Slots |
| – | Blackjack |
| – | Scratch Cards |
| – | Wheels of Luck |
Since the first tribal casino in the USA was a bingo hall, many modern casinos continue the tradition offering bingo rooms. You will also find entire casino floors full of 500, 700, and some with more than 1000 slots. Apart from this, the native-owned gambling locations offer scratch cards, wheels of luck, and more casino and gambling games.
The Largest and Most Profitable Native American Casinos in 2024
Surprisingly, the strict Native American casino laws work in favour of the tribal gambling sites. The revenue of the native-owned casinos continues to beat popular gambling locations like Las Vegas. Each year the number increases in billions, and the Indian gaming industry is expected to cross the 43% revenue brought by all casino gaming revenue in the USA.
The largest profit is made by gambling. However, according to the research, a big part of the returned clients and customer satisfaction are delivered by the excellent hotels, the restaurants, and non-gambling entertainments. According to the USA Today’s Best Readers’ Choice awards, the top Native American culture themed casinos are:
- Mohegan Sun (Uncasville, Connecticut)
- Casino Del Sol (Tucson, Arizona)
- Pechanga Resort Casino (Temecula, California)
- Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (Hollywood, Florida)
- WinStar World Casino and Resort (Thackerville, Oklahoma)
- Foxwoods Resort Casino (Mashantucket, Connecticut)
Native American Casinos Outside of Big Gambling Locations
The Native American casinos beat the competition in size, architecture, revenue, and popularity. According to the Best Reader’s Choice Awards in 2020 (USA Today), six casinos on Native American reservations entered the list for the 10 Best Casino Hotel for 2020 in the United States of America.
- Foxwoods Resort Casino (Mashantucket, Connecticut) – 1st place in the Best Casino Hotels list
- Casino Del Sol (Tucson, Arizona) – Ranked 5th
- Seminole Hard Rock Hotel and Casino (Hollywood, Florida) – Ranked on 7th place
- Pechanga Resort Casino (Temecula, California) – 9th place
- Mohegan Sun (Uncasville, Connecticut) – 10th place in the list
We will conclude our article about the Native American casinos by saying that every resort on our list is incredible. The luxurious hotels situated near beautiful nature can release the burdens of the visitors. The giant casinos full of games deliver top-rated entertainment for all gamblers. In other words, don’t hesitate to visit an Indian-American casino.
Native American Casinos FAQ
In our article about the Native American casinos, we told you how they first came to be, what games you can play there, and more. Now, we will answer frequently asked questions regarding the tribal casinos in America.
