The United States has one of the world’s most varied casino markets. From Las Vegas resort towers and Atlantic City boardwalk properties to tribal casinos, racinos, riverboats, and gaming cruises, legal casino access looks very different from one state to the next.
There is no single perfect answer to the question, “How many casinos are in the United States?” The total depends on what is counted. A full-scale destination casino, a tribal gaming facility, a racino with electronic gaming machines, and a riverboat venue may all be called casinos in everyday conversation, but they can operate under very different legal and regulatory frameworks.
A practical national estimate is roughly 1,000 or more casino properties and gaming operations when major commercial and tribal facilities are considered together. For context, the American Gaming Association reported approximately 492 commercial casino locations across 27 states in 2024. Separately, the National Indian Gaming Commission reported that 532 tribal gaming operations, operated by 243 tribes across 29 states, generated approximately $43.9 billion in gross gaming revenue during fiscal year 2024.
Those figures should not simply be treated as one final nationwide property count. Some states have both commercial and tribal gaming, and sources do not always classify racinos, card rooms, bingo-focused venues, and limited-access properties in the same way. Still, the numbers clearly show the scale, reach, and economic importance of casino entertainment in the United States.
Quick Answer: What States Have Casinos?
Casino-style gambling is available in much of the country, although the form it takes depends on state law, tribal-state compacts, federal law, and local licensing rules. The largest and best-known casino markets include Nevada, Oklahoma, California, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Other states with significant casino access include Colorado, Florida, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Maryland, Michigan, Mississippi, Missouri, New York, Ohio, South Dakota, Washington, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. Many additional states offer tribal gaming properties, racinos, or narrower forms of casino-style play.
States with no broad land-based casino market may still permit selected gambling formats, such as lottery games, charitable gaming, pari-mutuel racing, tribal gaming, or offshore casino cruises.
Why US Casino Totals Vary So Much
Headlines about the number of American casinos can look inconsistent because the term casino covers several venue types. A useful way to understand the market is to separate it into categories rather than relying on a single national total.
| Casino category | How it generally operates | Examples of states |
|---|---|---|
| Commercial casino | Licensed and regulated under state law, often paying state gaming taxes. | Nevada, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Ohio |
| Tribal casino | Operated by a federally recognized tribe under federal law, tribal authority, and applicable tribal-state compacts. | California, Oklahoma, Arizona, Washington, Wisconsin |
| Racino | A racetrack combined with casino-style gaming, often including slots or video lottery terminals. | Delaware, New York, Ohio, West Virginia |
| Riverboat casino | A casino historically authorized on a riverboat or near a waterway under state-specific rules. | Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri |
| Resort casino | A larger destination property that may combine gaming with hotels, restaurants, entertainment, and meetings. | Nevada, Connecticut, Maryland, Pennsylvania |
| Limited-access gaming | Narrowly permitted gambling, often through cruises, racing, lottery products, or restricted gaming venues. | Georgia, Kentucky, South Carolina |
This diversity is a major strength of the US casino landscape. Travelers can choose between landmark resorts, regional entertainment destinations, race-and-gaming properties, and tribally owned venues that reflect local culture and community investment.
Commercial Casino States: Major Regulated Markets
Commercial casinos are generally licensed under state statutes and overseen by state gaming regulators. These venues may offer slot machines, table games, poker, sportsbooks, hotel accommodations, restaurants, and live entertainment, depending on state law.
As reported by the American Gaming Association, commercial casino locations operated across 27 states in 2024. Some of the country’s most recognized commercial casino states are outlined below.
Nevada: The Iconic Casino Destination
Nevada remains the state most closely associated with casino entertainment. Las Vegas is internationally known for its integrated resorts, headline entertainment, dining, convention space, sports events, and large casino floors. Beyond the Las Vegas area, Nevada offers gaming in Reno, Laughlin, Carson City, Lake Tahoe communities, and numerous smaller markets.
The state’s success demonstrates how casino properties can support a broad visitor economy. Hotels, shows, restaurants, retail, meetings, and major sporting events all benefit from the destination infrastructure built around gaming and hospitality.
New Jersey: Atlantic City and Regulated Online Gaming
New Jersey’s commercial casino market is centered in Atlantic City, where major resorts combine casino gaming with boardwalk tourism, beach access, entertainment, nightlife, and convention facilities. The state is also an important regulated online gaming market, although online casino availability is legally separate from visiting a physical casino.
Atlantic City’s casino sector has helped sustain a recognizable tourism identity for the city while offering visitors a concentrated group of resort choices in one coastal destination.
Pennsylvania: A Broad Regional Casino Network
Pennsylvania has developed one of the country’s strongest regional casino markets. Its mix includes standalone casinos, resort properties, racinos, and smaller satellite casinos. This model gives residents and visitors access to casino entertainment across several parts of the state rather than limiting it to one destination city.
Pennsylvania is also notable for the public revenue generated by its gaming sector. State gaming tax collections support a range of designated public purposes under Pennsylvania law, making the industry an important component of the state’s revenue structure.
Maryland: Destination Properties Near Major Metro Areas
Maryland operates a compact but influential casino market. Its six casinos include resort-style venues and properties located near major population centers. The state’s casino model shows how a limited number of well-positioned properties can create a meaningful entertainment offering while generating regulated gaming revenue.
Ohio: Casinos and Racinos Working Together
Ohio combines full-service casinos with racinos. The state’s four commercial casinos offer traditional casino games, while racinos expand access to electronic gaming at horse-racing facilities. This dual model creates entertainment options in multiple regions and supports both gaming and racing industries.
Other Important Commercial Casino States
Several other states have established commercial gaming markets with distinct local strengths:
- Colorado concentrates many commercial casinos in historic mountain towns, including Black Hawk, Central City, and Cripple Creek.
- Delaware is known for racinos that combine horse racing with casino gaming.
- Florida has a complex market that includes pari-mutuel facilities, card rooms, racinos, and major tribal resorts.
- Illinois has a growing regional casino market serving Chicago-area and downstate visitors.
- Indiana features land-based casinos, riverboat-origin properties, tribal gaming, and racinos.
- Iowa offers riverboat, land-based, tribal, and resort-style casino options.
- Louisiana is known for riverboat casinos, racinos, tribal properties, and New Orleans gaming.
- Massachusetts has resort casinos and a slot-parlor model under its expanded gaming framework.
- Mississippi has a long-established casino sector on the Gulf Coast and in the Tunica area.
- Missouri has a river-focused commercial casino system.
- New York includes commercial casinos, racinos, tribal casinos, and video lottery terminal facilities.
- Rhode Island operates two commercial casino properties.
- South Dakota combines Deadwood gaming with tribal casino properties.
- West Virginia offers casino resorts and racinos.
Tribal Casinos: A Vital Part of US Gaming
Tribal gaming is central to the American casino landscape. It is not a minor category or a niche alternative. The National Indian Gaming Commission reported $43.9 billion in fiscal 2024 gross gaming revenue from 532 tribal gaming operations in 29 states.
Tribal casinos operate under a framework that includes the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, tribal governance, federal oversight, and, for certain forms of gaming, tribal-state compacts. Their legal structure differs from that of commercial casinos, which is why reliable industry sources commonly track tribal and commercial gaming separately.
Revenue from tribal gaming can support tribal government operations, community services, infrastructure, economic development, cultural initiatives, health programs, education, and employment. The exact use of revenue is determined by the applicable legal framework and each tribe’s priorities.
California: The Largest Tribal Gaming Market
California is widely recognized as the largest tribal gaming market in the country. Its tribal casino network spans many regions, from Northern California to the Central Valley and Southern California. These properties range from gaming-focused venues to large resorts with hotels, golf, dining, entertainment, and event space.
California’s breadth makes it especially important when assessing nationwide casino totals. A count that excludes tribal facilities would leave out a substantial share of the state’s gaming footprint.
Oklahoma: A National Leader in Tribal Casino Gaming
Oklahoma has one of the largest concentrations of tribal gaming facilities in the United States. Its casino landscape includes large destination properties as well as regional venues operated by multiple tribal nations.
WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville is among the country’s best-known large-scale casino destinations. Reported gaming-floor measurements vary by source and by how expansions are counted, but the property is regularly cited as one of the largest casino gaming venues in the world.
Oklahoma’s model highlights the power of tribal gaming to create tourism, hospitality jobs, entertainment options, and regional economic activity beyond major coastal casino markets.
Arizona, Washington and Wisconsin
Arizona, Washington, and Wisconsin are also major tribal gaming states. Their properties serve local communities and travelers with a variety of gaming, hotel, dining, concert, meeting, and resort amenities.
- Arizona has a large network of tribal casinos throughout the state, including in the Phoenix metropolitan area and other regions.
- Washington has numerous tribally operated casinos, many located near population centers and travel corridors.
- Wisconsin has an extensive tribal casino network, including major destination properties in Milwaukee, Green Bay, Wisconsin Dells, and other areas.
Additional States With Tribal Casino Access
Tribal gaming also plays a meaningful role in Alabama, Connecticut, Florida, Idaho, Iowa, Kansas, Louisiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Texas, Wyoming, and other states with federally recognized tribal gaming operations.
In some of these states, tribal casinos are the primary legal form of full-scale casino gaming. In others, tribal facilities operate alongside commercial casinos, racinos, or state-licensed card rooms.
States With Both Commercial and Tribal Casinos
Several states have mixed gaming systems. This is one of the main reasons national casino lists can be difficult to compare. A visitor may see all venues as casinos, while a statistical report may separate them by ownership and legal authority.
| State | Commercial gaming presence | Tribal gaming presence | Why the mix matters |
|---|---|---|---|
| Florida | Pari-mutuel venues, card rooms, and other regulated gambling facilities | Major tribal casinos operated by the Seminole Tribe and other tribal interests | Florida’s market includes several distinct gambling models. |
| Indiana | Commercial casinos, riverboat-origin properties, and racinos | Tribal casino presence | Visitors have access to multiple venue formats. |
| Iowa | Commercial and riverboat casinos | Tribal casinos | The state offers a broad regional gaming mix. |
| Michigan | Detroit commercial casinos | Numerous tribal casinos statewide | Michigan combines a city market with extensive tribal gaming. |
| New York | Commercial casinos and racinos | Tribal casinos | Gaming options vary substantially by region and license type. |
| South Dakota | Deadwood commercial gaming | Tribal casinos | Historic gaming and tribal gaming coexist. |
Racinos, Riverboats and Other Casino-Style Venues
Not every casino experience takes place in a traditional resort building. State law has shaped several specialized venue types that give the US market its distinctive character.
Racinos
A racino is a racetrack with casino-style gaming. Depending on the state, a racino may offer slot machines, video lottery terminals, electronic table games, sports wagering, poker, or traditional table games. Delaware, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and several other states use racino models.
Racinos can create a valuable link between racing and gaming. They offer another entertainment option for guests while helping support racetrack operations, horse-related employment, breeding, training, and live racing programs where authorized.
Riverboat Casinos
Riverboat casinos developed in states where early casino laws tied legal gaming to navigable waterways. Over time, some states allowed those facilities to operate dockside or in land-based structures near their original riverboat locations.
Indiana, Iowa, Louisiana, Mississippi, and Missouri are especially associated with this history. Today, many of these properties function as modern regional resorts, while their riverboat legacy remains part of their identity.
Card Rooms and Limited Casino Games
Some states permit card rooms, poker rooms, bingo halls, charitable gaming, or gaming machines without authorizing a broad commercial casino market. The specific games allowed can vary significantly. A venue may offer poker and electronic games but not roulette or house-banked blackjack, for example.
The key benefit for consumers is choice: legal gaming is often tailored to local law and community preferences rather than forced into a one-size-fits-all national model.
States With Limited or No Land-Based Casino Access
A state without traditional casino resorts is not necessarily a state without all gambling. Many states permit some combination of lottery games, charitable bingo, pari-mutuel wagering, sports betting, tribal gaming, or offshore gaming cruises.
Georgia
Georgia does not have a broad land-based casino market. However, casino cruise operations have historically offered a limited-access option by traveling offshore into international waters, where the vessel may conduct gaming under the applicable maritime and operational rules. Availability, sailing schedules, and legal requirements can change, so travelers should verify current details directly with an operator before making plans.
Kentucky
Kentucky is best known for horse racing and pari-mutuel wagering, including the Kentucky Derby. The state also has gaming facilities associated with racing and historical horse racing. Its gambling market is therefore more racing-centered than the full commercial casino systems found in Nevada, Pennsylvania, or New Jersey.
South Carolina
South Carolina does not have a statewide land-based commercial casino industry. Offshore cruise gaming has been one limited route to casino-style play for some travelers, while the state also permits other narrowly defined gambling activities.
Texas
Texas does not have a large commercial casino market. It has limited tribal gaming and other restricted gambling options. That makes Texas very different from neighboring casino destinations in Louisiana and Oklahoma, even though the state has a large population and strong potential demand for entertainment travel.
Land-Based Casinos and Online Casinos Are Different Legal Questions
One of the most important points for players is that a state with physical casinos does not automatically permit online casinos. Likewise, a state may have legal online wagering options without offering a large number of brick-and-mortar casino resorts.
Online casino law is state-specific and changes over time. New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Delaware, Connecticut, Rhode Island, and West Virginia are among the states that have authorized some form of regulated online casino gaming. Other states may permit online sports betting, horse racing wagering, lottery products, or fantasy contests without authorizing online casino games.
Before playing online or visiting a casino, consumers should confirm the current law in their location, review the operator’s licensing information, meet the applicable age requirement, and use only authorized services where online play is legal.
How to Choose the Right Casino State for Your Trip
America’s variety of casino models makes it easier to plan an experience around your travel goals. The best choice depends on whether you want a major resort vacation, a quick regional getaway, live racing, cultural tourism, or a specific type of game.
- For iconic resort experiences: Consider Nevada or New Jersey.
- For large tribal resort destinations: Consider California, Oklahoma, Arizona, Connecticut, Washington, or Wisconsin.
- For casino and horse-racing combinations: Consider Delaware, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, or West Virginia.
- For riverboat history and regional gaming: Consider Louisiana, Mississippi, Indiana, Iowa, or Missouri.
- For a concentrated East Coast casino market: Consider Atlantic City in New Jersey or Maryland’s major casino properties.
- For a broad statewide selection: Consider Pennsylvania, Michigan, California, Oklahoma, or Nevada.
It is also smart to check each property’s current game selection, hotel availability, dining options, entertainment calendar, smoking policy, age rules, and responsible gaming resources before traveling. These details can differ not only by state but also by individual casino.
Responsible Gaming Matters Everywhere
Casino entertainment is most enjoyable when it remains part of a planned leisure budget. Set a spending limit before visiting, avoid chasing losses, take breaks, and treat gambling as entertainment rather than a way to earn income. Every legal casino market has its own age requirements, and many operators provide responsible gaming information and support resources for guests.
A positive casino experience starts with informed choices. Understanding the rules, budget, and local regulations helps visitors focus on what casino destinations do best: hospitality, entertainment, dining, events, and memorable travel experiences.
Frequently Asked Questions About US Casino States
How many states have casinos?
The answer depends on the type of casino being counted. In 2024, commercial casino locations operated across 27 states, while tribal gaming operations were reported in 29 states. Because some states have both commercial and tribal properties, the number of states with some form of casino-style gaming is not found by simply adding those two figures together.
How many casinos are in the United States?
A useful high-level estimate is roughly 1,000 or more commercial and tribal casino properties or gaming operations combined. The precise total varies by source because definitions differ. Some lists include racinos, bingo-based tribal gaming facilities, card rooms, riverboats, and smaller gaming venues, while others count only full-scale casinos.
What state has the most casinos?
The answer varies according to the definition used. Nevada has the most famous commercial casino concentration, especially in Las Vegas. Oklahoma and California have exceptionally large tribal gaming footprints. States such as Pennsylvania, Michigan, and New York also have diverse mixes of commercial, tribal, racino, and regional gaming properties.
What state has the biggest casino?
WinStar World Casino and Resort in Thackerville, Oklahoma, is widely cited as one of the largest casino destinations in the United States and the world. Published gaming-floor figures can differ based on measurement methods and property expansions, so it is best to treat exact rankings and square-footage claims as subject to change.
What is the difference between a commercial casino and a tribal casino?
Commercial casinos generally operate under state licensing, regulation, and tax systems. Tribal casinos operate under tribal authority and federal law, including the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act, with tribal-state compacts applying to certain gaming classes. Both can provide major entertainment destinations, but their legal and regulatory structures differ.
Does every state allow casino gambling?
No. Some states have broad commercial or tribal casino access, while others limit gambling to lotteries, racing, charitable games, card rooms, tribal facilities, or offshore cruises. Laws can change, so travelers should always confirm the current rules before planning a visit.
The Bottom Line
The US casino industry is not defined by one model. It is a nationwide network of commercial resorts, tribal enterprises, racinos, riverboat properties, regional casinos, and limited-access gaming options shaped by state and federal law.
Nevada may remain the country’s most recognizable casino destination, but the full national picture is far broader. Oklahoma and California showcase the scale of tribal gaming. Pennsylvania and New York demonstrate the value of mixed regional markets. New Jersey pairs destination casino travel with a mature regulated online gaming framework. Meanwhile, racinos and riverboat venues give many states their own distinctive approach to casino entertainment.
For travelers, this variety creates more opportunities to find a casino experience that fits their interests. For states, tribes, and local communities, regulated gaming can support tourism, jobs, hospitality development, entertainment investment, and public revenue. The most accurate way to understand which states have casinos is to read more and appreciate the many legal, cultural, and economic models that make up America’s casino landscape.
