The Best Places to Gamble in the United States

Gambling in the United States is serious business, and as the country continues to reopen, you may feel the urge to book a trip to a famous gambling city. There’s only so much gambling you can do behind your computer screen before you start to go a little stir crazy. Lucky for you, many options around the country are ready to take your business.

While you’ve heard of the spots that have been popularized over the years, several relatively unknown locations are certainly worth vacationing to. Everyone knows about Vegas and Atlantic City but consider broadening your horizons and branching out to a different gambling hub.

Here are 6 of the top spots where you should book your next vacation.

1 ‒ Las Vegas, Nevada

While all these destinations are in no particular order, was there any doubt that Vegas would be number 1?

Las Vegas is the most well-known and mainstream gambling destination in the United States for a reason. The city is home to more than 100 casinos and two significant hubs in the Strip and Downtown Las Vegas form.

Each casino offers patrons a different environment to gamble in, making it easy to find a gambling destination that works for you. The variety Las Vegas offers is second to none in the United States, making it the most popular gambling city in the country. Outside of gambling, the city has an endless source of entertainment for people of all ages.

The city radiates an intangible energy that is present nearly 24 hours a day. While COVID-19 has had its adverse effect on the town, as the country continues to reopen, for the time being, the city is returning to form.

If you’re trying to decide on a vacation spot and you’ve never been to Vegas, it’s definitely time to consider it.

2 ‒ Atlantic City, New Jersey

Atlantic City is one of the most popular gambling cities on the East Coast and is an excellent option for northeasterners who don’t want to travel too far. While the city offers only a fraction of the gambling options compared to Las Vegas, it has a variety of casinos that appeal to different demographics.

Even though Atlantic City only has nine casinos, each has its own unique attractions. If you’re new to gambling, the Hard Rock Casino offers a new energy for a younger clientele who like gambling to the sounds of live music.

Elsewhere around the city, mainstays like the Tropicana, Borgata, and Caesars beckon gamblers hoping to make some serious money.

Regardless of whether you’re the type of gambler who’s there to have fun or the kind who’s a bit more serious, Atlantic City has something for you.

3 ‒ Reno, Nevada

If you share a state with the biggest gambling city in the country, odds are you might be overlooked. While this may be the case for Reno, the city is a fantastic option for any type of gambler. Reno was once known as the go-to gambling destination before the Vegas boom. Today, Reno is known as the “Biggest Little City” and a prime location to get everything you need out of a gambling location.

Featuring 20 casinos, the city, like some other locations on this list, provides a wide variety of games for fans of all sorts of gambling. The casinos in Reno are home to thousands of gambling options. Whether it’s table games like blackjack and roulette, slots, or poker, even the most serious gamblers can get their fix in Reno.

If you find Las Vegas to be too overwhelming, consider giving Reno a chance. The city is located near the Nevada-California border, making it a prime spot for gamblers who live on the West Coast. Like Las Vegas, the city has a ton of entertainment options, with bustling nightlife activities, shows, and concerts. It may not compare to Vegas in numbers alone, but Reno can hold its own against any other location on this list.

4 ‒ New Orleans, Louisiana

The state of Louisiana has many gambling options that have their own merits, like Lake Charles and Bossier City. However, I chose to list New Orleans because of the city itself. The Big Easy is one of the best vacation destinations in the United States, even if you have no intention to gamble. However, if you’re tired of walking up and down Bourbon Street or seen enough of the French Quarter, a number of casinos are just a short walk away.

While the number of casinos in Louisiana doesn’t compare to other cities on this list, each casino offers its patrons a variety of table games, slots, and sports gambling options.

New Orleans was one of the first cities I traveled to gamble, and I was pleasantly surprised with my experience gambling. Before you visit the Big Easy, make sure you’ve done your homework on which casino you think is right for you, because several of the better options are somewhat off the beaten path.

5 ‒ Biloxi, Mississippi

When thinking of potential gambling vacation spots, rarely, if ever, does Biloxi come to mind, but this hidden gem is simply one of the best gambling destinations in the United States. The city houses several well-known casinos, and the city’s location makes it a must-visit for any sort of gambler.

Biloxi features 10 casinos, providing gamblers ample opportunity to find one that suits them. However, the reason Biloxi makes this list is the fact that the city offers different forms of entertainment for travelers. If you’re reading this, you’re most likely interested in the gambling aspect, but you have to eat and take a break from the tables at some point. Biloxi is home to a number of delectable dining spots and a variety of entertainment options.

In terms of gambling, the most popular casinos in the city are Beau Rivage and New Palace. Mainstays like the Golden Nugget and the Hard Rock also cater to a more inexperienced or younger crowd. Regardless of your skill level or the type of gambling, you aspire to do, try to plan a trip to Mississippi in the near future.

6 ‒ Your Local Casino

Some of my best gambling experiences take place at the casino closest to my home. In college, my friends and I were never hard-pressed to make an excuse to go gamble, and the convenience of living close to a casino led to many spur-of-the-moment gambling trips. Not every trip needs to be a big ordeal, and you’d be surprised how much fun you will have gambling at the local spot.

As it stands, 18 states are home to casinos, so you might be surprised to find that you live closer to one than you expect. The stigma around gambling is slowly disappearing as restrictions continue to be lessened around the nation. It stands to reason that more options will begin to pop up as time goes on, providing you with a potential opportunity to do some more gambling.

Conclusion

If you’re feeling cooped up after months of quarantine and isolation, it might be time to book a trip to do some gambling. Whether it’s at one of the well-known cities around the country like Vegas or Atlantic City or even a weekend trip to the casino down the road, you can’t go wrong. All the locations listed above have attractions that set them apart from the rest, and I recommend visiting each of them at some point.

There’s absolutely nothing wrong with going to Vegas for the umpteenth time, but if you’re looking for a different experience, consider one of the destinations that aren’t as mainstream. There’s fun to take in across the country, and I know from experience that some of my best times at the casinos came after minimal preparation. You’ll never know how much fun a city can be until you give it a shot.