The Sunshine State is famous for many things – sun & surf, the Everglades, the theme parks, the citrus fruits and a whole lot more. While Florida is not as famous for its casinos, the scene is booming. With 82 casinos, nearly 27,000 slot machines and over 800 live gaming tables, the state is a rising gaming destination. If you’re done with beaches, alligators and Mickey Mouse and need your gambling fix, you’ll find brilliant games, amazing entertainment, great dining and all the excitement you could ever need. Here are 5 of the best casinos in Florida.
The Big Easy Casino
Formerly known as Mardi Gras Casino and before that, Hollywood Greyhound Track, this casino has had a significant remodel since taking a pounding from Hurricane Irma back in 2017. Located in Hallandale Beach, the casino boasts over 70,000 square feet of space, including well over 1,000 gaming machines. If you like to smoke while you gamble, you can enjoy slots, flat-screen TVs and luxury seating at the well-appointed outdoor patio, the Dog Pound. The Big Easy Poker room has 30 tables offering Texas Hold’em, Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo and 7 Card Stud. There are low and high limit tables, so the venue is ideal for everyone from beginners to seasoned veterans. The poker room is open through the week, 10 am to 4 am, while the casino is open 9am to 3 am, again all week.
The Casino @ Dania Beach
This casino is just 10 minutes from Fort Lauderdale, and the venue is renowned for the sport of Jai alai. For the uninitiated, Jai alai is a pelota-like sport played in a court by two or four players, using a ball and curved wicker baskets strapped to the wrist. Thousands gather to place their bets on the tournaments held at the venue, but the gambling opportunities don’t stop there, as there is also an excellent traditional casino too. A major $64 million renovation was completed in early 2016 and there are now 900 slot machines and 24 poker tables in a beautiful glass-enclosed card room. Away from the machines and poker tables, gamblers can enjoy off-track betting on horses, harness racing, greyhounds and of course, Jai alai.
Magic City
A stone’s throw away from downtown Miami, this casino has a huge variety of gambling opportunities. They have over 800 fantastic slot machines including Jin Ji Bao Xi, Dragon Link, Liberty 7s and Treasure Ball, while you can also enjoy blackjack, roulette, craps and baccarat on the venue’s 40 electronic table game machines. For poker lovers, the poker room is open all week, with 19 tables where all the most popular variants are available. Magic City say they pay more jackpots than any other casino in Miami! If you want to watch live sports, check out The Sports Club, which shows major sporting events on huge screens (personal TVs are available should you prefer). You can dine, drink and place bets on horse racing and Jai-Alai from walk-around bet takers.
Victory Casino Cruises
Gaming laws are complex in Florida and live table games such as roulette and craps are not available everywhere. However, Victory Casino Cruises solve the problem by sailing 12 miles out to sea – so if gambling on the seas in luxury is your thing, and you want access to the whole spectrum of casino gaming, then look no further. Cruises sail twice a day, seven days a week, allowing you five or six hours to strike it rich! The ships have 4 decks of gaming, adding up to 40,000 square feet in all. There are over 600 slot machines and 27 live table games, including poker, roulette, craps and blackjack. The location of the cruise also opens up the full world of sports betting, the only casino in Florida where this is possible. When passengers enter the Sportsbook Lounge, they can bet on a huge range of major sports. For all you need to know about sports betting in Florida, check out betflorida.com. Add in 5 bars, great dining on all decks, with superb entertainment at Big Norm’s Club V and you’ve got all you need for a fantastic experience.
Seminole Hard Rock Casino
Located 10 minutes east of downtown Tampa; if you want to gamble and party hard this entertainment destination has it all. The gaming space is enormous – 245,000 square feet of action, with some of the most important pieces of Hard Rock music memorabilia lining the walls. All the amps here go to 11! The gaming floor is immense, with 5,000 machines – slots, video poker and keno. Guests can enjoy 179 tables offering around a dozen varieties of games like blackjack and baccarat. Poker lovers can choose from 46 tables in a recently expanded room. There are regular tournaments for serious gamblers and private spaces are available should you so desire. Meanwhile, less serious gamers can try their luck in a social casino where the vibe is drinking and dancing as well as winning some cash. Should you wish to take a break from the gaming excitement you’ll find 242 well-appointed rooms and all the amenities you could wish for – superb entertainment, a spa and 14 restaurants and bars, which are open nearly round the clock. As for the casino, you never need to worry what time it is, as it’s open 24/7.
Final Thoughts
You don’t need to go to Vegas or Atlantic City for a fantastic gambling vacation or a never to be forgotten night out – you’ll find everything you could want in the Sunshine State.