The Best Casinos in St. Louis: All 6, and Why You Don't Need Vegas (2026)
Revised July 14, 2026
What casinos are in St. Louis?
The St. Louis area has six casinos across Missouri and Illinois, including Hollywood Casino in Maryland Heights, River City Casino in south county, and Horseshoe St. Louis downtown, plus options across the river in the Metro East. All offer slots, table games, and dining, and each has its own vibe — hours and offerings vary, so it’s worth checking before you go.
Keep reading ↓Picture the version of the trip you keep almost taking. The one to Vegas. You price the flight, then the hotel, then the “resort fee” nobody warned you about, then the $18 airport beer — and somewhere around the third browser tab you quietly close the whole thing and tell yourself maybe next year. Sound familiar? Maybe it was you eyeing a Biloxi weekend, or your brother-in-law who won’t stop talking about his last run at the tables.
Here’s the thing most St. Louisans forget: you don’t have to get on a plane to have that night. Twenty minutes from wherever you’re sitting — south county, St. Charles, the Metro East — there’s a real casino floor humming with the same slot chimes, the same green felt, the same “maybe this hand” feeling. And when it’s over, you sleep in your own bed instead of a $300 room at altitude.
So before you daydream your way to McCarran again, let’s talk about what’s right here — all six St. Louis casinos, what each one is actually like, and why staying home might be the smartest bet you make all weekend.
There are six casinos in the greater St. Louis area: four in Missouri — Hollywood Casino (Maryland Heights), River City Casino (Lemay), Horseshoe St. Louis (downtown, formerly Lumière Place), and Ameristar (St. Charles) — plus two in Illinois, DraftKings at Casino Queen (East St. Louis) and Argosy Casino Alton. You must be 21, and as of December 2025 you can now legally bet on sports in Missouri, too.
Why You Don’t Need Vegas (or Biloxi)
Vegas is Vegas — nobody’s pretending the Strip doesn’t have its own kind of magic. But do the honest math on a St. Louis casino night and the case makes itself. No airfare. No two vacation days burned on travel. No resort fee. If you drop a hundred bucks at the tables, that’s the whole cost of the night, not the tip you left on a $700 trip.
And St. Louis has something the Strip flatly cannot sell you: the river. Vegas is a fantasy planted in the desert; Biloxi has the Gulf, but it doesn’t have this — a genuine paddle-era riverboat casino floating on the Mississippi, the same water that built this city. You can play blackjack two blocks from the Gateway Arch, then walk out into a real downtown. You can turn a Cardinals afternoon at Busch into a casino evening without ever moving your car out of a walkable radius. You can win a little, lose a little, and still make it home for a plate of toasted ravioli. Try doing that from a hotel tower on the Strip.
Then there’s the small stuff that adds up: Midwest dealers who’ll actually talk to you, free parking instead of a $25 garage, and rooms — when you do want to stay over — that cost a fraction of a comparable Vegas weekend, right down to a downtown Four Seasons attached to the casino. The trip you keep not taking? A better version of it is a short drive away.
Six Casinos, Two States, One River
St. Louisans search for “St. Louis casinos” roughly 12,100 times a month, and the area rewards the curiosity: six operating gaming floors inside about a 40-minute drive of downtown, four in Missouri and two across the river in Illinois. That state line matters more than you’d guess, and it’s tangled up in one of the best pieces of local trivia going.
Every Missouri casino is, technically, a floating casino. State law requires gaming to sit on or right beside the Mississippi or Missouri River, so even the sleek, land-style rooms like Hollywood and Ameristar are actually built atop enormous concrete barges set in water basins. You’d never feel it on the floor — it plays like any Vegas room — but that quirk is why every one of them hugs the riverfront. Illinois plays it more literally still: up in Alton sits an honest-to-goodness riverboat.
St. Louis Casinos at a Glance
| Casino | Location | Approx. slots | Tables | Hotel | Sportsbook |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hollywood Casino & Hotel | Maryland Heights, MO | ~2,100 | 70+ | Yes (502 rooms) | Yes |
| River City Casino & Hotel | Lemay (south county), MO | ~2,000 | ~55 + poker | Yes (200 rooms) | Yes |
| Horseshoe St. Louis | Downtown STL, MO | ~950 | ~40 + poker | Yes (two hotels) | Yes |
| Ameristar Casino Resort Spa | St. Charles, MO | ~2,000+ | 60+ | Yes (all-suite) | Yes |
| DraftKings at Casino Queen | East St. Louis, IL | Full floor | Yes | Yes | Yes (since 2019) |
| Argosy Casino Alton | Alton, IL | ~516 | ~9 | No | Yes |
Hollywood Casino & Hotel — The Biggest Night Out (Maryland Heights)
If you want the works — a giant floor, a hotel, a real night — Hollywood in Maryland Heights is the metro’s heavyweight. Around 2,100 slots and video poker machines, 70-plus tables, a 502-room hotel, roughly seven restaurants, and a weekend dance club that leans hard into ’70s and ’80s music. There’s a fitness center, valet, and a free airport shuttle, which makes it the natural landing pad for out-of-towners flying into Lambert. Best for: the biggest slot selection, a hotel-and-nightlife weekend, and groups who want everything under one roof.
River City Casino & Hotel — The South County Favorite (Lemay)
Down in Lemay, right on the Mississippi in south county, River City is the pick for anyone on the south side who’d rather not fight downtown or trek to Maryland Heights. About 2,000 slots, roughly 55 tables, and a dedicated 10-table poker room — one of the better poker setups in town. Add a 200-room hotel, several restaurants, and Judy’s Velvet Lounge for live music and comedy, and it’s a full night without the long drive. Best for: south-county players, poker, and a strong all-around floor with a friendlier, less-touristy crowd.
Horseshoe St. Louis — Downtown by the Arch (formerly Lumière Place)
The only casino in downtown proper, Horseshoe sits about two blocks from the Gateway Arch — and if the name throws you, that’s because Caesars rebranded the old Lumière Place to Horseshoe St. Louis back in 2022. It’s a more compact, upscale floor (around 950 slots, 40 tables, a 10-table poker room), and the real magic is what’s attached: two hotels, including the boutique Hotel Lumière and the genuinely luxurious Four Seasons Hotel St. Louis, plus a 453-seat theater. It runs on Caesars Rewards, so a card from Vegas works here too. Best for: a downtown stay, pairing a casino night with a Cardinals game or the Arch, poker, and higher-end play.
Ameristar Casino Resort Spa — The Weekend Getaway (St. Charles)
Across the Missouri River in St. Charles, Ameristar is the one that feels like a destination instead of just a casino. The floor is enormous — well over 2,000 slots and 60-plus tables across roughly 130,000 square feet, with a high-limit salon — but the extras are the sell: an all-suite, AAA Four-Diamond hotel, the 7,000-square-foot aRa Spa, seven-plus dining venues, a Topgolf Swing Suite, and an arcade for the kids. Add St. Charles’s historic cobblestone Main Street a few minutes away and you’ve got a whole weekend without a boarding pass. Best for: a couples’ or spa getaway, St. Charles-area players, and resort amenities with your gaming.
DraftKings at Casino Queen — Across the River (East St. Louis, IL)
Just across the Mississippi from downtown — with a postcard view of the Arch and skyline — sits the longtime Casino Queen, now branded DraftKings at Casino Queen. It’s a full casino with a hotel and dining on the riverfront, and because Illinois legalized sports betting all the way back in 2019, its DraftKings sportsbook has been running years longer than any Missouri book. It’s a quick hop over the river. Best for: Metro East residents, a fast trip from downtown, and DraftKings sportsbook fans.
Argosy Casino Alton — The Real Riverboat (Alton, IL)
About 25 minutes upriver in Alton sits the metro’s throwback: an actual riverboat casino on the Mississippi, the historic vessel once known as the Alton Belle. It’s the smallest of the six — roughly 516 slots and about nine tables, dining on board, no hotel — and that’s exactly the charm. Low-key, easy to navigate, and a genuine riverboat experience the big barges can’t fake. Make a day of it with pretty, antique-lined downtown Alton. Best for: a relaxed, smaller visit, a true riverboat feel, and folks up in the River Bend.
Which St. Louis Casino Is Right for You?
- Biggest floor / most slots: Hollywood or Ameristar — both clear 2,000 machines.
- Poker: River City and Horseshoe both run dedicated poker rooms.
- Downtown, near the Arch or a Cardinals game: Horseshoe St. Louis, two blocks away.
- A resort, a spa, a full weekend: Ameristar in St. Charles.
- A true riverboat: Argosy Casino Alton.
- From the Metro East: DraftKings at Casino Queen or Argosy Alton — no bridge-into-downtown hassle.
- Best all-arounder without the crowds: River City in south county.
The Slot Machine Questions Everyone Googles
Be honest — you’ve typed at least one of these into your phone in a parking lot. Here are straight answers, no mysticism.
What’s the “$20 method”? It’s a bankroll trick, not a loophole: you put $20 in a machine, play a set number of spins, and if you don’t hit a target you cash out the ticket and move on — protecting whatever’s left instead of feeding it all back. It won’t beat the house math, but it’s a genuinely good way to make a small budget last and stay in control.
Which slot machines “hit” the most? No machine is ever “due,” and none in a licensed casino is warm because the last person left. Every spin is independent and random. As a rule of thumb, higher-denomination and simpler machines tend to carry a better return-to-player rate than the flashy penny games with a dozen bonus features — but the house keeps an edge on all of them. Play the ones you enjoy, set a limit, and treat any win as a happy surprise.
Are the machines rigged? Not in the cheating sense. Slots in Missouri and Illinois are regulated and independently tested for fairness, and the house edge is built into the math legally and openly — that’s just how casinos make money, the same way the lottery does. The only truly rigged machines are on unlicensed, offshore apps. At the six casinos above, the game is square; the odds simply favor the house, which is exactly why you set a budget.
Sports Betting Is Finally Legal in Missouri
This is the big recent change. Missouri voters narrowly passed Amendment 2 in November 2024, and legal sports betting — both at retail sportsbooks inside the casinos and through online apps — officially launched on December 1, 2025. For the first time, you can place a legal wager on the Cardinals, the Blues, or a Sunday NFL slate from inside a Missouri casino or from your phone in-state. Illinois has offered it since 2019, so the Casino Queen and Argosy books have a long head start. Minimum age is 21 for sports betting in both states, same as the casino floor. (Physical sportsbook counters can open in phases, so if the in-person book is your goal, a quick check that it’s fully live is worth it.)
Know Before You Go
- You must be 21 for casino gaming and sports betting in both Missouri and Illinois. Bring a valid photo ID — it’s checked at the door and the tables.
- Hours: the larger Missouri casinos generally run around the clock, especially on weekends; little Argosy keeps shorter hours (roughly 9am–2am). Check the property before a late-night run.
- Parking is generally free, with valet at the bigger resorts — one more Vegas headache you get to skip.
- Join the players club. Every casino has a free rewards program (Penn’s for Hollywood and River City, Caesars Rewards for Horseshoe, Boyd for Ameristar). Sign up before you play — the free play, dining comps, and parking perks add up fast and cost you nothing.
- Gamble responsibly. Set a budget before you walk in and treat it as entertainment money, not income. If it ever stops being fun, the free, confidential National Problem Gambling Helpline is at 1-800-GAMBLER.
Make a Whole St. Louis Night of It
The best part of staying local is everything you can bolt onto the evening. Turning it into a weekend? See our guide to hotels near Busch Stadium if you’re pairing Horseshoe with a Cardinals game, or keep the night going with the best dance clubs in St. Louis. Hungry after a hot streak? The St Louis Near Me Directory has restaurants all across the metro — toasted ravioli included.
Discover more St. Louis favorites. Browse St Louis Near Me Directory to find local shops, spots, and services across the metro — and if you run one, list it so neighbors can find you.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does St. Louis have gambling?
Yes — the St. Louis area has six casinos (four in Missouri, two in Illinois) plus, since December 2025, legal sports betting in Missouri. You’ll find slots, table games, poker, and sportsbooks all within about a 40-minute drive of downtown, so there’s no need to travel to Vegas for a night out.
What is the “$20 method” at the casino?
The “$20 method” is a bankroll trick, not a way to beat the house: you put $20 in a slot machine, play a set number of spins, and cash out the ticket if you don’t hit a target — protecting what’s left instead of feeding it all back. It won’t change the odds, but it’s a solid way to make a small budget last and stay in control.
Which slot machines hit the most?
No slot machine is ever “due,” and none is warmer because the last player just left — every spin is independent and random. As a rule of thumb, higher-denomination and simpler machines tend to carry a better return-to-player (RTP) rate than flashy penny games loaded with bonus features, but the house keeps an edge on all of them. Play the ones you enjoy and set a limit.
Are St. Louis slot machines rigged?
Not in the cheating sense. Slot machines in Missouri and Illinois are regulated and independently tested for fairness; the house edge is built into the math legally and openly, the same way the lottery works. The only truly rigged machines are on unlicensed offshore apps — at the six licensed St. Louis casinos, the game is square, the odds simply favor the house.
How many casinos are in St. Louis, and which is the biggest?
There are six: Hollywood (Maryland Heights), River City (Lemay), Horseshoe (downtown), and Ameristar (St. Charles) in Missouri, plus DraftKings at Casino Queen (East St. Louis) and Argosy (Alton) in Illinois. Ameristar and Hollywood have the largest floors, each topping 2,000 machines.
What is the minimum age to gamble in St. Louis?
You must be 21 to gamble at any casino in Missouri or Illinois, and 21 to place a legal sports bet in either state. Bring a valid government-issued photo ID; it’s checked at entry and at the tables.
Which St. Louis casino is closest to downtown and the Arch?
Horseshoe St. Louis (formerly Lumière Place) is the only casino in downtown proper, about two blocks from the Gateway Arch. DraftKings at Casino Queen is also very close, just across the Mississippi in East St. Louis, Illinois.
Is sports betting legal in St. Louis?
Yes. Legal sports betting launched in Missouri on December 1, 2025, after voters passed Amendment 2 in November 2024, so you can bet at Missouri casino sportsbooks and via in-state apps. Illinois has allowed it since 2019. The minimum age is 21 in both states.
Which St. Louis casinos have hotels?
Hollywood (502 rooms), River City (200 rooms), Ameristar (an all-suite resort), and Horseshoe (with Hotel Lumière and the adjacent Four Seasons) all have hotels, and DraftKings at Casino Queen has riverfront lodging. Argosy Casino Alton does not have a hotel.
Find More Local St. Louis
Whatever your night looks like, the St Louis Near Me Directory helps you find the restaurants, bars, and things to do around it — across the whole metro, Missouri and Illinois. And if you run a local spot that’s built for a night out, list it here so people planning their evening find you first.
Written by a dedicated team of St. Louis locals who live, work, and play right here in the St. Louis metro. Founder Lane Forman and team are committed to building the region’s most trusted directory by verifying listings and connecting local businesses with loyal customers across Missouri and Illinois.