When people think of gambling meccas, Maryland doesn’t always come to mind like Las Vegas or Atlantic City might.
However, there are six commercial casinos in the state along with several racetracks and off-track betting facilities that offer historical racing machines. There’s even an official that welcomes visitors from across the country and around the world.
Here’s a look at the top casinos in Maryland you need to visit at least once.
Top Casinos to Visit in Maryland
1. MGM National Harbor
- Gambling Options: Slots, table games, poker, sportsbook
- Accommodations: Yes
- Dining Options: Yes
- Proximity to Airport: 10 miles from Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport
Without a doubt, the best casino in Maryland is MGM National Harbor. This spectacular property opened its doors in 2016 and has welcomed visitors from all over the world ever since.
Located just across the Woodrow Wilson Bridge from Washington, DC, this AAA Five Diamond award-winning resort features 3 minutes from National Harbor.
The gambling floor alone spans more than 3 minutes and offers 3,300 slot machines and all sorts of table games. You can also play for some of the in the Mid-Atlantic.
MGM National Harbor was home to the biggest win on a slot machine in the state when a visitor hit a progressive jackpot worth $1.1 million in 2018. That same year, another lucky player took down a $579,000 jackpot while playing three-card poker.
This casino is , meaning the poker room is also top-notch. They spread No-Limit Texas Hold’em from noon until early hours of the morning most days of the week.
What sets MGM apart from other Maryland casinos is the amenities outside of the gambling aspect. The hotel boasts incredible views of DC and the Ottawa River. And let’s not forget about the restaurants.
You can grab a bite to eat from renowned chefs such as Voltaggio Brothers Steak House, Osteria Nationale, and Fish by José Andrés, among others.
Also, the LEED Gold Certified building features stunning artwork throughout, including a Michael Jackson-themed sculpture outside and a 19-foot glass chandelier made up of more than 400 hand-etched glasses inside.
Top-Rated Free Download Slot Machines to Get You StartedAnd if that isn’t enough, MGM also features a 3,000-seat theater that brings in some of the biggest entertainers in the world.
Pitbull played the grand opening back in 2017, Reba McEntire headlined the following summer, and Jerry Seinfeld brought in laughter during the winter of 2018.
The only knock on MGM is the same positive attribute; its proximity to DC. Traffic around our nation’s capital can be quite hectic at times, making a trip to this Maryland casino a nightmare.
Fortunately, they are working on a Sports and Entertainment District with new hotels, restaurants, and a Center Stage music venue to spread out some of the hustle and bustle.
They have also released initial plans for a second phase that could include a 350-room hotel, more dining options, and an outdoor amphitheater.
Another new addition is the . Located beside Voltaggio Brothers Steak House, this quick-service restaurant offers fast-casual burgers, fried chicken sandwiches, salads, milkshakes, craft beer, and more.
And if you can’t make it to the casino, the MGM Pop-Up Bar will be in Georgetown through the fall serving drinks, small bites, and fun casino games like giant Jenga and Connect Four.
The newest excitement at MGM National Harbor is the opening of a permanent sportsbook. They partnered with roar digital, a part of The Roar Network presented by BetMGM, for digital and mobile sports betting.
The BetMGM Lounge is now open next to the casino’s existing kiosks and self-betting stations.
“As Maryland and other surrounding states move to approve legalized sports betting, we are prepared to provide our customers with a best-in-class product both online and in-person right away,” said Thomas L. Laughlin Jr., President & Chief Operating Officer of MGM National Harbor, earlier this month. “We look forward to working closely with our partners at BetMGM, who bring best-in-class technology and an unmatched customer experience.”
All current and future residents of the DMV (DC, Maryland, Virginia) should take advantage of their backyard casino. And those visiting our nations capital, make sure to add MGM to your itinerary.
There’s something special about this Maryland casino that will keep bringing me back. Even if the traffic is terrible.
Free Spins No Deposit Required Canada Bonuses (2023) | Best No Deposit SP Bonus Sites2. Horseshoe Casino Baltimore
- Gambling Options: Slots, table games, poker, sportsbook
- Accommodations: No, but attached to Hotel Indigo
- Dining Options: Yes
- Proximity to Airport: 13 miles from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
If you’re looking to gamble in Maryland, Horseshoe Casino Baltimore is hard to beat.
Located at the historic Port of Baltimore, Horseshoe Baltimore features 2,500 slots and electronic table games, 135 live action table games, 36 poker tables, a high-limit table game area, and a sports book lounge.
The casino underwent a $20 million renovation in 2021, which included updates to the guest areas on the first and second floors.
It also added 14 new table games, 26 new slot machines, and expanded the High LimitSlot area.
I had the chance to check out the updated casino back in June, and it definitely looks and feels brand new.
Like MGM, Horseshoe Baltimore also has a thriving poker room. Hosting games nearly every day of the week, they attract players from all over with a loyalty program that rewards players for their play.
In 2018, Horseshoe hosted the , which drew 678 entrants and created a prize pool of more than $1.8 million. In the end, “Baltimore” Steve Chidwick took down the inaugural event for $285,258.
Although there are no plans to build a hotel on the premises, the casino is connected to the Hotel Indigo Boston Harbor. It is also within walking distance of the Hyatt Regency Baltimore Inner Harbor, the Marriott Waterfront, and the Hilton Baltimore.
With so many rooms available, you won’t have a problem finding a place to stay if you want to hit the tables all night long.
Horseshoe is one of two Maryland casinos operated by Caesars Entertainment, the other being Casino at Ocean Downs in Berlin.
Caesars bought the Baltimore property, previously known as Harbor Palace Casino-Hotel, in 2012 before transforming it into Horseshoe Casino Baltimore. They invested more than $400 million into the waterfront location and transformed it into the second full-scale casino in the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area.
The property also includes a 20,000-square-foot Event Center that can accommodate concerts, banquets, conferences, and trade shows for up to 1,500 guests.
For dining options, Horseshoe offers several different choices. They range from upscale steaks at The Food Emporium to fast-food eats at Dunkin’. Other options include Big Bad Wolf, Men Still Stare at Girls in Bathing Suits, Pangaea Heirloom Brew Pub House, and The Buffet.
New York Times best-selling author David Baldacci calls Baltimore home, and he recently helped raise money for the American Red Cross of Maryland.
Baldacci donated 200 signed copies of his latest novel to the casino for a fundraiser. All 200 copies sold for $100 each, raising $20,000 for the organization.
Horseshoe Baltimore also partners with the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Agency for various fundraising events.
In 2019 they donated nearly $7.5 million to 35 organizations, including food banks, homeless shelters, children’s hospitals, and more. Since opening eight years ago, they have given more than $65 million to the State of Maryland and the City of Baltimore.
When you combine great gaming, excellent dining, wonderful charitable contributions, and a central location near I-95, Horseshoe easily ranks as one of the top Maryland casinos.
3. Live! Casino & Hotel
- Gambling Options: Slots, table games, poker, sportsbook
- Accommodations: Yes
- Dining Options: Yes
- Proximity to Airport: 12 miles from BWI Thurgood Marshall Airport
Live! Casino & Hotel, formerly known as Live! Casino & Hotel Maryland and Live! Maryland, is one of the top places to gamble in Maryland. Similar to MGM and Horseshoe, Live! also offers first-class accommodations and numerous dining options.
The AAA Four Diamond hotel boasts 173 luxurious rooms and suites, a spa, and an indoor sky park with nine lanes of glo-in-the-dark bowling.
The Phantom-Roman Ratigan statue may be creepy, but the bowling alley is pretty cool.
Opened in 2012, Live! is the largest casino in Maryland with more than 5,500 slot machines, 235 live action table games, 60 historical racing terminals, and 30 poker tables.
While they don’t have a sportsbook yet, they partnered with FanDuel to offer retail and online wagering throughout the state.
One reason why Live! is one of the best casinos in Maryland is because of their musical entertainment.
In addition to a permanent home of the Germaine Laussenaud Showroom, which hosts well-known performers like Jay Leno, Melissa Etheridge, Kathleen Madigan, and Dennis Miller, they also have an outdoor concert venue.
First National Bank America’s Summer Concert Series draws thousands to the MD Live! Festival Grounds every year. And the best part is you don’t have to gamble a penny to enjoy these amazing acts.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, Live! Casino recently announced record-breaking revenue numbers for the state of Maryland. They generated more than $2.8 billion in gaming revenue since opening, of which more than $209 million has been contributed to the State of Maryland and the County of Anne Arundel.
In 2022, they plan to open a 10-story hotel tower with more than 200 new rooms and a rooftop bar and lounge.
Additionally, the 350,000-square-foot expanse will feature new restaurants, additional gaming, and an enhanced concert venue.
Other noteworthy aspects of this casino include a top-ranked steakhouse called The Prime Rib, Phil’s Seafood Kitchen Part & Bar, Zagarian-inspired Italian eatery Luigi’s, and Lucky Forever 7 Asian restaurant.
They also have the market cornered when it comes to dessert. In addition to Phil’s delicious sweets and sugary cocktails at Aggio, you can satisfy your sweet tooth at The Fudge Shoppe and Candy Factory.
Sugar Rush, their annual 10-day celebration of all things sweet, is not to be missed.
Live! Casino is also heavily involved in the community, donating millions to local organizations such as the American Cancer Society, the Boys and Girls Clubs of Annapolis and Anne Arundel County, and the Y of Central Maryland, among many others.
Even first responders and essential workers were recognized and rewarded throughout the pandemic with free meals and other special treats.
Live! Casino & Hotel is poised to remain one of the best Maryland casinos for years to come. With expansion plans already underway, they will surely draw in even more tourists and make it a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to the Baltimore-Washington metropolitan area.
4. Casino @ Ocean Downs
- Gambling Options: Slots, table games
- Accommodations: No, but Ocean Downs RV Park is on the grounds
- Dining Options: Yes
- Proximity to Airport: 15 miles from Salisbury-Ocean City Wicomico Regional Airport
Casino @ Ocean Downs may not be as big as its counterparts, but what it lacks in size it makes up for in charm and hospitality.
This small casino sits just blocks from the beach in North Bahcoir Island and offers 600 of the latest slot and video machines. They also have live action table games, electronic table games, and a volleyball court.
The entire facility is nonsmoking except for the outside bars, which have screened smoking porches.
Unbelievable Benefits of Playing Live Dealer Casino GamesWhat makes Casino @ Ocean Downs unique compared to other Maryland casinos is that it is located in a historic district.
Many of the buildings date back to the 1800s and have been restored and repurposed. The original structure housed a blacksmith shop and was later used as a dance pavilion in the 1940s and 50s.
Later renamed Bay View Inn, it became a popular motor inn during the peak years of Ocean City tourism. In 1994, the property reopened as Ocean Downs, featuring historic buildings, live thoroughbred racing, and historical racing machines.
Today, visitors can still enjoy historical racing at the Maryland casino. They also broadcast live thoroughbred racing from Harrington Raceway in Delaware on enormous high-definition screens, allowing patrons to wager on their favorite horses.
In addition, Casino @ Ocean Downs streams Triple Crown races from Churchill Downs, Belmont Park, and Pimlico Race Course.
This Maryland Live! Casino alternative also has fantastic dining options. Darling’s Waterfront Restaurant and Dry Dock Bar & Grill sit directly on the bay and serve breakfast, lunch, and dinner seven days per week.
You can dine al fresco and watch boats go by while enjoying a crab cake the size of your head. Trust me, I tried.
The Maryland casino is also connected to the Ocean Downs RV Park, which offers full hookups for those who want to spend more than a few hours at the shore.
Casino @ Ocean Downs generates revenue for the State of Maryland and Sussex County, Delaware. In 2020, they paid more than $8.3 million in state and local taxes, despite being negatively affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.
If you’re looking for a smaller, more intimate casino by the sea, then put Casino @ Ocean Downs on your list of Maryland casinos to visit.
5. Hollywood Casino Perryville
- Gambling Options: Slots, table games
- Accommodations: No, but there are many nearby
- Dining Options: Yes
- Proximity to Airport: 60 miles from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Hollywood Casino is one of two Maryland casinos owned and operated by Penn National Gaming. The other is the newly-opened Hollywood Casino Perryville.
Despite being open for less than a decade, Hollywood Casino Perryville has dished out more than $5.5 million to the State of Maryland since opening in 2011. They also help support local communities through the Hollywood Casino Perryville Community Card Program.
Nonprofit organizations can apply for a Community Card, which they can use like a regular player’s club card in the months leading up to their fundraiser. Hollywood Casino then donates a percentage of the qualified guest’s total coin-in back to the organization.
The casino is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week and features over 1,000 slot machines. Whether you like penny slots or high-stakes machines, Hollywood Casino has something for everyone.
They also offer 20 table games such as Blackjack, Mississippi Stud, and Super Fun 21. If you’ve never played any of these games, they offer lessons in their Fun Store.
Hollywood Casino is easily accessible from I-95 and U.S. 40 and is located just 30 miles from Baltimore and 1 hour from Washington, DC, and Philadelphia. The casino also serves delicious crab cakes at heatherDeans Crabcake Kitchen + Bar.
On the flip side, some recent reviews on Google aren’t so kind. One person wrote, “Small casino but very dirty. Floors haven’t been cleaned in weeks, chairs and machines are filthy.” Another commented, “Very run down, poor maintenance, and staff seem unhappy to work there.”
Overall, the Hollywood Casino Perryville is a solid option if you find yourself in the northernmost part of the Free State. Just don’t wear your favorite luck shirt if the floors might ruin it.
6. Rocky Gap Casino Resort
- Gambling Options: Slots, video poker, and video keno; table games include blackjack, roulette, craps, fortunes wheel, and mini-bingo.
- Accommodations: Yes
- Dining Options: Yes
- Proximity to Airport: 125 miles from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Of all the casinos in Maryland, Rocky Gap is the farthest from the big cities. But that doesn’t stop locals and out-of-towners from flocking to the northern Maryland resort.
Set on 265 acres of the picturesque Backbone Mountain, the AAA Four Diamond rocky Gap Casino Resort is a luxury retreat offering beautiful hotel rooms, suites, and log homes, exquisite dining options, a full service spa and salon, inside golf and practice facilities, and much more.
Unfortunately, the 24-hour casino does not offer poker or a sportsbook at this time. However, the stunning mountain views from the observation deck might distract you from your desired gaming experience.
In February 2022, Rocky Gap increased its slot machine payback from 85% to 95%, giving slot machine players five percent of their average monthly slot handle.
The Flameworks Buffet, one of two onsite dining establishments, also received accolades from USA Today as one of the Ten Best New Buffet Designs.
Aside from gambling and good eats, there are plenty of other activities in the area. Some visitors enjoy touring local antique stores and the Great Falls of the Potomac, while others simply appreciate the serene tranquility and majestic scenery.
The Allegheny Highlands Trail, a 13-mile section of the former railroad bed of the Chesapeake & Ohio Railway, runs through the backside of Rocky Gap. The trail connects mid-western Maryland to suburban Washington, DC.
In addition to providing recreation opportunities for area residents and visitors, the project boosts economic development and growth to towns along the route.
Whether you prefer the hustle and bustle of a bigger city or the peaceful beauty of western Maryland, there’s a Maryland casino for everyone. So, pack your bags, stuff the car with snacks, and hit the road.
Just be careful crossing the Bay Bridge.
In addition to the top six casinos in the Free State, there are four racetracks with historical machine gaming. They are:
betmgm casino sign up bonus- Rosecroft Raceway
- Laurel Park Racing & Casino
- Pimlico Race Course
- Charles Town Races
There are also four Off-Track Betting (OTB) facilities.
- Bingo-World (Baltimore)
- Just For Fun OTB (HalethorseRacecourse.com)
- Military Penthouse OTB (Catonsville)
- Royal Farms OTB (Aberdeen, White Marsh, Abingdon)
Unfortunately, the Maryland Lottery and Maryland Charitable Gaming Division do not keep the cleanest or easiest-to-navigate website. I spent close to an hour trying to find a complete list of lotteries and gaming establishments.
But according to their site, the following venues offer lottery gaming:
- 7-Eleven
- AC&W
- Amoco
- BP
- Exxon
- Mobil
- PX
- Sheetz
- Sun Stop
- Sunoco
- Wawa
- Royal Farms
These establishments sell various lottery games like Fast Play, Match 4, Powerball, Mega Millions, Ruby for Life, Cash-4-Life, and more. They also authorize charitable gaming at bingo halls, fraternal organizations, and veteran posts.
As legalized gambling continues to expand in the United States, neighboring states such as Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Delaware dominate the market. According to the MD Lottery, Maryland losing more than $600 million to these states each year.
State Treasurer Dereck Davis says he wants to change that.
“Expanding Maryland’s sports betting industry to include online and mobile platforms would enable us to capture revenue that is currently going to neighboring states,” explains Davis.
Governor Larry Hogan introduced legislation in 2022 to legalize online and mobile sports betting, allowing Marylanders to bet from anywhere in the state.
The proposal also allows for up to 60 brick-and-mortar sportsbooks throughout the state, half of which would be reserved for small businesses.
Delaware was one of the first states to jumpstart legalized sports gambling after the 2018 repeal of the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act.
Pennsylvania followed suit a year later, and West Virginia launched its first sportsbook in 2019.
If Governor Hogan signs Bill 0018, Maryland will join the party and become a prime destination for those looking to gamble in the Mid-Atlantic. It will also help generate more revenue for the state and establish Maryland as a true East Coast gambling hub.
While you wait for that to happen, why not take a road trip to some of the Old Line State’s finest casinos? Whether you prefer the beach, the mountains, or the inner harbor, you’ll find plenty of action and excitement at these top Maryland casinos.
Honorable Mention: Maryland Live! Casino
- Gambling Options: Slots, table games, poker, sportsbook
- Accommodations: No, but there are many nearby
- Dining Options: Yes
- Proximity to Airport: 12 miles from Baltimore/Washington International Thurgood Marshall Airport
Technically, Maryland Live! Casino is closed for renovations until spring 2022. But it’s set to reopen as a completely different gambling establishment.
Originally called Live! Casino & Hotel Hanover, the facility shut down in October 2021 to prepare for the grand opening of Live! Casino Pittston, which is expected to occur in a matter of months.
Once completed, the $120 million integrated casino resort will boast 500 hotel rooms, dozens of table games, hundreds of slot machines, a poker room, multiple restaurants, a spa, and much more.
After the sale closes, Live! Pittston is slated to become the sixth casino in the Cordish Companies’ portfolio of Live! Casinos.
Hollywood Casino Bonus Offers & Why They are Worth ItSo, why is Maryland Live! not on my list of top five casinos in Maryland? Simple – it’s not a casino yet. Until it officially changes hands and opens to the public, I can’t include it with the elite company of MGM, Horseshoe, Live!, Ocean Downs, and Hollywood Perryville.
But it’s coming. And when it does, I have no doubt that it will rank among the best casinos in the state.
When the property reopens as Live! Casino Pittsburgh-West, Md., it will be the cordish Company’s third casino in Pennsylvania and sixth overall.
David G. Birkenstock
2022-07-05 15:46:42
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