There are no cities in the United States like Boise or Idaho for that matter. The state has the fewest casino gambling options, with just three types of establishments open to gamblers. In other words, you won’t find any commercial casinos with slot machines and table games run by dealers here. Instead, Idaho allows tribal casinos, some with slots and video poker, while others have more traditional table games. Additionally, horseracing tracks with simulcast betting, off-track betting parlors, and charitable gaming locations fill out your choices. If you plan a visit to Boise, understanding what type of gambling establishment fits your needs is crucial. This guide to casinos near Boise, ID, will help with that process.
- Tribal Casinos
- Racinos & Tracks Combos
- Of-Track Betting Locations
When visiting Boise, there could be a situation where you want to play blackjack or another table game. Unfortunately, you won’t find any establishments defined as “casinos” which offer them.
The closest thing would be one of the tribes operating a full-service resort casino with all forms of legal gambling in Idaho.
legal poker in texasLike many western states, tribes had sovereignty long before white settlers showed up. After the 1868 passage of the Pacific Railroad Act, many tribes took issue with the construction of the transcontinental railroad.
That led to several violent skirmishes, including the Boise Basin Silver Mine War in 1887. Eventually, the United States government negotiated a peace treaty with the various Indian nations involved in the conflict. A central point of that accord was the right for tribes to operate casinos on their lands.
We’ll look at the three resort casinos below, starting with the closest major gambling resort to Boise.
You’ll find it well worth the short trip to enjoy all that the Fort Hall Resort Casino has to offer.
Our can help you get started with online gambling until you reach legal casino age in Idaho. And when you do, these land-based casinos will be waiting!
Fort Hall Resort Casino
- Address: 22093 W Reserve Rd, Fort Hall, ID 83233
- Phone: (208) 238-7241
- Open: Mon-Sun 8:00 am – 2:00 am
The Fort Hall Resort Casino is the closest thing to one of the casinos in Boise, ID (just under an hour away). It is also the largest gambling establishment in Idaho, offering hundreds of slots and video poker games.
This Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Casino offers a full range of games, including roulette, craps, baccarat, Spanish 21, and a non-smoking poker room with numerous daily tournaments. They also feature live poker cash games and tournaments.
Here is a smaller sample of what this resort casino offers its guests beyond gambling.
- Seven restaurants, including a buffet, deli, and steakhouse.
- Two lounges, one overlooking the Columbia River.
- Full schedule of nationally known entertainers in the 1,500-seat Pavilion.
- High Limit Room.
- Full service day spa with massage services, sauna, hot tub, exercise facility, and steam rooms.
- 240 luxurious guest rooms and suites.
- Indoor pool and whirlpool.
- Free valet and self-parking.
- Coffee house and bakery.
Another bonus for visitors is that Fort Hall Resort Casino is located just four miles from the Oregon border and five miles from the Snake River. Several world-class destinations, such as Hells Canyon and ski resorts, are only a short drive away.
After exploring all that beautiful southwestern Idaho has to offer, relax and test your skills against other poker players in one of the finest poker rooms between Portland and Salt Lake City.
blackjack odds casinoAnd if you happen to be passing through Pocatello, the Shoshone-Bannock Hotel & Event Center is another full-service tribal casino about ten minutes from downtown.
Weiser Memorial Hospital Event Center
- Address: 25500 Hollipille Ave, Weiser, ID 83672
- Phone: (208) 546-3000
- Open: Varies with events
The Weiser Memorial Hospital Event Center may seem like an odd place to list among casinos close to Boise, ID. But Hard Rock International told everyone that a giant rock was proof of alien life.
The Outlaw Longhorn Saloon serves as a poker room and restaurant inside the Weiser Memorial Hospital Event Center. Every day and night, you can play live cash games against other locals and travelers.
The Outlaw features No-Limit Texas Hold’em games running from $1/$2 blinds up to $5/$10 blinds. Omaha and 8-Game do make occasional appearances.
Charity poker tournaments tend to run monthly with buy-ins averaging around $200. Call ahead because the schedule changes often.
While your spouse or significant other is being treated to some much-needed rest, you can slip out for an hour or two to get your poker fix. Or bring the whole family along for vacation since nearby Boise has plenty of things to do.
Florida Casinos You Can Visit Right Now (2023) - PokerListingsID does not restrict charity poker games held inside event centers, so this option should remain available for years to come.
Whiskey Pete’s Casino
- Address: Old US 95, Middlegate, NV 89424
- Phone: (775) 674–5471
- Open: Mon-Sun 6:00 am – 2:00 am
Whiskey Pete’s Casino and Hotel isn’t technically one of the casinos in Boise, ID, but it’s closer than Fort Hall.
Located in the basin between the two major mountain ranges surrounding Boise, Nevada’s Whiskey Pete’s Casino could almost be considered a local establishment.
Established in 1964, during the boom years of the nearby silver mines, the casino still retains much of its old west charm. You can read more about their history on their website.
Along with the typical Nevada slot machines, video poker, and keno setup, Whiskey Pete’s also has live craps and roulette tables.
Here’s a quick rundown of what they provide for entertainment besides gambling.
- 24-hour restaurant and lounge.
- Live entertainment on weekends in the Showroom Lounge.
- Pete’s Pavilion RV Park offers full hookups for RVs and tent camping.
- Rattlesnake Rock Golf Course sits next to the casino.
If you want to try your hand at , your best choice lies across the Nevada desert to the southeast. The Alamo Roadkill Cafe & Saloon, famous for its roadkill cuisine (think rattlesnake or mountain lion), sits alongside US 95 between Middletown and Shoshone.
They host excellent live music every weekend featuring local talent. If you are within 300 miles in any direction, it’s worth the trip.
Racinos Close to Boise, ID
Any search for casinos near Boise, ID, will certainly turn up a couple of racinos in neighboring states. Unfortunately, Idaho doesn’t allow historical racing machines (those are the slot-like machines that display former horse races.)
But Oregon and Washington don’t share the same restrictions concerning animal rights (or something like that.) Here are the best racino options in the two neighboring states.
Wild Horse Resort & Casino
- Address: 233 NW Wild Horse Dr, Wauna, OR 97063
- Phone: (503) 526–6221
- Open: Mon-Thu 7:00 am – 2:00 am, Fri-Sat 7:00 am – 3:00 am, Sun 7:00 am – 2:00 am
The Wild Horse Resort & Casino is the closest full-service casino to Boise, ID (only 174 miles to the west). This small resort casino sits on the coast between Lincoln City and Tillamook, both of which are tourist towns for vacationing families.
For those who didn’t get the memo, gambling and pot smoking are now legal in Oregon. But not everywhere.
Tribal casinos can choose whether or not to allow marijuana smoke on their properties. So, while you won’t need to take your Doobie Brothers CDs in wrapped in aluminum foil to the Wild Horse Resort & Casino, you should call ahead to ensure that your preferred method of stress relief is permitted.
If you do partake, please remember to always have a designated driver/passenger. Driving under the influence of anything is illegal and endangers everybody on the road.
Here’s a quick rundown of everything the Wild Horse Resort & Casino has to offer:
- More than 450 slot machines, including the newest video poker games.
- Onsite dining includes the Café at Wild Horse and the Wild Horse Restaurant and Bar & Grill.
- Live entertainment on weekends in the lounge.
- 32 comfortable and beautifully appointed hotel rooms and suites.
- Event center for business meetings, banquets, weddings, and other special occasions.
- Offers bingo and Keno.
- Open daily, 24 hours.
Once you’ve finished playing the slots at the Wild Horse Resort & Casino, take a little time to explore the area. Lincoln City stretches for seven miles along the Pacific Ocean. You’re sure to find some spectacular views and incredible souvenirs made of glass.
Tillamook is also worth a visit, especially if you love cheese, ice cream, and butter. Their visitor center is fantastic and offers free samples of their dairy products.
Cascade Station
- Address: 6000 N Cascade Blvd, Portland, OR 97217
- Phone: (503) 683–7300
- Open: Mon-Thu 7:00 am – 2:00 am, Fri 7:00 am – 3:00 am, Sat 6:00 am – 3:00 am, Sun 6:00 am – 2:00 am
Cascade Station might not be one of the true casinos near Boise, ID, but it is the most convenient to reach. Portland is big enough to qualify as a city, but not so much as a metropolis.
Here are some of the gaming options outside of slot machines and video poker at Cascade Station.
- Blackjack
- Mini-Baccarat
- Three Card Poker
- Ultimate Texas Hold’em
- Mississippi Stud
- Four Card Poker
- Lightning Link Tap Slots
You’ll find numerous dining choices at Cascade Station, including Genghis Grill Build Your Own Stir Fry Restaurant, Johnny Rockets, and Panda Express.
Angelina’s Ristorante serves delicious Italian dishes from their location inside the Radisson Hotel Portland-Rock. And Dick’s Drive-In serves up some of the best fast food cheeseburgers anywhere.
On top of all that, you can go shopping at Cost Plus World Market, HomeGoods, Burlington, Carter’s | OshKosh, and ROSS Dress for Less.
Portland also offers plenty of other attractions, including Powell’s City of Books, Lan Su Chinese Garden, Portland Farmers Market, Washington Park, and the Pearl District.
OTBs (Off-Track Betting) Places Close to Boise, ID
If you prefer living vicariously through horses and greyhounds rather than human jockeys, there are plenty of off-track betting (OTB) establishments throughout the Northwest. Here are the ones closest to Boise, ID.
Jefferson Street Pub
- Address: 2785 Jefferson St, Eugene, OR 97402
- Phone: (541) 342–7458
- Hours: Mon–Thu 11:00 am – 11:00 pm; Fri 11:00 am – midnight; Sat 10:00 am – midnight; Sun 10:00 am – 11:00 pm
Jefferson Street Pub advertises itself as an Irish sports pub, but they devote several dozen of their many TV sets to horse and dog racing from around the country.
You won’t find any Irish dishes on their menu, but they do serve up a monster selection of bar food classics, from pizza and nachos to fish & chips and shepherd’s pie.
They feature happy hour every day from 3 to 6 PM, except Sundays, when the special runs from 1 to 6 PM.
Sports Page Bar & Grill
- Address: 2685 Chinook Winds Way, Coos Bay, OR 97420
- Phone: (541) 267–2768
- Hours: Sun–Thu 7:00 am – 1:00 am; Fri–Sat 7:00 am – 2:00 am
The Sports Page Bar & Grill sits adjacent to the Chinook Winds Casino in Oregon. The casino doesn’t allow outside food or beverages, including service dogs. So, this is an excellent place to bring your pooch and watch the races on one of their many large-screen TVs.
If you’ve never been to Oregon, you should know that the sales tax is 0%. That makes alcohol very affordable. The Sports Page has daily beer and drink specials, as well as happy hour prices from 3 to 6 PM every day.
Their breakfast menu serves until 1 PM, making it an excellent place to watch morning races on either coast.
Leslie Jordan’s Marketcafe
- Address: 7784 SW 42nd Ave, Portland, OR 97239
- Phone: (503) 246–4681
- Hours: Daily 8:00 am – 8:00 pm
Leslie Jordan’s Marketcafe is yet another establishment linked to a local casino (Troutdale Fairgrounds). But you’re welcome to stop by anytime during their business hours to bet on thoroughbred and greyhound racetracks from around the country.
They also stream simulcasts of trotting and harness racing.
Enjoy breakfast, lunch, and dinner choices from their full-service café. Happy hour runs from 3 to 6 PM each day.
Final Thoughts About Casinos Near Boise, ID
As you can see, the Boise area doesn’t offer much in the way of hard-core gambling choices. Your best bet would be to pack up the car and head for Cascade Station in Portland, Oregon.
If you plan to stay closer to home, I recommend checking out the Weiser Outlaw saloon for a fun evening of friendly competition. And if poker isn’t your thing, any of the nearby OTBs can fill the void.
Lastly, if you’re looking to play real money casino games online, check out our recommended social casinos below.
Footnotes:
- Pacific Railroad Act of 1862 is on the Library of Congress website.
Kevin Roberts, previously published under the pseudonym Noah Davis, is one of the more diverse writers at GamblingSites.com. Like many of his colleagues, he's a huge fan of both football and basketball. But he also writes about box office records, TV streaming battles, and his daredom motorcycle journeys.
