Is There A Casino In Memphis Tennessee
- Lottery (2002)
- $323 million
- $930 million
- 18
- Tennessee permits smoking anywhere minors are not permitted
- There are no forms of legalized online gambling in Tennessee
There are no Tennessee casinos or gambling other than the state lottery. Charities may not hold bingo games but may spread low limit raffles for prizes but not cash. That is the only other form of gambling if you can call it that. There are, however, many event centers that will provide transport to casinos within nearby states.
Tennessee is a very conservative state. It was the 48th state to legalize some form of gambling when voters approved a constitutional amendment to create a lottery in November 2002. Players looking for casino action on the west side of the state will need to go to Tunica, MS. Those on the east side of the state are within a couple of hours of one of the Harrah’s casinos in North Carolina. Nashville residents will need to drive north to Indiana, Ohio or Illinois.
I understand Covid is here but you can't even call in your order and pick it up in the Casino. You have to go order and wait. No Coffee maker in the room. No water bottles. But yet money is still being spent at the Casino. I'm not a gambler but my husband is. He will probably come back to the Casino but we will not be staying in the hotel. Southland Park Gaming & Racing West Memphisis a casino situated in West Memphis, Arkansas. As for games, this establishment offers 2,000 slots including electronic craps and roulette, video poker and multi-line video reels. There are also some table games such as 3-Card Poker, Craps and Blackjack.
There is no horse racing in Tennessee. Kentucky fills that void just to the north with live and off-track betting on horses. There are also instant racing machines at some Kentucky tracks. Below you will find a guide of Tennessee casino event centers that take gamblers to casinos in other states.
Southland Park Gaming & Racing West Memphisis a casino situated in West Memphis, Arkansas. As for games, this establishment offers 2,000 slots including electronic craps and roulette, video poker and multi-line video reels. There are also some table games such as 3-Card Poker, Craps and Blackjack. Browse our selection of 20 Casino hotels & resorts in Memphis, TN for the ultimate stay & play vacation. Make your casino vacation a sure bet with Expedia and save your money & time. Memphis, TN 38128 Porter Casino Hotels 815 E Eh Crump Blvd, Memphis, TN 38126 Kirby's Arcade & Casino Shuttles 3403 Elvis Presley Blvd, Memphis, TN 38116 Southland Park Gaming and Racing 1550 N Ingram Blvd, West Memphis, AR 72301 Slot-Tickets.
Paying Gambling Taxes in Tennessee
OnlineUnitedStatesCasinos has gathered everything you need to know about paying taxes on your gambling winnings straight from a Certified Public Accountant. For more information please visit our exclusive Gambling Taxes article.
Tennessee Casinos Map of Event Centers
- none
- 0
- 0
- 0
- Huge Welcome Bonus Package
- Visa and MasterCard Payment Options Available for US Players
- Over 150 Real Money Online Slot Games
Compatible with:- windows
- apple
- android
- mobile
- Safe and Reputable Casino, Mobile Friendly
- Easy Credit Card Deposits for US Players
- Impressive Welcome Bonuses up to 260% match
Compatible with:- windows
- apple
- android
- mobile
- Quick USA Payouts, Credit Cards Accepted
- Great Selection of Slots & Table Games
- Legit & Reputable Mobile Friendly Casino
Compatible with:- windows
- apple
- android
- mobile
- Uses the Microgaming Software
- Fast Cashouts in Just 1-7 Days
- Online, Mobile, Instant & Live Play
Deposit Options include:- visa
- mastercard
- paypal
- neteller
100% up to €1,000- Big Jackpots and Massive Deposit Bonuses
- Over 400 Online Casino Games
- Play Live Dealer Games
Deposit Options include:- visa
- mastercard
- paypal
- bitcoin
100% up to €1,600- Large Australian Bitcoin-Friendly Casino
- Mobile, Flash, and Download Play Options
- Fastest Payouts
Deposit Options include:- visa
- mastercard
- paypal
- neteller
- Safe and Trustworthy Australian Casino
- Multiple Daily Deposit Deals
- 100s of Pokies, Slots, and Table Games
Compatible with:- windows
- apple
- android
- mobile
Type of Online Tennessee Gambling Allowed
There are no forms of legal online gambling in Tennessee. Daily fantasy sports sites operate in the state. The companies claim to fall under skill gaming exemptions. State law seems to contradict that, according to experienced gaming lawyers. The state legislature is looking to create a committee of nine members to investigate how to regulate the daily fantasy sports industry. In the meantime, sites like DraftKings, FanDuel, and CBS Sports accept players from the state.
Types of Live Tennessee Gambling
- Casino Games: No
- Horses: No
- Lottery: Yes
Memphis Tennessee Casino Hotels
The only form of legalized Tennessee gambling is a state lottery. Scratch-off and lotto tickets may be sold. This includes state drawings like Cash 3 and Cash 4, as well as interstate lottos like Mega Millions and Powerball.
There are three casino cities near Tennessee state lines. Tunica County, Mississippi has resort-style casinos with a full slate of games that include slots, video poker, live poker and table games. West Memphis, Arkansas has the same selection of games except that the poker room is digital. Harrah’s Cherokee is just east in North Carolina. Its two resorts offer slots, video poker, a digital poker room and table games.
Any resident of Tennessee that wants to play at these casinos can simply drive out to them. There are also Tennessee casinos services that transport players to and from these locations in neighboring states. For a small fee, players will get taken to these casinos that lie right on the Tennessee border.
Tennessee Gambling Laws
Tennessee gambling in virtually all forms is banned. Tennessee gambling is defined as a game where money is risked where there is any degree contingent on chance. This is why daily fantasy sports experts think that those games are illegal in Tennessee. Most gambling crimes are misdemeanors.
The only game of chance legal in Tennessee is a lottery but only if it is operated by the state. Lottery players must be at least 18 years of age. The Tennessee Lottery may only offer instant scratch-offs and lotto games. Tickets may not be sold over the Internet.
Tennessee is one of just three states where charitable bingo is illegal. Utah and Hawaii are the other two states. Charities may hold an annual function with prizes held through raffles or a similar procedure. The annual event may not raise more than $5,000.
List of Tennessee Casinos
As there are no Tennessee casinos within the state border, players must look elsewhere to bet on regular casino games. However, the only places in Tennessee to gamble are the thousands of convenience stores that sell lottery tickets. Horse racing enthusiasts can travel to neighboring Kentucky for live and off-track action. Tennessee casino gamblers can go to Arkansas, Mississippi or North Carolina.
History of Tennessee Gambling
Bingo is illegal today in Tennessee, even for charities. It is one of just three states to do not permit it. That was not always the case.
Operation Rocky Top was an FBI sting that targeted the bingo industry. There were 300 bingo operations running in 1986 when a lawmaker approached the FBI saying he had been offered a bribe. State Rep. Randy McNally infiltrated the illegal bingo businesses that turned a game meant for charities into commercial operations. McNally was offered a $10,000 bribe to help push for horse racing in the state. In January 1989, the case was brought out in the open and indictments was unsealed. More than 50 people were convicted in Operation Rocky Top.
The Tennessee Supreme Court ruled on March 1, 1989, that bingo should have been illegal all along. The court stated that bingo, even for charities, violated the constitutional ban on lotteries.
Tennessee Casinos & Gambling FAQ
Is there gambling in Tennessee?
The only form of legalized gambling is a state lottery.
What types of games are offered by the Tennessee Lottery?
Scratch-off and lotto tickets are sold. This includes interstate jackpot games like Mega Millions and Powerball.
Can you buy Tennessee Lottery tickets over the Internet?
State law does not permit the sale of lottery tickets over the Internet.
Lottery players must be at least 18 years of age.
Are daily fantasy sports contests legal in Tennessee?
Many legal experts believe daily fantasy sports are illegal in Tennessee due to the “any chance” language in the state’s gambling law. This does not keep sites from operating in the state.
What daily fantasy sites accept Tennessee players?
FanDuel and DraftKings are the two major sites that accept players from Tennessee.
There are no casinos in Tennessee. For those residents that still want to gamble have to go to nearby states.
South Land Park in West Memphis is right across the Mississippi River from Memphis. It offers slots, video poker, table games and a poker room. There are several resort casinos about 45 minutes south of Memphis in Mississippi.
Where are the closest casinos to Knoxville and Chattanooga?
The closest casinos to Knoxville and Chattanooga are the pair of Harrah’s Cherokee casinos in western North Carolina.
Tropicana Evansville in Indiana is the closest casino to Nashville.
Are online poker, casino and sports betting sites legal in Tennessee?
No. All of these sites are unlicensed and illegal in the state.
In many ways, Tennessee is the state with the most Southern ethos in the US. It’s the home of country music, the birthplace of Elvis Presley, and home to its own style of barbecue. Fittingly, with regard to gambling, Tennessee embodies the ingrained conservatism of the region. Tennessee has no casinos of any sort inside its borders.
So, it came as a bit of a surprise when the Volunteer State moved forward with a bill to legalize sports betting in May 2019. Tennessee is now the first state with sports betting as an online-only enterprise.
Sports betting launched in early November 2020. Three sportsbooks – DraftKings, FanDuel, BetMGM went live as the first gambling sites in TN.
Tennesseans can also play daily fantasy sports and the lottery, if they choose. Although the selection of gambling games in the state remains limited, things are definitely looking up for games of chance in Tennessee.
Tennessee sports betting sites
Is There Gambling In Memphis Tennessee
Is There A Casino In Memphis Tn
DFS and sports betting in Tennessee
Another option for gambling is due to Tennessee’s legalization of daily fantasy sports betting in 2016. In doing so, Tennessee became the third state to conclude that DFS is legal in Tennessee and exempt from its gambling laws. The legalization occurred over the objections of State Attorney General Herbert Slatery. This made it an unusual move, because state governments are rarely at odds with their own law enforcement officials. So, Tennesseans are able to access sites like FanDuel or DraftKings in peace.
A few years later, on May 24, 2019, Tennessee legalized sports betting, but with one big caveat. As Tennessee does not have any land-based casinos, the bill approves online sports betting only — and it’s the first state to have this kind of law. The first bets rolled on Nov. 1 with bettors unable to place them at any kind of land-based or retail sportsbook – just via online or mobile devices only.
Otherwise, pickings are pretty slim in the Volunteer State. There actually was a law on the books for almost 30 years that allowed horse racing venues to be built in the state. Unfortunately, the combination of financial trouble and legal hassles (despite the law, individual counties maintained a modicum of control over their own territories with regard to gambling) prevented any company from actually breaking ground on a track in Tennessee. The law itself was finally repealed in 2015.
Finally, a law to legalize casino gambling in Tennessee was proposed in February 2017 by State Rep.Larry Miller, a Democrat representing the Memphis area. It took less than a month for the bill to die in committee. So, at this time, no further legalization is likely in Tennessee.
Recent Tennessee legal gambling news
Online gambling in Tennessee
Tennessee has some of the broadest laws regarding gambling in the US. The language of its law banning gambling extends to “risking anything of value for a profit whose return is to any degree contingent on chance, not including lawful business transactions.” This is striking because the language is so broad, it has to include an exception for the risk inherent in normal business activities.
Is There A Casino In Memphis Tennessee Right Now
Along with having options for DFS, Tennesseans are able to bet sports through online sportsbook apps in the state.
As such, even though there is no specific prohibition against online gambling in Tennessee, the overall prohibition could easily be applied to online activities. Given the specified penalties for gambling in the state (which details fines, jail time, confiscation of any associated equipment, and confiscation of any monies used to gamble), players of online gambling games like video poker and online slots could potentially find police in their homes and have their computers and online bankrolls removed from their possession permanently. As for online, the attention of the police continues to be focused on live poker and other gambling right now.
Fantasy sports in Tennessee
The only exception (as mentioned above) is daily fantasy sports betting. The Fantasy Sports Act of 2016 provides a framework for the licensure of operators within Tennessee. As such, residents can engage in this very limited form of gaming without fear of prosecution. Below are some of the options for DFS in Tennessee – please note that FanDuel and DraftKings are by far the industry leaders and most reliable sites.
| Company | Headquarters | Offered Sports |
| FanDuel | New York, New York, USA | NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, PGA (beta) |
| DraftKings | Boston, Massachusetts, USA | NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, MLS, PGA, NASCAR, MMA, eSports |
| DraftDay | Chicago, Illinois, USA | NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, PGA, NCAA football |
| FantasyDraft | Charlotte, North Carolina, USA | NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, PGA |
| StarsDraft | Austin, Texas, USA | NFL, MLB, NBA, NHL, PGA |
Social casino options
Tennessee residents are able to play any of the standard social casino options available across the country. Double Down Casino, Slotomania, BigFish, and Zynga are all playable options through Facebook or mobile devices.
However, people in Tennessee need to be very careful about the games they are playing because of the breadth of Tennessee’s law. Any kind of giveaway, promotion, or compensation acquired via one of these (or other sites, like MyVegas) might put players in violation of the law. So far, there are no reports of people having legal troubles because of their involvement in social casino play, but please exercise caution if you are playing social casino games in Tennessee.
State casino operator history
Tennessee’s lack of in-state casinos is problematic for residents who would like to play their favorite games of chance. However, there are some options in neighboring states that can help soothe these feelings. The most notable option is the collection of casinos just across the border from Memphis in Tunica, Mississippi.
Tunica is one of Mississippi’s two major gambling centers (the other being Biloxi). It is home to eight casinos as sizable and luxurious as any found in Las Vegas.
Harrah’s, Hollywood, Sam’s Town, and Gold Strike all have Tunica locations with every table game one would imagine in casinos of this size. For Memphis residents, these casinos are a mere 43 miles away. They are the best option for Tennesseans in the southwestern part of the state.
Otherwise, Tennesseans have few other options. Residents in the northwestern part of the state can try the Lady Luck Casino Caruthersville in Missouri, which is a small riverboat on the Mississippi River.
Nashville residents can make a just-over-two-hour drive northwest to the Harrah’s Metropolis in Illinois. Finally, Tennesseans in the eastern and southeastern parts of the state can most easily access the two Harrah’s Cherokee properties in North Carolina.
Land-based casinos
| Casino | Location | Nearest TN City |
| Tunica Casinos Hollywood Casino Resorts Casino Tunica Sam’s Town Casino Resort Gold Strike Casino Resort Horseshoe Casino Tunica Roadhouse Casino & Hotel Bally’s Casino Fitz Casino & Hotel | Tunica, MS | Memphis (43 miles) |
| Lady Luck Casino Caruthersville | Caruthersville, MO | Memphis (95 miles) |
| Harrah’s Metropolis | Metropolis, IL | Clarksville (109 miles) Nashville (150 miles) |
| Kentucky Downs (racetrack) | Franklin, KY | Nashville (40 miles) |
| Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort | Cherokee, NC | Knoxville (71 miles) |
| Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel | Murphy, NC | Chattanooga (95 miles) |
State legal environment
| Permitted/Offered? | Notes & Restrictions | |
| Land-Based Gambling | No | |
| Online Gambling | No | Gambling law is so broadly worded that online gambling would likely be prosecutable |
| Lottery | Yes | State and multi-state drawings available |
| Charitable or House-Based Gambling | Yes | Bingo and raffles |
| Minimum Gambling Age | 18 for lottery and charitable gambling | |