St Louis casinos may not be the first image that pops into your head when you think of St Louis. When you think of St. Louis, the first thing that likely comes to mind is the Gateway Arch. If you have visited the city in the past, you may have enjoyed time spent at The Missouri Botanical Gardens or taken a short cruise aboard one of the St. Louis riverboats. Beer aficionados undoubtedly will want to schedule a trip to the Budweiser Brewery. For gamblers, or those just looking for a taste of Las Vegas while vacationing in St. Louis, the St Louis casinos provide a level of entertainment that adds that something extra to the city. There’s already a couple St. Louis casinos you can visit, and In the near future, Pinnacle Entertainment Inc. will introduce two new casinos in St. Louis, with Lumiere Place and River City.

If you are looking for the full St Louis gambling experience, you’ll want to include a trip to the St. Louis Harrah’s Casino and Hotel, located some 20 minutes from downtown at 777 Casino Center Drive in Maryland Heights, Missouri. Harrah’s offers prime St. Louis gambling with its 120,000 square feet of gaming space. Here, you can set up camp in front of one of the 2,800-plus slot and video poker machines or enjoy games like stand-up Blackjack, Roulette and Craps on more than 90 tables. Texas Hold’em and other poker favorites take place in the facility’s new Poker Room, which features 21 tables. It’s not all about gambling here, though. Harrah’s St. Louis offers casual and fine dining opportunities, as well as exciting nightlife and entertainment between its VooDoo Café and Lounge and the tempting iBAR. Harrah’s St. Louis hotel provides 455 deluxe rooms and 47 luxury suites, and you’ll want to check for their frequent accommodations deals. Guests at the Harrah’s hotel can take advantage of the complimentary shuttle service from Lambert International Airport.

For a different St. Louis gambling atmosphere, you might consider The President Casino, which is housed aboard the historic Admiral riverboat. Not far from the Gateway Arch, the Admiral rests at the Laclede’s Landing Entertainment district, where you’ll find plenty of things to do in addition to gambling. The President Casino offers free parking, as well as free shuttle service to and from many downtown St. Louis hotels. The President is open from 8 a.m.-4 a.m. on weekdays, and around the clock on the weekends. The $2.00 entry fee is relatively nominal and goes towards the improvement of Missouri schools. You can try your luck at The President Casino’s slot machines, which offer denominations from a ½ cent to $5. Enjoy Blackjack, Craps, Roulette and Three Card Poker at the casino tables, or head to the notable Saint Louie’s Poker Room for a chance to show-off your poker skills. You can dine at the area restaurants before or after your gaming experience, or find a great deal on lunch or dinner at the President’s Boardwalk Buffet. Be sure to check with The President Casino for special events and promotions that might be offered during your visit.

Based in Las Vegas, Nevada, Ameristar offers a fine selection among the St Louis casinos with its Missouri entry. Just 20 miles west of downtown at One Ameristar Blvd., you can enjoy the Ameristar casino’s gleaming 130,000 square foot casino, which adjoins an exciting streetscape. Enjoy 3,300 slot and poker machines in the new casino, as well as numerous table games and a hand or two in the lively Poker Room. A number of concerts and events take place at the Ameristar St. Charles casino, and you can also take time out from gaming at the casino’s Cabaret lounge. When it comes to dining, the Ameristar has you covered as well, with casual and fine-dining options that will satisfy your taste. Sports enthusiasts won’t miss a beat at the Ameristar sports bar and Blues fans can hope to catch a live music show at the Blues Bar. While the Ameristar doesn’t offer accommodations options, you’ll be more than impressed with the stylish overall decor of this beautiful choice among the casinos in St Louis. You might consider staying at Harrah’s, which is relatively close, and drop in on Ameristar when you want a change.

Across the great Mississippi River at 200 South Front Street, the Gateway Arch looms large as you approach the Casino Queen. Actually located in Illinois, this East St. Louis casino adds another choice for area St Louis casino hotels. Open daily from 9:00 a.m. until 7:00 a.m., you can have a full day’s worth of St Louis gambling here and retire to your room whenever you want. Dubbing itself as the “Home of The Loosest Slots!” may not just be a pretense to get you in the door. Casino Player Magazine claimed that the Casino Queen in fact lived up to that notion, so you might want to find the time to include a stop here on your list of casinos in St Louis. Also found in the casino’s 38,000 square feet of gambling grounds are plenty of table games where you can throw down anywhere from $2 on up to $2,000 a wager. There may not be a poker room here, but you can find Three Card and Pai Gow Poker at the main tables, not to mention Caribbean Stud. With spacious and luxurious rooms that afford guests views of the Arch and the downtown skyline, the Casino Queen is a great place to stay. Enjoy casual and fine dining at one of the casino restaurants, and be sure to check for any upcoming promotions and events. Those touring by RV can park it at the Casino Queen’s RV Park.