6 Best Palm Springs California Casinos

Located in Riverside County, California, Palm Springs is the place to go during winter. In fact, the population of this city (under 50,000 people) triples every year between November and March. Though it is a two hour drive from the nearest Pacific Ocean Beaches, this humble resort city has tonnes to offer guests. From the annual Palm Springs International Film Festival to thrilling golf tournaments, Palm Springs has activities for all to enjoy. Gamers, especially, can relish the gambling opportunities in the city.

The state of California has highly restrictive laws on gambling. Commercial gambling is strictly forbidden, and only federally recognised tribes can open casinos on their respective territories. In Palm Springs, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians are the only local tribe with reservations. The tribe operates casinos in Palm Springs, and the nearby cities of Rancho Mirage and Cathedral City. Here, we will take a look at their casinos and some of the other gaming destinations in the area.

1. Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs

The Agua Caliente Casino Palm Springs is on E Amado Road in Downtown Palm Springs and is the place to go for good food, music and gaming. The Cascade Lounge sits right next to the casino floor space and is an epicentre for music lovers. You can pick from a wide selection of beers and cocktails and then hit the dancefloor. From DJ dance parties to the signature Duelling Pianos, you can catch some epic free shows at the Cascade Lounge. The venue also has four restaurants, including the beloved Steakhouse, where you can try prime rib and other delicious foods.

At the heart of the 40,000 square foot casino, you will find the Center Bar. This bar is something of a gathering space, where you can relax, grab a cool drink, and socialise. Surrounding the Center Bar, there are over 800 slots and gaming machines to pick from. You can play classic reel slots, video slots, progressives, and even penny slots. There are all sorts of thrilling games to explore, and over 100 video poker machines. Agua Caliente Palm Springs has some thrilling Blackjack variants, including Free Bet Blackjack, Bahama Bonus Blackjack, Bust'n Loose Blackjack and $3 Blackjack. You can also find table games with progressive jackpots too. The 360 Sports Bar is not far from all the casino action and is the perfect place to catch live games.

2. Agua Caliente Resort Rancho Mirage

The Agua Caliente Resort in Rancho Mirage is only about 15 minutes by car from Palm Springs. You can get there by taking Ramon Road and heading West. The AAA Four Diamond resort has 340 luxurious rooms and has won numerous Forbes Travel Guide awards. It is an ideal place to spend a vacation, with its massive pool complex surrounded by palm trees and cabanas. You can check into the Sunstone Spa for some soothing treatments and also pick from a number of lavish restaurants. Rancho Mirage also has a Steakhouse, similar to the Palm Springs Agua Caliente Casino, and it also has a Waters Cafe and The District diner. To keep up with the pace of its Palm Springs counterpart, the Rancho Mirage resort has a music venue with some fantastic DJs and great music acts.

The casino at Rancho Mirage Resort is 77,000 square feet big, with over 1,450 gaming machines to check out. It is the top place to find penny and dollar slots, and has premium tableside cocktail service. Rancho Mirage also has the best high limit slots room and table games. There are 50 machines with games that take limits of up to $100 per play. The Rancho Mirage also features a Poker Room, where you can go head to head against your fellow poker peers. There are daily and nightly tournaments, as well as big weekend poker tournaments, held all year round. Or, you can settle for quick cash games of Texas Hold'em or Omaha. If table games are more your thing, then you can hit the thrilling Baccarat, Craps, Blackjack and Roulette tables at Rancho Mirage. With the likes of Hotwater Craps and Golden Frog Baccarat on offer, there are some thrilling alternatives to explore.

3. Agua Caliente Casino Cathedral City

Agua Caliente Cathedral City is also around 15 minutes by car from Downtown Palm Springs. Located Southeast of the Downtown area, this casino resort comes into a world of its own at night. The Agua After Dark parties are legendary, and you can get VIP access to the thrilling events. Fans of Tequila have a wondrous collection of over 50 types of Agave spirits to pick from at the Agave Caliente Tequila Bar. Sangiras, premium Margaritas, Tequilas and Mezcal are all on offer, in addition to authentic Mexican foods. If you are not staying at the hotel, then at the very least you should swing by for the Monday Industry Nights parties.

The casino at Cathedral City is 38,000 square feet big, with a wondrous selection of high limit slots. Instead of keeping these machines in separate rooms, they are spread out across the casino floor. You can find all the hottest slots such as Buffalo Link, Double Top Dollar, Treasure Hunter and Lightning Link at your disposal. In addition to the 500 gaming machines, there is a handful of gaming tables. You can find some classic casino games as well as innovative poker-style games to play. These include Ultimate Texas Hold'em, Bahama Bonus Blackjack, $3 Blackjack and Richer Roulette. One of the main attractions of the Cathedral City resort is its 360 eSports After Dark venue. You can go to watch, or play, legendary eSports tournaments. The competition is on, and you can take part in FIFA (EA FC), Mortal Kombat, Smash Bros Ultimate or Mario Kart games. It even has Pacman championships.

4. Morongo Casino Resort and Spa (Cabazon)

Morongo Casino is located in the Morongo reservation, about 20 minutes Northwest of Palm Springs. This casino belongs to the Morongo Band of Cahuilla Mission Indians and includes a massive hotel. The 27-storey hotel tower has 310 rooms and suites, of AAA Four Diamond luxury. Its outdoor pools, stylish hideaways and canyon views make it a true oasis. Sage, the spa at the resort, has some of the best treatments in California and does not cost a fortune either. You can also grab a bite to eat at any of the restaurants in the complex, such as the Pescato Oyster Bar, Cielo, Mozen Asian Kitchen, or Good Times Cafe.

Morongo is among the largest casinos in California and the whole country, with over 195,000 square feet of gaming space. There are approximately 4,000 slots to pick from, 80 table games and a 20-table poker room. The diverse range of gaming machines is enough to please even the pickiest players. There is also a high limit slots area, where you can play for up to $100 per spin. Table game players will find all the classics and several intriguing alternatives. Rooster Blackjack and Squeeze Baccarat are two of the most highly demanded unique games at Morongo Casino. One of the casino's main features is its special Bingo Room, where you can find thrilling games to play all week. You should also check around to see the progressive games. With progressive Mississippi Stud, Ultimate Texas Hold'em and Three Card Poker on offer, you can reel in a tidy fortune. That is not to mention the Bonus Spin Xtreme progressive side bets on games of Roulette, Blackjack, and more.

5. Fantasy Springs Resort Casino (Indio)

This casino is located in Indio and is owned by the Cabazon Band of Cahuilla Indians. It is complete with a hotel, golf course, bowling, events centre and a whopping 100,000 square foot casino. There is no shortage of things to do at Fantasy Springs, and even if you are not staying in one of the 250 hotel rooms, it is a compelling gaming destination. The golf course and bowling venues provide great all round entertainment, and you can also take your pick of restaurants where to grab a bite to eat. The Bistro serves fine dining meals, POM, and Fresh Grill Buffet have more casual options. Of course, if you are in a hurry, you can grab a quick bite at the Bowling Snack Bar or Pizza Kitchen.

The casino at Fantasy Springs has it all, with 1,800 slots, 40 table games, off-track betting and a special area for Bingo games. In addition to its slots, Fantasy Springs Casino has a fine range of video poker, including top titles such as Joker Poker, Deuces Wild and Bonus Poker. The 40 gaming tables offer all sorts of games, and at select times during the week, you can enjoy low limit table games. Take your pick of Blackjack, Spanish 21, Richer Roulette, EZ Baccarat, and more. There is no shortage of progressive table games either. The off-track betting is a great extra touch, allowing guests to bet on the top American horse races.

6. Augustine Casino (Coachella)

Augustine Casino is in Coachella and around 35 minutes by car from Palm Springs. Though it may feel a little out of your way, it is highly worth checking out. This venue has two fantastic restaurants, the Menyikish Bar & Grill, and the Cafe 54. If you are going with a group, you can get better value for your money through the happy hour and $10 burger specials. The motto is “eat where the locals eat”. But you will not go to this casino to merely eat. This little venue has one of the best casinos around, with over 42,000 square feet dedicated to gaming.

There are over 700 slot machines to explore at Augustine Casino, and tonnes of giveaways to snap up, even if it is your first time at the casino. The casino has a great range of slots, including themed titles, those classic old reel games, and multi link games. It is a top place for jackpot hunters to test their luck at winning the big prizes. On the casino's main page, you can see just how much has been won in jackpots this month. Whilst there is no guarantee that you will leave with a jackpot or a thrilling giveaway prize, if you download the designated app, you can win some free play bonus cash. It can then be put towards your slots action, or you can hit one of the gaming tables to play some traditional games. Augustine Casino specialises in original games of Blackjack and poker-style card games.