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The 5 Best Casinos Near Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta doesn’t have casinos of its own, but several full-service resorts are an easy drive away. Here are the five best casinos near Atlanta, with driving times and highlights for each.

The 5 Best Casinos Near Atlanta, Georgia

Atlanta may not have any top casino entertainment within the city limits, but you don’t have to go far to find the real thing. A short drive in just about any direction brings you to full-service casino resorts with gaming floors, sportsbooks, hotels, and plenty to do. Whether you’re planning a quick day trip or a weekend escape, here are the five closest, and in our opinion best casinos near Atlanta, along with how long it takes to drive there, what they offer, and what you can expect when you arrive.


What are the Gambling Laws in the State of Georgia?

As of December 1, 2025, Georgia law remains among the strictest in the U.S. Unless voters pass a future amendment, the laws below will remain in effect into 2026.

Georgia is one of the most restrictive states in the U.S. when it comes to gambling, whether through private betting, land-based casinos, or online casinos. While lottery gambling, bingo games, and raffles for charitable organizations are legal, other forms of gambling including horse and dog racing are prohibited. Real-money casinos and sports betting remain illegal, but sweepstakes-style ‘social casinos’ still operate in Georgia through legal gray areas. According to Georgia law, “any bet upon the partial or final result of any game or contest or upon the performance of any participant in such game or contest” is illegal as are “bet[s] upon the result of any political nomination, appointment or election or upon the degree of success of any nominee, appointee or candidate, or the play and bet for money or other thing of value at any game played with cards, dice or balls.”

Despite renewed pushes in late 2023 and early 2024, efforts to legalize sports betting have consistently fallen short. Senate Bill 386 passed the State Senate in February 2024 but stalled in the House—continuing a long pattern of sports-betting proposals failing to gain enough support. Because legalization requires a constitutional amendment, any future bill must secure a two-thirds majority in both chambers before being placed on a statewide ballot for voter approval.


Driving Distances From Atlanta to Our Top Casino Picks

Before you commit to a casino run, it helps to know what you’re committing to on the road. This table breaks down approximate driving distance and time from downtown Atlanta for each of our best casino picks. The distances are calculated using Google Maps from Centennial Olympic Park and, of course, don’t take into account rush hour traffic!

Casino

City

State

Address

Approx drive distance from Atlanta (miles)

Approx drive time from Atlanta

Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel

Murphy

NC

777 Casino Pkwy, Murphy, NC 28906

121 miles

2h 15m

Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Montgomery

Montgomery

AL

1801 Eddie L. Tullis Rd, Montgomery, AL 36117

155 miles

2h 25m

Wind Creek Casino & Hotel Wetumpka

Wetumpka

AL

100 River Oaks Dr, Wetumpka, AL 36092

169 miles

2h 40m

Beau Rivage Resort & Casino

Biloxi

MS

875 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39530

389 miles

5h 40m

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa

Tampa

FL

5223 Orient Rd, Tampa, FL 33610

455 miles

6h 30m


Harrah's Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel
Photo courtesy Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel

Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel

  • Approximately 121 miles from downtown Atlanta (2 hour 15 minute drive)

This casino is about two hours north of Atlanta in Murphy, North Carolina and is situated in the picturesque confluence of the Hiwassee and Valley rivers in the Appalachian Mountains. They offer 75,000 square feet of gaming space with over 1,700 Las Vegas-style slot machines and video poker. If you aren’t looking to travel, you can enjoy a 200% casino bonus on Slotozilla.

They boast 70 table games including craps, roulette, blackjack tables, baccarat, and card poker such as Mississippi Stud, three card poker and more. You can also find a sportsbook here, making it the perfect place to catch up on all the latest sporting events. If you’re looking for some relaxation, they also have a hotel on site with over 500 rooms.

Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino & Hotel
777 Casino Pkwy
Murphy, NC 28906
Phone: (828) 422-7777

Visit Website


Wind Creek Casino & Hotel - Montgomery
Photo courtesy Wind Creek Casino & Hotel – Montgomery

Wind Creek Montgomery

  • Approximately 155 miles from downtown Atlanta (2 hour 25 minute drive) * Time zone change

Located just east of Montgomery, Alabama and situated just off the Tallapoosa River, this casino is about an hour and a half away southwest from Atlanta. They offer over 2,200 machines and 55 table games, as well as a poker room and a sportsbook. You can also find a AAA Four-Diamond hotel resort on site with over 500 rooms. You will also have access to the Aroostook Golf Course with its championship layout.

Wind Creek Montgomery
1801 Eddie L Tullis Rd
Montgomery, AL 36117
Phone: (866) 946-3360

Visit Website


Wind Creek Casino & Hotel - Wetumpka
Photo courtesy Wind Creek Casino & Hotel – Wetumpka

Wind Creek Wetumpka

  • Approximately 168 miles from downtown Atlanta (2 hour 40 minute drive) * Time zone change

This casino is located in Wetumpka, Alabama, which is about a two-hour drive southwest from Atlanta and just north of Montgomery. They offer a large casino games floor with over 2,500 machines and 86 table games. Check with the casino for promotions or slot bonuses currently being offered. You can also find a poker room, a sportsbook, and a hotel on site.

Wind Creek Wetumpka
100 River Oaks Dr.
Wetumpka, AL 36092
Phone: (866) 946-3360

Visit Website


Beau Rivage Resort & Casino
Photo courtesy Beau Rivage Resort & Casino

Beau Rivage Resort & Casino

  • Approximately 389 miles from downtown Atlanta (5 hour 40 minute drive)

This MGM operated casino is located in Biloxi, Mississippi which is approximately a 5 and half hour drive southwest from Atlanta and is only an hour and half east from the New Orleans French Quarter. On the coastal strip overlooking the Gulf of Mexico, they offer over 1,900 slot machines and 100 table games, as well as a poker room, a sportsbook, and a hotel on site that offers dog friendly room options. While it doesn’t currently offer the Plinko casino game, players looking for a variety of gaming experiences will still find many popular choices.

Beau Rivage Resort & Casino
875 Beach Blvd,
Biloxi, MS 39530
Phone: (228) 386-7111

Visit Website


Late WWE legend Hulk Hogan, shown here in 2024 behind the bar of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino - Tampa handing out cans of his Real American Beer.
Late WWE legend Hulk Hogan, shown here in 2024 behind the bar of Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Tampa handing out cans of his Real American Beer. Photo courtesy Hard Rock Hotel & Casino – Tampa

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa

  • Approximately 455 miles from downtown Atlanta (6 hour 35 minute drive)

This casino is located in Tampa, Florida, which is about a six and half to seven hour drive south from Atlanta. They offer over 4,000 slot machines and 170 table games, as well as a poker room, a sportsbook, and the AAA Four-Diamond-rated Hard Rock Hotel on site. It boasts a beautiful pool, several upscale bars and lounges and fine dining.

Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa
5223 Orient Rd
Tampa, FL 33610
Phone: (866) 388-4263

Visit Website


Frequently Asked Questions

A: Georgia does not allow commercial casinos. The only legal forms of gambling in the state are the lottery, charitable bingo, and raffles. For casino gaming, Georgia residents must travel to neighboring states.

A: None. Georgia doesn’t allow commercial casinos, so there aren’t any cities in the state with legal casino gaming. If you want slot machines, table games, or a full casino resort experience, you’ll need to cross state lines into Alabama, North Carolina, Florida, or Mississippi.

A: Unfortunately, no. Real-money online casinos aren’t legal in Georgia. These apps check your location as soon as you open them, and if you’re in Georgia, they’ll block you from placing real-money bets or playing any real-money casino games.

Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) platforms like DraftKings and FanDuel are still available, though. Georgia law doesn’t clearly classify DFS as gambling, which is why those apps continue to operate, but they aren’t officially regulated or licensed by the state.

You may also come across “social” or “sweepstakes” casino apps. These don’t use real-money wagering—they run on virtual currencies—which is why they’re allowed even though traditional online casinos are not.

A: There are myriad good casino review sites online, including AskGamblers.com and Casino.Guru, which both rely on user reviews to rate various online casino options.

If you’re a Canadian gambler, check out this yukon gold casino review to get all the details on this popular online option.

You can also find reviews on other top Canadian casino sites.

A: DraftKings and FanDuel can operate in Georgia because the state hasn’t specifically defined Daily Fantasy Sports (DFS) as gambling. Georgia law never passed a bill to legalize DFS, but it also never passed a bill to ban it. That leaves DFS in a legal gray area — not officially approved, but not prohibited either.

Because players aren’t betting on the outcome of a single game, but instead building fantasy lineups and competing on player performance, DFS companies argue their contests are games of skill. Georgia hasn’t directly challenged that, so the platforms continue to operate without being formally regulated or licensed by the state.