For many gamblers who visit the U.S., bigger is better: more slots, more tables, bigger poker and high-limit rooms, and more amenities. While Las Vegas and Atlantic City may be two of the top cities people think of when it comes to gambling, you won’t find the biggest casinos by square footage in either of these cities.
In part one of this series, we counted down five of the largest casinos in the U.S. by square feet: WinStar World Casino and Resort (616,960 square feet), Foxwoods Resort Casino (340,000 square feet), Mohegan Sun (300,000 square feet), San Manuel Indian Bingo & Casino (220,000 square feet), and Riverwood Casino (219,000 square feet). In the second part, we look at the second half of the top 10 biggest casinos in the U.S. based on square footage.
For Canadians and other non-U.S. residents who visit a casino or racetrack in the U.S, it’s important to note that your winnings could be subject to a 30% withholding tax by the IRS. When it comes to reclaiming a portion or all of your withheld winnings, no one is more successful than Refund Management Services (RMS).
Biggest Gaming Floors at U.S. Casinos
Here is the second half of the 10 largest casinos in America based on square footage.
5 U.S. Casinos with the Biggest Gaming Floors
Choctaw Casino & Resort
Choctaw Casino & Resorts is a sprawling, upscale (AAA Four Diamond) resort located in Durant, Oklahoma (one hour north of Dallas) that is owned and operated by the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.
The casino floor at Choctaw Durant covers 218,000 square feet and boasts 4,100 slots and gaming machines, table games (Three Card Poker, Let It Ride, Ultimate Texas Hold ‘Em, Pai Gow, Mini Baccarat, Roulette, or Craps), a private 30-table poker room on its own exclusive floor, and racebook.1
In addition to the 24/7 casino and original Choctaw Grand Tower, there is the recently opened Spa Tower Hotel with 286 rooms. The resort also has a spa, fitness centre, pools, retail shopping, restaurants, and entertainment (clubs, bars, arcade, bowling laser tag, and cinema).
Soaring Eagle Casino Resort
Soaring Eagle Casino Resort is located in Mt. Pleasant, in the heart of Michigan. On the 210,000-square foot casino floor you’ll find thousands of gaming machines, table games (Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, etc.), a 24-hour poker room, and the largest bingo hall in the state.2
The resort itself has a hotel, pool, spa, concert hall, and a wide variety of dining options.
River Spirit Casino
River Spirit Casino is located on the banks of the Arkansas River in Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is owned and operated by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation. The 200,000-square foot casino floor has 2,600 slots and gaming machines, table games, and a new poker room.3
River Spirit Casino is undergoing a remodelling and expansion. In August, Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville Casino & Restaurant opened inside the River Spirit Casino, adding an additional 50,000 square feet of gaming space.
When the renovations are done in 2017, the resort will have added a new 483-room hotel, 2,500-seat theatre for live entertainment and sporting events, and a 30,000-square foot convention and meeting centre.
Tulalip Casino
Owned and operated by the Tulalip (pronounced Tuh’-lay-lup) Tribes, the Tulalip Resort Casino is one hour south of the Canadian/U.S. border in Blaine, Washington, and just half an hour north of Seattle on Interstate 5.
Measuring 200,000 square feet, the casino has more than 2,200 slots and gaming machines, over 35 table games, a poker room, and bingo.4
The full-service, AAA Four Diamond resort and casino has a 370-room hotel with 18 two-room suites and five specialty suites, a 14,000-square foot spa, a fitness centre, entertainment, and many dining options.
Pechanga Resort and Casino
Located in Southern California’s wine country, Pechanga is wholly owned and operated by the Pechanga Band of Luiseño Indians. It is also the largest casino in the state, totalling 188,000 square feet.5
The casino features over 4,000 slot machines, 154 table games, a 14,000-square foot High Limit area, a poker room, and 700-seat bingo facility.
The AAA Four Diamond-award-winning property was named “Best U.S Casino” by USA Today in 2015. In late 2015, the Pechanga Tribe broke ground on a new $285.0 million expansion. When completed in 2018, the resort will be home to a new 568-room hotel wing, a two-storey spa, a pool complex, two news restaurants, and 70,000 square feet of additional meeting and event space.
U.S. Gaming Winnings Subject to 30% Withholding Tax
When visiting the U.S., it doesn’t matter if you play the slots at one of the largest casinos or play the slots at a gas station; if you win a substantial amount of money (typically over $1,200), your winnings could be subject to a 30% withholding tax by the IRS.
BUT, if you live in a country like Canada that has signed a U.S. tax treaty, you may be eligible for a refund.
There are a number of countries that currently do not have a U.S. tax treaty. However, if you reside in any of the following countries, you could still be eligible for a refund: Australia, Bahrain, Barbados, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Israel, Kuwait, Mexico, Malaysia, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Saudi Arabia, Singapore, South Korea, Switzerland, Taiwan, Thailand, and the U.A.E.
To see if you meet the criteria and are eligible to get some or all of your withholding tax back, contact RMS.
RMS, the Easiest, Fastest Way for Non-U.S. Residents to Get Their 30% Withholding Tax Back
If you visited the U.S. and had 30% of your gaming winnings withheld by the IRS, RMS can help you reclaim a portion or all of your taxable winnings. In fact, we’ve never been refused an eligible refund.
RMS was founded by a Canadian Chartered Accountant in 1998 and quickly became the most reliable and experienced gaming and casino tax refund provider for non-U.S. residents.
Only RMS has the One Simple StepTM process. Our Customer Service Agents take care of the rest: processing and submitting it to the IRS. It can take a minimum of one year for the IRS to review the claim and for RMS to receive the refund.
Contact RMS today by calling our toll-free number at 1-888-272-5559 or by emailing us at [email protected].
Sources:
1. “Casino,” WinStar World Casino and Resort, last accessed August 30, 2016; https://www.winstarworldcasino.com/casino/.
2. ““Casino,” River Spirit Resort, last accessed August 30, 2016; http://www.riverspirittulsa.com/casino/.
4. “Gaming,” Tulalip Casino, last accessed August 30, 2016; http://www.tulalipresortcasino.com/Gaming.
5. “Play,” Pechanga Resort and Casino, last accessed August 30, 2016; https://www.pechanga.com/play.