When it comes to gambling in the United States, the first place people think of is Las Vegas. And for good reason; with over 130 casinos, Las Vegas is synonymous with neon lights and gambling. But not everyone likes the bright lights of Sin City. Whether you head to Nevada to play poker, try your hand at the slots, or watch the March Madness tournament, you may want to consider a detour to Reno.
Reno, Nevada
Reno may not be as flashy as Las Vegas, but if you’re looking for the same kind of gaming options, your money goes a lot further in the Biggest Little City in the World.
A four-hour drive east from San Francisco and seven-hour drive north of Las Vegas, Reno’s downtown casinos provide all of the same kind of gaming amenities, such as luxury hotels, spas, pools, and shopping, all within a few miles of each other.
Reno is home to 22 casinos, where you’ll find close to 16,900 slots and gaming machines and 556 table games. The minimum bet is $0.01, while the maximum bet you can play is $50,000. If you like poker, you’ll find over 40 live poker tables to play at and for March Madness, the Super Bowl, or any other sporting event, you can relax in one of the city’s 14 sports betting parlours.1
Most of the city’s casinos are located on and around N. Virginia Street, which is a bit like Fremont Street in Las Vegas. There are penny slots machines everywhere, Vegas-style shows for half the price, and food and drinks at reasonable prices compared to Las Vegas. If you want to take a break from gambling, you can visit the National Bowling Stadium, with 78 lanes and the longest video screen in the world, which is 440 feet long.2
Below is a description of three of the top casinos in Reno.
Eldorado Resort Casino
Eldorado Resort Casino is conveniently located just around the corner from the National Bowling Stadium on N. Virginia Street. Centrally located in Reno, the Eldorado has 815 guest rooms, nine restaurants, seven bars and lounges, a pool, a spa, and a 580-seat theatre.3
On the 81,000-square-foot casino floor, you’ll find over 1,200 slot machines and all the usual table games, including baccarat, blackjack, craps, roulette, pai gow tiles, and pai gow poker. The Eldorado casino also has a live poker room, keno, and a race and sports book where you can watch professional football, basketball, and baseball; college games; horse racing; and more.
Peppermill Hotel and Casino
Peppermill Hotel and Casino is located more in South Reno than the downtown area and is close to the city’s convention centre, which is convenient, since it is the Reno area’s second largest resort with 1,600 hotel rooms. The Peppermill Hotel is ranked the number one hotel in Reno, recipient of the AAA-Four Diamond Award for five consecutive years, ranked the Expedia Elite top-ranked hotel in North America, and is the winner of 7 Best Nightclub and Dining Awards in 2015.4
The Peppermill Casino has over 1,500 slot machines, a slots VIP lounge, and keno. Named Reno’s Best Table Games, you can find 48 tables located in the heart of the casino floor, where you can play classic games such as blackjack, craps, roulette, and baccarat and non-traditional games like fortune pai gow poker, three card and four card poker, let it ride, and pai gow tiles.
The Poker Room has been named one of the Top 25 in the USA by Poker Digest. In the Luxury Poker Room, you’ll find 19 tables and 25 hi-def screens. While Peppermill’s award-winning Race and Sports Book has two 10’ wide theatre screens, 61 big-screen HDTVs, and 71 box seat carrels with individual high-def monitors and Internet access. And if that’s not enough, there are 21 big screen HDTVs in the Sports Bar and Sports Deli.
Silver Legacy Hotel Casino
The Silver Legacy Hotel Casino is just across the street from the Eldorado. As Reno’s tallest building, the Silver Legacy Hotel features over 1,700 guest rooms, ranging from deluxe rooms to luxury rooms to all the way up to premium rooms. Further, you’ll find a full-service spa and salon, specialty shopping, restaurants, and live entertainment.
The 85,000-square-foot casino features over 1,400 slots, 80 table games, two keno rooms, and the city’s biggest sports book video wall.
Non-U.S. Residents Subject to 30% Withholding Tax
If you are a non U.S. residents and win a significant amount of money while you’re visiting Reno, your winnings could be subject to a 30% withholding tax by the Internal Revenue Service (IRS). For instance, if you win $2,000 betting on your favourite slot machine, the casino will give you $1,400; the IRS keeps the rest.
In the U.S., money won via a casino, the lottery, a game show, or any other game of chance is considered income by the IRS and therefore subject to a 30% withholding tax. However, if you live in a country like Canada, which 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. 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 United Arab Emirates.
To see if you meet the criteria and are eligible to get some or all of your withholding tax back, contact Refund Management Services (RMS).
RMS is the Easiest Way to Get Your Gambling Winnings Back!
If you’ve visited the U.S. and had 30% of your gaming winnings withheld by the IRS, the tax refund experts at RMS can help you recoup a portion or all of your taxable winnings.
Founded by a Canadian Chartered Accountant in 1998, RMS quickly became Canada’s leading gaming and casino tax refund provider. Over the years, RMS has helped thousands of people just like you recover taxes on their U.S. gaming wins. And best of all, we’ve never been refused an eligible refund.
Only RMS has the One Simple StepTM process, with an easy online form to fill out. Just complete the form and our customer service agents take care of the rest, including processing and submitting it to the IRS. Your refund cheque gets mailed out to you as soon as your refund is approved.
Contact RMS today by calling our toll-free number at 1-888-272-5559 or by e-mailing us at [email protected].
Sources:
1.“Reno,” World Casino Directory web site; http://www.worldcasinodirectory.com/nevada/reno, last accessed March 31, 2016.
2.“National Bowling Stadium,” RSCVA web site; https://www.visitrenotahoe.com/meetings-conventions/facilities/national-bowling-stadium, last accessed March 31, 2016.
3.“Eldorado Resort Casino”, Eldorado Resort web site; http://www.eldoradoreno.com/, last accessed March 31, 2016.
4.“Peppermill Hotel Casino,” Peppermill Reno web site; https://www.peppermillreno.com/, last accessed March 31, 2016.
5.“Silver Legacy Resort Casino,” Silver Legacy web site; http://www.silverlegacyreno.com/, last accessed March 31, 2016.