- MGM Springfield is the top casino when visiting from Hartford with over 3,000 slots.
- Ox Bow Genting Casino has high-stakes table games & poker plus hotel rooms steps away.
- Plainridge Park Casino is an outlet mall with 1,200 slot machines and half a dozen restaurants.
What are the casinos near me in Hartford, Connecticut?
That can be a tricky question since many folks consider the two hours worth of drives to Boston or New York reasonable treks to get their gamble on. Others prefer to stay local at small outfits like the Oxford Casino in Oxford, Maine, just over the state line an hour to the north or the Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville, Massachusetts, a little over thirty minutes to the south.
Connecticut has two tribal casinos, the Foxwoods Resort Casino in Ledyard and the Mohegan Sun in Uncasville, both within twenty miles of each other and roughly thirty minutes east of Providence, R.I.
But beyond those, there’s not much going on in New England as far as Indian gaming goes—Maine doesn’t have any tribal casinos, while Rhode Island has only one (Twin River Casino in Lincoln), and Massachusetts is still building its industry after voting to expand gambling in 2011.
There is some good news on the horizon for CT gamblers, though. Tolland is set to become the third Connecticut casino (and the state’s first commercial one) when the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes open their jointly owned Tioga Downs Casino Resort there sometime around 2022.
MGM Springfield
- Name: MGM Springfield.
- Address: 1 MGM Way, Springfield, Massachusetts, 01103.
- Distance/Driving Time: 25 miles / 35 minutes.
The MGM Springfield is the nearest major casino to Hartford, and while it doesn’t quite have the panache of its sister properties in Las Vegas, New Jersey, Michigan, and Mississippi, it’s a fine regional resort that draws players from three states and Canada.
The MGM Springfield is a huge complex occupying several city blocks –in addition to the casino and hotel, it features tons of shops, excellent dining options, multiple entertainment and event venues, and even a small theater that screens classic movies daily.
All told, the MGM Springfield employs about 2,600 people.
casino gambling gameCasino
The casino itself spreads nearly 3,000 slot machines, video poker, and game pendant machines from throughout the history of electronic gaming–you’ll find classic three-reelers across from the latest ten-line 4K HD wide-screen 5x4ories.
Denominations start at a penny max, but most are quarters, dollars, or higher. A few progressive jackpots seed at $10,000 or more, and the property pays out over $60 million annually in slots and bingo.
Table games include twenty blackjack tables (a couple of which are High-Low tables), a dozen roulette tables (including two with a single zero). There are also eleven carousel and six roulete electric tables; twelve craps tables, seven poker tables, and four baccarat tables.
Poker enthusiasts will find both low-limit Hold ‘Em and Omaha and high-stakes No-Limit Hold ‘Em and Omaha in the Poker Room, which features 18 tables, 9 cash games, and 7 tournament tables. There’s also live-action Pai Gow and Big Six, along with Finish Blackjack, Ultimate Texas Hold ’em, and Frisbee Roulette.
slots for fun and freeSports betting launched at MGM Springfield in January of 2020, making this already impressive casino a true destination for gamblers visiting from Hartford.
Hotel & Accommodations
Standard rooms at the MGM Springfield start at 340 square feet and feature king- or queen-sized beds, marble bathrooms with glass-enclosed showers and soaking tubs, 40-inch flat-screen TVs, mini-fridges, wet bars, and Keurig coffee machines. Suites range from 550 to 2,200 square feet.
Best Free Casino Slots Games Online (on Real Casino Software)Notable Attractions
- The I Love Lucien restaurant serves up contemporary American cuisine with a New France twist.
- The South End Athletic Club Fitness Center is open 24/7 and features state-of-the-art equipment.
- The connected mass transit hub makes it easy to catch a bus or train to anywhere in Western Mass.
Oxford Casino – Located in Oxford, ME
- Name: Oxford Casino.
- Address: 550 Main St, Oxford, ME, 04270.
- Distance/Driving Time: 55 miles / 1 hour 10 minutes.
If you’re looking for something a bit closer to Hartford than MGM Springfield, the Oxford Casino in Oxford, Maine, is your best bet. It’s a full-service “local” casino that manages to feel both upscale and cozy at the same time.
Inside the single-story red brick building are over 800 of the loosest slots in Maine, as well as twenty-one table games dealing blackjack, Spanish 21, and super fun 21, along with three roulette wheels and a high-definition racebook presented by Off-Track Betting Maine (OTBMA).
Top NJ Gambling Wins That Will Blow You Away - #7 is InsaneThe Ducky’s Sports Bar & Grill serves up standard pub fare, and the Upstairs Lounge offers craft cocktails and live music on weekends.
The Oxford Casino differs from CT’s two Native American casinos in numerous ways, mainly through its ability to offer all forms of gambling–video poker machines, electronic versions of roulette and craps, and historical horse racing machines.
While the Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan tribes fought hard to keep these types of devices off Connecticut gambling floors, they’re permitted elsewhere in New England.
Governor Ned Lamont and other elected officials from Connecticut have called on the US Department of the Interior to halt the construction of a proposed $250 million casino in Milford, Mass., just over the state line from Nonnewaug, Conn.
They argue that the casino would hurt business at the nearby Foxwoods Resort Casino, but the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation has already filed a lawsuit to stop the Milfont project, saying that the Missouri-based Stoddard Group and its local partners violated a 2013 agreement not to build a casino within 50 miles of Foxwoods.
Casino
Ox Bow Genting Casino is a smaller operation than the MGM Springfield or the nearby Hollywood Casino & Race Track in Bangor, Maine (another hour’s drive from Oxford).
Imperial Palace Casino Review - Table Games, Slots & Poker RoomStill, it’s got plenty of action, including over 800 of the loosest slots in Maine –from the latest 88 Fortunes and Buffalo themes to multi-game machines and progressives that can hit for over a quarter-million dollars.
Denominations run from a penny up to a dollar, and if you’re new to playing the one-armed bandits, obliging dealers stand ready to teach you how to play whatever machine has caught your eye.
If you prefer table games, there are twenty-one tables dealing blackjack, Spanish 21, and super fun 21, along with three roulette wheels and a high-definition racebook presented by Off-Track Betting Maine (OTBMA).
Best Online Poker Games - 2023's List & GuideSerious poker players will appreciate the 20-table cardroom hosted by the OTBMA and managed by WSOP Circuit ring holder Steve Hooper.
Hooper and his staff offer all sorts of low-limit Hold ‘Em and Omaha cash games and tournaments nightly–on my last visit, I saw 6-30 games running (with a few people playing for food comps!) as well as a $400 tourney with $20k guaranteed.
Registered players earn points with every wager, whether spinning the reels of a slot machine or putting $6 out on a blackjack hand–and those points add up quickly. I got a ton of comps during my short visit, including free play, food and drink vouchers, and even a room!
Speaking of, the attached hotel has 200 comfortable rooms and suites, each featuring luxurious bedding, plush robes, 42″ flat-panel TVs, refrigerators, microwaves, Keurig coffeemakers, and loads of natural light.
River Monsters Slot Machines You Can Play OnlineSome rooms and suites also feature gas fireplaces, whirlpool tubs, and balconies overlooking the scenic Androscoggin Valley below.
Notable Attractions
- The 300-seat Ducky’s Sports Bar & Grill serves up standard pub fare from an extensive menu of comfort foods.
- Live music acts appear regularly in the Upstairs Lounge.
- The Oxford Casino is adjacent to the Oxford Casino Event & Meeting Center, which hosts weddings, trade shows, conferences, banquets, and concerts.
Plainridge Park Casino – Located in Plainville, MA
- Name: Plainridge Park Casino.
- Address: 301 Washington St, Plainville, MA, 02762.
- Distance/Driving Time: 38 miles / 45 minutes.
Another option for gamblers in Hartford is the Plainridge Park Casino in Plainville, Massachusetts, about halfway between Providence and Boston off I-95.
It’s a small casino focused on slot machines and historic racing machines, on which players view videos of races run by real horses at tracks around the country and bet on the outcome as if they were at the track themselves.
Plainridge Park is unique among southern New England casinos in that it’s located right in the middle of a harness racing track –while live racing isn’t conducted there anymore, the oval is still used occasionally for simulcasting.
Just off the main gaming floor are several restaurants facing inward toward a glassed-in racetrack –on my visits, trotting races were being shown on giant screens above each eatery, and patrons stopped to watch as they enjoyed burgers, hot dogs, salads, fried clams, and other quick service fare.
The casino does not charge for parking or admission, and players must be twenty-one or older –ID is checked at the door, and underage players are politely escorted out.
Like other Penn National properties, the Plainridge Park Casino features a Players Club rewarding frequent visitors with points redeemable for free play, food comps, and merchandise.
On my last trip to Plainridge Park Casino, I spent a couple of hours chasing the Progressive Jackpot on one of their linked progressive machines.
I didn’t hit the big one (which was up around $35,000 on the day I visited), but I did win back my initial stake several times –enough to buy lunch at the deli on the lower level of the casino.
If you want to stretch your gambling dollar when visiting Hartford, CT, the Plainridge Park Casino is worth the short trip into Massachusetts.
Casino
With over 1,200 slot machines and historic racing machines spreading action, Plainridge Park Casino is one of the largest employers in northern Attleboro County.
Best Real Money Casino Apps Reviewed - Safe Mobile Casinos 2023Popular games from Agilysus, Konami, Novomatic, and other manufacturers compete for coin with historical racing machines that allow players to watch replays of races run by real horses at tracks around the country –if you can spot the jump to fiction from reality, it’s possible to get drawn into watching these virtual contests unfold.
From the rail in the Slots of Fun area to the plush high-limit nooks and crannies tucked here and there throughout the casino, Plainridge Park Casino features plenty of opportunities to test your luck on the Pulses.
Notable Attractions
- On the lower level is a row of five eateries with outdoor seating overlooking the old harness racing track.
- Several meeting rooms are available for events up to 250 attendees.
- The main entrance faces directly onto Route 1A/Washington Street, making Plainridge Park easy to spot and access.
More Excellent Options for Casinos Near Me in Hartford, CT
So, those are the best casinos near Hartford, CT. You have options depending on what you are looking for. Maybe you want the flashiness of MGM Springfield, or maybe you want a local feel at the Oxford Casino. Either way, there’s no bad choice here.
If you end up heading to MGM Springfield, I highly recommend checking out their calendar of events. They have everything from comedy nights to car shows.
Plus, their restaurant selection is fantastic. Whether you are in the mood for Italian or seafood, they have you covered.
Jim is a writer and expert on all things casino-related. He've worked in the industry for years and now uses his insider knowledge to provide readers with accurate and informative content. When he's not writing, Jim enjoys spending time with his family and traveling the world.