Casino Player September 2022

THE BEST OF GAMING 2022

Native Midwest

D ozens of casinos are scattered throughout the Native Midwest, a sprawling region from the Great Lakes through woodlands, fields, streams and into the more urban areas of Milwaukee and Minneapolis. It’s a vast region that was one of the forerunners of adopting tribal gaming when it was legalized. When the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act of 1988 was signed into law, many tribes in this region were ready to go. The first casino in Minnesota, Jackpot Junction on Lower Sioux land in Redwood County, opened as a bingo hall in 1984 and added slots and table games in the first wave in 1988. Native American gaming in the Midwest thrives in areas with populations large and

PLAYER’S CHOICE AWARD 2022

small throughout Minnesota, Wisconsin and Michigan, and in smaller numbers in Iowa and Kansas. At many casinos, guests have abundant opportunities to mix a little hiking, fishing, swimming and boating with their gaming. These properties bring plenty to the gaming table as well. The top two spots in this category have swapped spots over the last few years and do so again in 2022. FireKeepers Casino, just outside Battle Creek, MI, goes from No. 2 last year to the Best Overall Gaming Resort for 2022. The property is located just off Interstate 94, a heavily traveled route between Chicago and Detroit. FireKeepers remains a gambler’s favorite in the area, offering guests a large assortment of gaming, dining and entertainment options. There are more than 2,900 slots as well as table games, poker, bingo and keno, a comfortable hotel, and a wide range of exceptional dining options. Firekeepers is certainly on fire and readers rewarded this property with Best Rooms, Favorite Casino Resort To Vacation At, Best Casino, Best Players Club, Best Table Games, Best Poker Room, Best Non-Smoking Casino/Area and Best Keno. Firekeepers also swept the sports betting categories, taking Best Overall Sportsbook, Best Sports Betting Options, Best Prop Bets, Best Sportsbook Promotions and Friendliest Sportsbooks. Soaring Eagle remains a reader favorite and slid just one position. The property in Mt. Pleasant, MI, offers plenty of great gaming as well as live entertainment, a Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse, and an all-around high-end resort experience. The property dominated many of the hotel categories, garnering a tip of the cap for Best Hotel, Best Hotel Lobby, Best Hotel Staff and Best Suites. Soaring Eagle also earned Best Spa, Favorite Casino Resort For A Staycation, Best High Limit Room, Casino Where You Feel The Luckiest, Best Carnival Games, Best Craps and Best Bingo. Island Resort Casino, a great property located in Harris, MI, earned third for the third year in a row and offers plenty of reasons to give the property a visit. Island took some nice finishes, scoring gold for the Native Midwest region’s Best Golf Course, Best Promotions, Best Dealers, Best Poker Tournaments, Best Video Slots, Best Live Poker and Best Roulette.

FireKeepers Casino

Best Overall Gaming Resort ❶ FireKeepers Casino ❷ Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort ❸ Island Resort Casino RESORT

Best Hotel

❶ Soaring Eagle

Casino & Resort ❷ FireKeepers Casino ❸ Island Resort Casino

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