All of Minnesota's 18 casinos are located on Indian reservations and are spread across the state. Three can be found in the Minneapolis-St. Paul area, including Little Six Casino, Mystic Lake Casino Hotel and Treasure Island Resort & Casino.
Under the compact reached between the state and the Native American tribes, only electronic slots and card games are allowed. That means that all slots are of the video screen variety rather than mechanical reels. Table games include blackjack, poker, Caribbean stud, Pai-Gow and Three Card Poker, but games such as craps and roulette are not permitted. Bingo, video poker and video keno can also be found in many of Minnesota's casinos.
Almost all of the casinos in Minnesota also offer hotels and restaurants in addition to the games of chance. Choices usually include casual dining and a buffet, which is open for breakfast, lunch and dinner at most locations. Some hotels offer suites in addition to the standard rooms. Some casino properties offer arcade and child care services for those with children in tow. Contact the state's office of tourism at exploreminnesota.com or 800-657-3700 for more information.
The minimum gambling age in Minnesota's casinos is 18, or three years younger than in most other states of the United States. Most facilities stay open 24 hours per day.
The state requires that the casinos pay back a certain percentage of what they collect. The minimum payback for video poker and blackjack is 83 percent, slot machines is 80 percent and keno is 75 percent. Casinos can set machines to pay back more than these numbers, up to 95 percent to 98 percent. The casinos are not required by the state to release this information to the public.
