The state of Oklahoma has a very rich Native American history, and today has the second highest population of Native Americans in the country, as well as the second highest percentage among all states. This area used to be known as Indian Territory before Oklahoma became a state, so given the explosion of Indian gaming in the United States over the last few years, it isn’t surprising that the Indian tribes in Oklahoma have gotten in on this action.
Today, there are almost 60 casinos in Oklahoma, and all but 2 are Native American owned. Many are on the more modest side, but there are some very large casinos here as well, including the WinStar, the largest casino in the United States. Among these larger ones is the River Spirit Casino, located in Tulsa, the state’s second largest city with a metropolitan population of about a million people.
With its recent expansion, the River Spirit Casino is now the third largest casino in the state, now that the River Spirit has added a second casino to its site, Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville Casino and Restaurant. The Margaritaville just opened in 2026 and itself plans on expanding soon, and the River Spirit itself is in the midst of further expansion as well, with the construction of a 27 story 483 room luxury hotel set to be completed in early 2017.
The casino has done very well already with just its drive up traffic and does draw from a large population area, and the River Spirit is a popular spot indeed for Tulsa area casino gamblers and is the most popular casino destination in the region already. Once they finish the hotel and they bring in tourists on top of that, things are set to get even bigger here.
The River Spirit Casino is owned and operated by the Muscogee (Creek) Nation, which also owns 8 other casinos in Oklahoma, although this one is their biggest one by far. There is presently 250,000 square feet of gaming here, making it bigger than anything in Las Vegas, and ensuring that casino guests will be treated to an abundance of gambling options and entertainment.
It is located on the banks of the Arkansas River right in Tulsa, meaning that residents do not even have to venture outside the city as they do with many Indian casinos elsewhere to be able to enjoy all this casino has to offer them.
The Facilities at the River Spirit Casino
The atmosphere is electric here with the opening of the new hotel on site, and at the time of this writing, construction is nearly complete and they are already taking bookings for it for January 2017 onward. Room rates will begin at a reasonable $129 per night, and while this isn’t as cheap as you would discover in a casino city like Vegas, Reno, or Atlantic City, it’s quite affordable for a hotel in a major city. The excitement is contagious.
Prices here will rise to $199 per night, depending on the season and the date, but the expectation is that they will have no difficulty filling it up, due to the quality of this new accommodation. This is a stunning, all glass facade hotel that is a great addition to an already very prosperous casino.
In this impressive expansion, a 2,500 seat arena called Paradise Cove is also set to open in January 2017, and many famous acts are already booked and programmed to appear. Even Jimmy Buffet himself is expected to put on a show, though this one is by special invitation only. The excitement is palpable.
There are various restaurants here to experience, starting with the recently launched Margaritaville, which not only offers great island inspired cuisine but has 2 bars located within it, nightly live shows, as well as a nightly volcano performance. There’s also a coffeehouse located on the premises, with a Landshark Bar and Grill to be included soon. It's quite the culinary scene.
Johnny Rockets offers its iconic hamburgers, where you can acquire a great burger in an old style diner environment and prices that are beneficial for your budget as well. If you are really starving, you can indulge in all you can eat at Visions Buffet, Oklahoma’s largest casino buffet which is sure to satisfy any appetite and taste.
The Fireside Grill provides casual dining where you can acquire a sandwich, burger, or salad, and also enjoy their extensive selection of wine and beer. If you desire to catch a game you can check out the Scoreboard Sports Bar featuring a 103 inch Godzilla-tron TV. Grab a seat and relax.
A 30,000 square foot convention center is also set to open in early 2017, featuring state of the art meeting facilities.
Revenues from the casino go toward supporting the Muscogee community and they have thrived greatly from the success of the River Spirit, in areas such as health care, education, and housing.
The Casino at the River Spirit Casino
There are two casinos on hand here, the main one with 200,000 square feet, plus an extra 50,000 square feet of gaming space at Margaritaville. Each has its own distinctive atmosphere, with the classic yet modern casino experience at the main casino, and the island inspired theme of Margaritaville. This ensures that players will be delivered a bevy of gaming options and in a manner that is comparable to the biggest and best casinos in the world.
There is over 3,000 electronic games to play here now with the addition of the second casino, they have it all here, including the latest electronic video slots, progressives, and video poker, providing endless excitement and fun.
The selection of table games here isn’t as extensive as you see in large casinos generally, but they still offer several popular ones, such as Blackjack, Free Bet Blackjack, Craps, Fortune Baccarat, and Ultimate Texas Holdem.
There’s a dedicated poker room on site as well, featuring cash games as well as tournaments. This is a fairly small poker room but does offer a good selection of games, where you choose from limit and no limit Holdem, Pot Limit Omaha, Omaha Hi/Lo, and Stud.
If you live in the Tulsa area, there’s no better casino to visit than this one, and with the completion of the new hotel here, this is a great spot to stay if you are just visiting the city as well.