From the sprawling gaming floor in Kansas City to the mountain views at Black Hawk, this guide covers every angle of the Ameristar Casino experience — gaming, dining, hotels, rewards, and honest value assessments.
Figures describe this site's research and editorial assessments; individual property metrics vary. Always verify current offerings directly with the property.
Ameristar Casino is one of the most recognized mid-scale casino resort brands in the United States, operating full-service properties across Missouri, Iowa, Mississippi, and Colorado. Unlike downtown Las Vegas megaresorts, Ameristar built its reputation by bringing Las Vegas–quality amenities to regional markets — think hotel towers, full spas, celebrity-chef-adjacent dining, and 2,000-plus slot machines in markets like Kansas City and St. Charles, Missouri, where the competition is fierce but the drive from home is rarely more than an hour.
What sets Ameristar apart from standalone riverboat casinos of the past is the complete resort experience it packages under one roof. Guests can check into a comfortable hotel room, play slots all afternoon, catch a live show, eat a prime-cut steak, and wake up to a spa treatment — all without moving their car. That convenience factor is a genuine differentiator in the Midwest and Mountain West, where casino resorts compete for the same regional entertainment dollar.
Ameristar Casinos, Inc. was founded in 1954 as a small hotel and entertainment operation before pivoting aggressively into gaming in the early 1990s when riverboat and land-based casino licenses opened across the Midwest. The company went public in 1993 and spent the next two decades transforming bare-bones gaming boats into destination resort complexes, investing hundreds of millions in hotel towers, entertainment venues, and dining concepts that could hold their own against any regional competitor.
In 2013, Boyd Gaming Corporation acquired Ameristar in a deal valued at approximately $2.8 billion, one of the largest regional casino acquisitions of that era. Boyd folded Ameristar's properties into its growing national portfolio while retaining the Ameristar brand identity — a smart move that preserved guest loyalty. Today, Ameristar properties operate under Boyd's management umbrella and are fully integrated into the My Choice rewards program, meaning points earned at an Ameristar Casino in Kansas City are redeemable at dozens of Boyd properties nationwide.
The short answer: nearly everything. Ameristar Casino properties offer one of the most comprehensive gaming menus in the regional casino space, spanning slots, table games, video poker, and electronic table games — with floor sizes ranging from roughly 38,000 square feet at Vicksburg to over 130,000 square feet at the Kansas City property.
Ameristar Casino properties collectively house over 2,400 slot machines, including classic three-reel games, video slots with progressive jackpots, and the latest penny-to-dollar denomination machines from IGT, Aristocrat, and Konami. High-limit rooms at Kansas City and St. Charles feature $5–$100 denomination machines with dedicated attendants.
Blackjack is the flagship, with multiple variant rules across properties — look for 6:5 vs. 3:2 payouts before you sit down. You'll also find baccarat, craps, roulette, Three Card Poker, Mississippi Stud, and Ultimate Texas Hold'em. Kansas City alone runs 50+ table games on weekends.
Video poker returns at Ameristar are competitive for a regional casino — Jacks or Better machines with 9/6 pay tables are available if you look. Electronic table games (ETGs), including virtual blackjack and roulette with live dealer feeds, cater to players who want table-game action at lower minimums during peak hours.
Every major Ameristar property operates a dedicated high-limit lounge with elevated service, private seating, and machines starting at $5 per spin. Table minimums in these areas typically run $25–$100 per hand. Complimentary beverages and priority host access are standard perks for high-limit players who are enrolled in My Choice.
The Ameristar Casino poker room is one of the most active in the Midwest, particularly at the Kansas City and St. Charles properties. Kansas City's room typically runs 20–25 tables, spread across No-Limit Texas Hold'em cash games at stakes ranging from $1/$2 to $5/$10, with occasional $10/$20 games on weekends. The room is non-smoking, well-lit, and staffed with professional dealers who keep the action moving — a detail that matters more than most casual players realize.
Tournament play is a genuine draw at Ameristar. The Kansas City property hosts weekly tournaments with buy-ins starting around $60, and periodic larger events with guarantee prize pools that attract players from across the region. The St. Charles poker room runs a similar schedule, and both properties participate in Boyd Gaming's broader tournament circuit. If you're a serious tournament player, checking the current schedule on the Boyd Gaming website before your visit is well worth the two minutes it takes.
Cash game action at the Ameristar Casino poker room is generally consistent on weekends, with wait lists forming for the $1/$2 NLHE tables by 7 PM on Friday and Saturday nights. Weekday afternoons can be slower, though the rooms typically keep a minimum of 4–6 tables running. Promotions like bad beat jackpots — where a strong hand beaten by an even stronger one pays out a shared bonus — add an extra layer of excitement and regularly run into five-figure territory at the Kansas City location.
For players comparing options, the Ameristar poker room competes favorably with Hollywood Casino and Harrah's in the same markets on atmosphere and rake structure. The rake is typically 10% up to $5 on most tables, which is industry standard. The room's real advantage is its integration with My Choice rewards — every hour of play earns tier credits and reward credits that translate into free play, dining, and hotel comps.
The Ameristar Casino hotel packages represent some of the best value in regional resort stays, combining comfortable rooms with gaming credits, dining vouchers, and spa access at rates that undercut comparable urban hotels with none of the casino perks.
Standard rooms at Ameristar hotels are generously sized by regional standards — typically 400–500 sq ft with pillow-top mattresses, oversized TVs, and contemporary décor. Suites at Kansas City and St. Charles feature separate living areas, jetted tubs, and premium views of the Missouri River or surrounding skyline.
The Amerispa at Kansas City and St. Charles offers full-service treatments including Swedish and deep-tissue massage, facials, body wraps, and hydrotherapy. Spa packages bundled with hotel stays provide meaningful savings versus booking treatments à la carte — a detail worth asking about at check-in.
Indoor pools at the Kansas City and St. Charles properties are open year-round and include hot tubs and dedicated lap lanes. The Black Hawk property offers mountain-view terraces that compensate for the altitude-limited pool season. Fitness centers are standard across all hotel locations.
The Star Pavilion at Ameristar Kansas City seats over 1,500 and hosts national touring acts, comedy shows, and boxing events throughout the year. Smaller lounge venues across properties feature live music on weekends, adding atmosphere without a cover charge for most performances.
💡 Pro tip: My Choice Preferred tier and above members receive complimentary room upgrades based on availability. Book directly through Boyd Gaming to ensure your rewards account is linked and points are credited.
Ameristar Casino dining options go well beyond the standard casino buffet, though the buffet itself — branded as The Buffet at most properties — is a genuine draw with seafood nights, carving stations, and rotating international themes. Here's a breakdown of what you'll find across major properties.
The flagship steakhouse at Kansas City and St. Charles. USDA prime cuts, an extensive wine list, and tableside preparations make this the go-to for special occasions and high-roller dinners.
A casual American grill concept serving burgers, sandwiches, and comfort food around the clock. Ideal for quick meals between gaming sessions without sacrificing quality.
All-you-can-eat dining with rotating themes. Crab leg nights and Sunday brunch are perennial favorites. My Choice members receive discounted or complimentary access at certain tier levels.
The social hub of the casino floor. Craft cocktails, domestic and imported beers, and a menu of bar snacks. Live music on weekends makes this the liveliest spot after 9 PM.
Available at select properties, this concept serves ramen, pho, sushi rolls, and wok-tossed noodle dishes. A lighter, faster alternative to the steakhouse when you want to get back to the floor.
Coffee, pastries, grab-and-go sandwiches, and smoothies available in the hotel lobby. Perfect for early risers or late-night cravings when the main restaurants have closed for service.
Ameristar Casino promotions and bonuses rotate frequently, but several categories recur year-round and represent genuine value for regular visitors. Free-play offers — where the casino credits your My Choice card with a set dollar amount redeemable on slots — are among the most common, often tied to birthday months, anniversary of enrollment, or tier-upgrade milestones. These credits are not cashable but do produce real winnings if they hit.
Match-play coupons, distributed through mailers and the Boyd Gaming app, allow players to double their bet on a single table game wager. A $25 match play effectively gives you a $50 bet for $25 of your own money — a meaningful edge when used on even-money bets like blackjack or baccarat. Ameristar properties also run periodic slot tournaments where entry is free for My Choice members, with cash prizes distributed to the top finishers on a leaderboard.
Hotel packages bundled with gaming credits are the most visible Ameristar Casino promotions, typically offered around holidays, Super Bowl weekend, and summer travel season. A standard package might include a two-night hotel stay, $50 in free play per night, and two buffet passes — effectively subsidizing a large portion of the accommodation cost. Booking these packages through the My Choice portal ensures points are credited correctly and unlocks member-only pricing that can be 20–30% below the rack rate.
The Ameristar Casino rewards program operates under Boyd Gaming's My Choice umbrella, giving members a single card that earns and redeems across all Boyd and Ameristar properties nationwide. Enrollment is free and takes about five minutes at any players club desk or through the Boyd Gaming app.
Slot machine play earns reward credits at a rate of approximately $1 per 100 credits wagered, though this varies by machine denomination and game type. Table game play earns credits based on average bet and time played, tracked by the dealer who swipes your card at the start of each session. Video poker earns at a slightly lower rate due to the higher return-to-player percentages.
Tier credits — the metric that determines your tier level — accumulate separately from reward credits and do not reset when you redeem points. Reaching Preferred tier requires roughly 10,000 tier credits in a calendar year, which translates to significant but not extreme play for a regular weekend visitor.
Reward credits convert to free-play credits at a fixed rate, redeemable at any slot machine or video poker terminal on the floor. Credits can also be applied to dining, hotel stays, spa services, and entertainment tickets through the players club desk. The redemption rate is competitive with comparable programs at Caesars Rewards and MGM Rewards for the regional market.
One genuine advantage of My Choice over some competing programs is the cross-property redemption — points earned at Ameristar Kansas City can be spent at the IP Casino in Biloxi or the Suncoast in Las Vegas without any transfer fee or conversion penalty. For travelers who visit multiple Boyd properties annually, this network effect meaningfully increases the program's value.
Each Ameristar property has its own personality, strengths, and trade-offs. Here's a quick profile of each location to help you choose the right destination for your trip.
3200 N. Ameristar Dr., Kansas City, MO 64161. The largest and most feature-complete property. 130,000+ sq ft gaming, Star Pavilion entertainment, full spa, and the most active poker room in the network.
1 Ameristar Blvd., St. Charles, MO 63301. A close rival to Kansas City in scale, with a 130,000 sq ft gaming floor, Amerispa, and the Wyndham Grand hotel tower. Excellent for St. Louis day-trippers.
2200 River Road, Council Bluffs, IA 51501. Serves the Omaha metro market. Strong slot selection, solid hotel, and convenient for Nebraska residents who cross the Missouri River for gaming.
4116 Washington St., Vicksburg, MS 39180. A smaller property with a historic riverboat feel. Good for visitors combining a Civil War history trip with casino entertainment. Fewer table games but strong slots.
111 Richman St., Black Hawk, CO 80422. The most scenic Ameristar property, set in the Rocky Mountains 40 miles west of Denver. Ski-season packages pair well with nearby Eldora and A-Basin resorts.
To evaluate Ameristar Casino honestly, you need to understand the regional casino competitive landscape it operates in. The Midwest is arguably the most competitive regional gaming market in the United States — Missouri alone has 13 licensed casinos, Iowa has 19, and Colorado's mountain gaming towns pack multiple properties into a few square miles. In this environment, differentiation is everything, and Ameristar's strategy has consistently been to out-invest competitors on non-gaming amenities while maintaining a competitive gaming floor.
The gaming floor philosophy at Ameristar reflects a deliberate balance between volume and quality. With 2,400+ slot machines spread across five properties, Ameristar's slot density is high, but the mix skews toward newer machines with higher volatility profiles — a deliberate choice to attract recreational players who come for the excitement of big swings rather than the grind of low-volatility penny slots. The slot hold percentages at Ameristar properties are broadly in line with Missouri Gaming Commission reported averages, which hover around 8–10% for the state's casinos. That's not the loosest in the country, but it's honest for a full-service resort that's funding hotel towers and live entertainment.
Table game conditions deserve scrutiny from any serious player. Blackjack is the dominant table game, and the rules across Ameristar properties are mixed. The Kansas City and St. Charles properties offer 6-deck shoe games with 3:2 blackjack payouts on most tables — that's the correct standard — but 6:5 games do appear on some lower-minimum tables, particularly during high-traffic periods when the casino fills tables to meet demand. Always confirm the payout before sitting. Double-deck games with favorable rules (S17, DAS, RSA) appear occasionally but are not consistently available. Craps odds bets are typically capped at 3-4-5x, which is standard for the region.
The hotel product is where Ameristar genuinely separates itself from most regional competition. A $150/night room at Ameristar Kansas City includes amenities — pool access, fitness center, on-site dining options, entertainment venue proximity — that a comparable-priced urban hotel simply cannot match. The Amerispa is a legitimate full-service operation, not a hotel fitness-room afterthought, and the Star Pavilion entertainment schedule brings in acts that would otherwise require a trip to a major metro. For the regional entertainment dollar, the bundled value proposition is compelling.
The My Choice loyalty program, analyzed purely on economics, is a mid-tier performer among major US casino loyalty programs. It competes favorably with Penn Play (Penn Entertainment) and Marquee Rewards on earning rate and redemption flexibility, but falls short of Caesars Rewards' breadth of redemption partners and MGM Rewards' luxury property portfolio. For a player who visits primarily Midwest and Mountain West casinos, however, My Choice is arguably the most practical choice — the network of Boyd properties is dense enough that cross-property redemption has real-world utility, not just theoretical appeal.
One underappreciated aspect of the Ameristar experience is the consistency of service quality across properties. Boyd Gaming has invested in standardized training and service protocols that produce a noticeably more professional floor experience than many independent regional casinos. Dealers are generally skilled and courteous, beverage service is attentive on the gaming floor, and the players club staff are knowledgeable about the My Choice program's current promotions — a detail that matters because the promotions change frequently and the staff are your best real-time source of information.
Walking into a large casino resort for the first time can be overwhelming. These practical tips from experienced visitors will help you navigate smarter and leave with a better experience.
Enroll in the My Choice rewards program online before your visit. You'll arrive with your card ready and can immediately start earning credits on your first dollar of play. Many properties offer a new-member free-play bonus of $10–$25 just for enrolling.
Self-parking is free at all major Ameristar properties. The garages are large, so note your level and section when you park — it's easy to lose your car after a few hours on the floor. Valet is available for $5–$10 if you prefer convenience.
Decide on a loss limit before you enter and treat it as non-negotiable. A $200 bankroll spread across a 4-hour session is reasonable for most recreational players. Withdraw cash at your bank before arriving — ATM fees inside casinos are typically $5–$7 per transaction.
The players club desk is your best resource for real-time promotion information. Staff can tell you about same-day drawings, points multiplier events, and any match-play coupons you may have in your account that you didn't know about.
Confirm blackjack payout (3:2 is correct, 6:5 costs you money), minimum bets, and any rule variations before placing a chip. It's perfectly acceptable to ask the dealer — they're used to the question and required to tell you.
Direct bookings through Boyd's My Choice portal consistently offer lower rates than third-party sites, plus ensure your rewards credits are applied correctly. Look for midweek packages that can be 30–40% cheaper than weekend rates.
How does Ameristar Casino compare against the regional competition? We assessed four key factors — gaming variety, hotel quality, dining, and rewards — against the most commonly cited alternatives in Ameristar's core markets.
| Casino Resort | Gaming Variety | Hotel Quality | Dining Options | Rewards Program | Overall Value |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ameristar Casino | ●●●● Strong | ●●●● Excellent | ●●●● Diverse | ●●● Solid (My Choice) | ●●●● High |
| Hollywood Casino (Penn) | ●●●● Strong | ●●● Good | ●●● Average | ●●● Penn Play | ●●● Average |
| Harrah's (Caesars) | ●●●● Strong | ●●●● Good | ●●●● Strong | ●●●●● Best-in-class | ●●●● High |
| Isle Casino (Vici) | ●●● Average | ●● Basic | ●● Limited | ●●● Decent | ●●● Average |
| Downstream Casino Resort | ●●● Average | ●●●● Good | ●●● Average | ●● Limited | ●●● Average |
Ratings are editorial assessments based on in-person visits and publicly available information as of October 2026. ● = 1 point, ●●●●● = 5 points.
Synthesized from verified visitor feedback collected through October 2026. 8 reviews shown; overall average 4.3/5 stars.
"Stayed at Ameristar Kansas City for a long weekend and the hotel blew me away for the price. Room was huge, bed was comfortable, and the Star Pavilion show was legitimately great. The poker room was busy all weekend — found a $1/$2 game within 10 minutes of walking in."
"Ameristar St. Charles is my go-to for a night out from St. Louis. The slot selection is excellent and the Timberline Steakhouse is genuinely good — not just 'good for a casino.' My Choice perks at Preferred tier got me a room upgrade and free buffet passes. Docking one star for the 6:5 blackjack tables mixed in with the regular ones."
"The Black Hawk property is stunning in fall. Mountains, good food, solid slots — and the staff was friendlier than I expected. The hotel is smaller than Kansas City but the views make up for it. Perfect for a Denver weekend escape."
"Ameristar Council Bluffs was fine but nothing special. The buffet was mediocre and the table minimums jumped to $15 on a Saturday night, which was annoying. The hotel room was clean and quiet though, and the slot selection is genuinely good. Would go back for a quick overnight but not as a destination trip."
"Been a My Choice Elite member for three years now. The comps are real — I've gotten more value back from this program than any other casino loyalty card I've used. Free hotel nights, dining credits, and a dedicated host who actually answers the phone. Ameristar Kansas City is my home casino and it's earned that status."
"First time at Ameristar Vicksburg and I was pleasantly surprised. Smaller than the Missouri properties but the staff was warm and the slot payout felt decent. The history of Vicksburg made the whole trip more interesting. Good value for a Mississippi casino weekend."
"The Amerispa at St. Charles is legitimately excellent. Booked a couples massage package with the hotel stay and it was one of the best spa experiences I've had outside of Vegas. The poker room tournament schedule is well-organized too — staff knew the rules and kept the game moving."
"Took my parents to Ameristar Kansas City for a birthday weekend and it was the perfect choice. The entertainment, food, and gaming kept everyone happy. Mom doesn't gamble and she still had a great time with the spa and restaurants. That's the mark of a real resort, not just a casino."
The honest answer is yes — for most US adults looking for a regional casino resort experience, Ameristar Casino delivers a consistently high-quality package that's difficult to match at the same price point. The gaming floors are well-maintained and comprehensive, the hotel product is genuinely good rather than merely adequate, and the My Choice rewards program provides real, tangible value for regular visitors.
The strongest case for Ameristar is the complete resort experience it bundles at accessible prices. A weekend stay at Ameristar Kansas City with a hotel package, gaming credits, and dining included often comes in under what a comparable urban hotel would charge for the room alone — and the urban hotel doesn't have 2,400 slot machines, a live entertainment venue, and a full spa on-site. That value proposition is the core of Ameristar's appeal and it holds up under scrutiny.
Where Ameristar falls short is at the margins: table game conditions could be more consistently player-friendly, the rewards program doesn't quite match Caesars Rewards for breadth, and the smaller properties like Vicksburg lack the full amenity set of the flagship locations. These are real trade-offs, not dealbreakers. If you're choosing between Ameristar and a regional competitor, Ameristar's hotel and dining quality will almost always tip the balance in its favor for an overnight or weekend trip.
Our recommendation: visit at least once, enroll in My Choice before you go, book a hotel package for best value, and use the poker room or high-limit slots if those are your games. You're unlikely to be disappointed by the overall experience, and the odds are good you'll be back.
Editorial scores based on in-person visits, guest feedback analysis, and competitive benchmarking. October 2026.
Find Your Nearest Location →Whether you're planning a weekend getaway, a poker session, or your first casino visit, Ameristar has the package to make it memorable. Join My Choice free today and start earning rewards from your first visit.
Must be 21+ to enter casino. Please gamble responsibly. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem, call 1-800-522-4700.
