Closest Casinos Near Atlanta, GA

Although there are some that are close and within fairly easy driving range, there are not, currently, any casinos in Atlanta, nor any other part of Georgia.

There is yearly talk around the Georgia State Legislature about introducing a voter referendum allowing a limited number of casinos. But for now, that’s still just talk, and therefore Atlantans who want to satisfy their gambling itch have to either go on a casino cruise, or drive out of state.

Atlanta Casinos

The closest casino to Atlanta (including cruises), is Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino in tiny Murphy, North Carolina.

Harrah's Cherokee Valley River is the closest casino to Atlanta
Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River is the closest casino to Atlanta

Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino

Opened in the fall of 2015, the casino is 122 miles away from the Georgia State Capitol building in downtown Atlanta, (or 197 kilometers). Depending on the traffic, most of the time it would take you between 2 and 2 ½ hours to get there.

During the highest traffic times on Friday afternoons however, Google maps estimates that it would take you 3 hours and 15 minutes to make the drive up Interstate 575, which turns into several state highways 515 and 76 (the Appalachian Highway), as you meander to Mineral Bluff, Georgia where you’ll make sure you take a right on Highway 60.

After you pass through Murphy, North Carolina, (my wife and I found Rib Country BBQ just south of town to be a wonderful stop), the casino is just five miles up the road, on your right, atop a hill.

The casino entrance into the Cherokee Valley River Casino
The casino entrance into the Cherokee Valley River Casino

Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino is a “real” casino, in that it offers a variety of slots, video poker machines, and Las Vegas-style table games. Unlike some Indian casinos you’ll find, Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River has live craps, blackjack, roulette, Mississippi Stud, and 3 card poker. There are also electronic versions of several of these table games.

All total, the resort has just over 1,000 slot machines with limits up to $100. The 50,000 square foot casino floor is also home to 70 table games (but no poker room). In 2021, “The Book” sportsbook opened, featuring a 32 foot TV screen, and four betting windows, along with five betting kiosks.

The sportsbook at Harrah's Cherokee Valley River Casino
The sportsbook at Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino

The food court has five options, including a Starbucks, Nathan’s Famous, Panda Express, Earl of Sandwich and Moe’s Southwest Grill. The eight-story hotel boasts 300 rooms, however it is pretty basic, meaning it does not have a spa, nor pool.

In July of 2018, Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River completed a $13 million dollar expansion, when they opened their new 41,000 square foot UltraStar Multi-tainment Center. The building includes the casino’s first sit-down restaurant (the Landing Cafe), a 16 lane bowling alley, a 2,200 square foot arcade and a lounge with a stage for live music.

Also, self-parking is free here (even if some of the spots do result in a long walk). There are 24 Telsa charging statios. Please also note that you do have to be 21 years of age or older to gamble.

Address, Phone & Website

777 Casino Parkway
Murphy, NC 28906
(828) 422-7777

Website: Caesars.com/HarrahsCherokeeValleyRiver

Atlanta Casinos Map

(Here’s a map showing you directions from Atlanta “A” to the Harrah’s Cherokee casinos. The route on the left is to the Cherokee River Valley Casino while the right side one is to Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort with the red pin.)

In the fall of 2021, the resort announced plans for a $275 million dollar expansion, that would include more casino floor space, a cafe in the lobby, a new restaurant, indoor pool, and a brand new hotel tower.

Harrah’s Cherokee Valley River Casino is the little brother of the much larger and grander Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee, North Carolina.

Harrahs’ Cherokee Casino Resort

Up until September of 2015, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort was considered the closest casino to Atlanta.

The 56 acre property has four times the number of gaming machines (i.e. slot machines, video poker machines, etc.) than its newer, smaller brother in Murphy.

Harrah's Cherokee Casino is 161 miles from downtown Atlanta
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort is 161 miles from downtown Atlanta

However at 40 more miles away, it’s also a longer drive. The Cherokee Casino Resort is 161 miles away, and a normal drive time from Atlanta to this casino clocks in at roughly 3 hours going on I-85, 985 and north on Highway 23. Once you get there, you’ll find plenty of free parking at one of their several multi-story parking garages.

This casino is more of a destination resort, and is the biggest casino in the region, at 150,000 square feet of casino space.

In it you’ll find over 3,000 slot machines and video poker machines, along with 150 table games, with all the usual favorites (blackjack, real craps, roulette, etc.), along with Mississippi Stud, Three Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em.

The Asian-themed, Le Fu Men is sort of a casino within a casino. It’s a little darker and quieter than other areas of the casino floor and has baccarat and blackjack variants, along with a the Noodle Bar restaurant.

Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort is one of the South's biggest casinos
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort is one of the South’s biggest casinos

In 2021, Harrah’s opened their Caesars Sportsbook, which features a 90 foot wide big screen, numerous betting windows and kiosks, VIP seating area, and even three man caves you can book with your buddies.

The resort also boasts a 34 table World Series of Poker, poker room, with bad-beat jackpots, high hand promotions, and nightly tournaments held Mondays through Thursdays.

On the hotel side, a $330 million dollar expansion completed in October 2021 added a fourth hotel tower (this one 19 stories tall), bringing the resort’s total room count to 1,825 rooms and suites.

Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort boasts 4 towers and 1,800 hotel rooms.
Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort boasts 4 towers and 1,800 hotel rooms.

Harrah’s Cherokee Casino hotel has the 18,000 square foot Mandara Spa, an indoor and outdoor pool, along with a three-level, 83,000 square foot convention center.

All total, the property features 12 different restaurants, ranging from a pizza counter to a Dunkin Donuts to a Ruth’s Chris Steak House. Wicked Weed Brewing in nearby Asheville has just opened a brewpub here, (on the second level above Myst), and there is a Starbucks here now as well. Guy Fieri’s Cherokee Kitchen + Bar is a new addition, and Gordon Ramsey’s Food Market is a contemporary twist on the traditional casino food court.

The new Ultrastar Multi-tainment Center boasts a 24 lane bowling alley, arcade, patio and the Esports Zone bar. This is in addition to shops and other bars, like the Myst.

The circular Myst Bar at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort
The circular Myst Bar at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort

As with Cherokee Valley River, Harrah’s Cherokee Casino is non-smoking.

Casinos Near Atlanta

Other than these two Harrah’s properties, which are both owned by the Eastern Band of the Cherokee Indians, and both of which are operated by Caesars Entertainment, there are very few other casinos near Atlanta.

The only other casinos near Atlanta are the Wind Creek Wetumpka Hotel & Casino and the Wind Creek Montgomery Casino – both outside Montgomery, Alabama. From downtown Atlanta, it’s a 154 miles drive to the Wind Creek Montgomery and 161 to Wetumpka. So technically, the Wind Creek Montgomery takes the title for second closest casino to Atlanta.

The outdoor pool and bar area at Harrah's Cherokee Casino Resort
The outdoor pool and bar area at Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort

These Alabama casinos, however, are generally considered inferior to the Harrah’s Cherokee properties. For one, they only offer Class II gaming machines, which are bingo player-shared pool machines, rather than the traditional Las Vegas style slot machines. In addition, these casinos do not offer table games.

(Related: Casinos near Birmingham, Alabama)

Lastly there’s the matter of the man who in 2011, reportedly won a $1.4 million jackpot after playing one of these $5 gaming machines.

When it came time to collect, however, the casino owners, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians, did not pay the man, claiming the machine had a malfunction. The player sued the tribe, but lost at the Alabama Supreme Court after the tribe argued they were protected by “tribal immunity laws.” Consider yourself warned.

Closest Casinos to Atlanta and Area Cities

Here are the distances from Atlanta and surrounding areas to the Cherokee Valley River Casino.

Atlanta: 122 miles
Cumberland: 112 miles
Sandy Springs: 117 miles
Roswell: 99 miles
Johns Creek: 105 miles
Alpharetta: 96 miles
Marietta: 104 miles
Smyrna: 113 miles

Casino Cruises Near Atlanta

Georgia has one line of casino cruises. If you’re not familiar with these, a casino cruise leaves shore for international waters, which is outside U.S. and state gaming law regulations.

The cruises only last for a few hours, and even though you’re outside the jurisdiction of United States and Georgia law, you still have to be 21 years old to gamble on these floating casinos.

The one casino cruise ship in operation in Georgia is the Emerald Princess Casino. However its dock is in Brunswick, 314 miles away, which equals roughly a 4 and ½ hour drive. If you go, your $15 ticket will get you an experience similar to a smaller land-based casino, as the four deck boat has 220 slot machines, 12 blackjack tables, bingo and craps and roulette as well.

Formerly, there was the closer Tradewinds Casino Cruise line, based out of Savannah, however the company closed in the fall of 2015.

Victory Casino Cruises, with 600 slots and 27 table games and a sportsbook, leaves port from Port Canaveral, Florida, 490 miles south of Atlanta.

(By Steve Beauregard. Photos courtesy of gamboool.com and Caesars Entertainment)