Casino Queen East St Louis, branded DraftKings at Casino Queen, is a casino hotel on the Illinois side of the Mississippi River, opposite downtown St. Louis. Its strongest appeal is combining gambling, a sportsbook, and an overnight stay with the possibility of a Gateway Arch view. The main caution is mixed hotel feedback about room condition and value. I see it as a practical choice for sports fans and overnight casino visitors, rather than a place to book expecting a luxury resort weekend.
Casino Queen overview and quick facts
The location matters: this is East St. Louis, Illinois, not St. Louis, Missouri. A skyline view is not the same as being within an easy walk of a downtown restaurant or ballpark. Plan the river crossing as part of your visit.
The advertised 38,000-square-foot gaming floor, hotel, indoor pool, and fitness center make the Queen useful for an overnight gambling trip. They do not make it a sprawling destination resort.
| Location | 200 Front Street, East St. Louis, Illinois 62201 |
|---|---|
| Advertised branding | DraftKings at Casino Queen |
| Gaming floor | 38,000 square feet, according to the official property page |
| Sportsbook | On-site DraftKings Sportsbook advertised |
| Hotel | Approximately 157 rooms, according to Trip.com |
| Hotel amenities | Indoor pool and fitness center advertised |
| Dining | Bridgeway, DraftKings Sportsbook, Eastside BBQ, That Chickn’ Place, and Front Street Coffee Co. |
| Hotel self-parking | Free, according to Trip.com |
| Check-in | 4 p.m. to midnight, according to Trip.com |
| Check-out | Before 11 a.m., according to Trip.com |
| Official contact | 800-777-0777 |
| Source collection date | October 12, 2026 |
Confirm time-sensitive details before traveling. Casino access, staffed tables, sportsbook wagering, and restaurant service can follow different schedules.
Games and casino floor
I would put more weight on whether your preferred game is available than on a headline machine count. the published information establishes the advertised floor size, but not a current slot inventory or table count. If one game is the reason for your drive, confirm its availability and staffing hours directly.
Slots and video poker
Current slot titles, denominations, and video poker pay tables are not established by the supplied sources. I would not promise a particular machine or favorable return.
Check the total wager before spinning: a low denomination does not necessarily mean a cheap spin once credits and betting options are included. For progressives, check whether a particular wager is required. For video poker, the pay table matters more than the cabinet’s appearance.
Guest wins and losses do not establish slot payouts. A memorable jackpot is not evidence that the next visitor has a better chance of winning.
Table games
The advertised lineup names blackjack, roulette, craps, Mississippi Stud, Three Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em. It does not establish which tables will be staffed when you arrive.
Ask about current minimums before planning a table-focused visit, rather than budgeting around an old figure. For blackjack, I would check the payout for a natural blackjack and the playing rules before buying chips, not simply look for a low minimum.
Poker room
There is no dedicated poker room.
Three Card Poker and Ultimate Texas Hold’em are house-banked table games, not conventional poker games against other customers.
DraftKings Sportsbook
The sportsbook is one of the Queen’s more useful distinctions, with advertised food and bar service inside the venue.
A February 2024 company disclosure hosted by the Illinois Gaming Board describes a $10.00 million remodeling project in 2022 involving the sportsbook and multiple food outlets. That investment concerns those public venues, not a promise that every hotel room has been renovated.
- Food service: Listed daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Bar service: Listed daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.
- Entry: Listed as 21 and older.
These are hospitality hours, not confirmed betting-counter hours. If your visit revolves around a major game, ask about seating and wagering service beforehand. An operating sportsbook does not guarantee a seat for the whole broadcast.
Keep physical tickets secure and read their redemption instructions. Do not assume retail access and mobile betting are interchangeable: app eligibility depends on your physical location, account requirements, and applicable rules.
Casino Queen hotel: views, rooms, and booking costs
The advertised room lineup includes king and queen casino-view rooms, river-view rooms, deluxe river-view options, and a Spa King with an in-room jet spa tub. A tub in one category is not a full-service spa.
If the Gateway Arch view matters, reserve a category that explicitly includes it. I would also ask whether the room is one of the refreshed options advertised on the official page, given the mixed feedback about room condition.
Confirm bed configuration and occupancy in your reservation. The supplied official page contains an inconsistent capacity line for one queen river-view category, so the room name alone should not settle that question.
Trip.com lists approximately 157 rooms, check-in from 4 p.m. to midnight, check-out before 11 a.m., and a required $100.00 deposit. The deposit is not evidence of a resort fee or a nonrefundable charge. Ask how it is collected and when it is released or refunded.
Compare the total booking price, including taxes and mandatory charges, rather than an old starting rate. Cancellation terms depend on the room and booking conditions; a prepaid bargain can offer less flexibility.
Pool, fitness facilities, and RV stays
An indoor pool and fitness center are advertised. Confirm access and operating status for your dates if either influences your booking. I would treat them as useful hotel extras, not the basis for expecting an elaborate resort experience.
The approved material also describes an RV accommodation option, but current availability, hookups, rates, and access terms are not established by the supplied opened sources. Confirm directly before making an RV trip. A designated RV stay and permission to camp in a parking space are different things.
Restaurants and bars: check the service days
The five advertised dining venues do not all operate daily.
- Bridgeway: Steakhouse-style dining with seafood, pasta, and other entrées. Listed Wednesday through Saturday, 4 p.m. to 10 p.m., for guests 21 and older. If dinner is the centerpiece of your evening, I would reserve or ask about availability.
- Eastside BBQ: Pulled pork, turkey breast, burnt ends, ribs, and sides. Listed Wednesday through Saturday, 2 p.m. to 10 p.m.
- DraftKings Sportsbook: Appetizers, burgers, and stadium-style food, with daily service listed above.
- That Chickn’ Place: Walkup salads, wings, fries, and sandwiches. Extended Friday and Saturday hours are advertised, but confirm the closing time before relying on a late meal.
- Front Street Coffee Co.: Coffee and tea. Listed 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday and Tuesday, and 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday.
My practical comparison: Monday and Tuesday offer fewer listed dining choices than Wednesday through Saturday. Bridgeway and Eastside BBQ are not listed as open early in the week, and the coffee outlet closes earlier. If a steakhouse dinner is part of the plan, choose the day before choosing the room.
Advertised dining deals and budget comparisons
Gamboool assembled the supplied offers and calculations to compare costs and restrictions. These are public advertised prices, not bills from a meal I ate here. Confirm availability before budgeting around a promotion.
Gamboool original analysis
We assembled the comparison below from published information and our calculations. These are selected examples, rather than measured gambling sessions or a representative survey.
| Detail | Published information |
|---|---|
| Casino Queen dining: Restricted eligibility discount | A 20% dining discount is advertised at all outlets for police officers in uniform, rather than for all visitors. |
| Bridgeway: Service days, hours, and age restriction | Bridgeway lists Wednesday through Saturday evening service and requires guests to be at least 21. |
| Bridgeway social hour: Prices and restrictions | Selected cocktails and appetizers are each $5.00, with dine-in service restricted to the advertised afternoon window. |
| Bridgeway soup-and-salad combo: Price, choice, and availability | The $10.00 combo includes the featured soup and a choice of House or Caesar salad, with a narrower service window than the restaurant’s full evening hours. |
| Bridgeway October steak night: Dated dinner special | The page advertises steak frites for $25.00 on Thursdays in October; it is a dine-in special, not a standing nightly price. |
| DraftKings Sportsbook dining: Food versus bar service hours | The listed daily bar service runs later than food service; these hours do not establish betting-counter hours. |
| DraftKings Sportsbook game-day special: Price, purchase limit, and event restriction | Hot dogs and the monthly beer special are each $2.00. Hot dogs are limited to two per customer, and the offer is tied to St. Louis baseball home games. |
| DraftKings Sportsbook tailgate package: Group-food price and optional add-on | The food package is advertised at $150.00, with bottle service starting at an additional $100.00. The source does not state a guaranteed serving count. |
| Front Street Coffee Co.: Weekday service differences | The coffee outlet closes earlier on Monday and Tuesday than on Wednesday through Sunday, making the day of the visit relevant to evening availability. |
| Casino Queen Hotel: Third-party check-in and check-out policy | Trip.com lists check-in from 4 p.m. to midnight, check-out before 11 a.m., and a continuously staffed front desk. |
| Casino Queen Hotel: Third-party deposit policy | Trip.com lists a required fixed $100.00 deposit. The extracted policy does not specify its refund timing or payment method. |
| Casino Queen Hotel: Third-party self-parking price | Trip.com lists free on-site self-parking for the hotel; this does not establish valet prices or RV accommodation terms. |
| Casino Queen Hotel: Third-party pet policy | Trip.com states that pets are not allowed; the passage does not address service animals. |
| Casino Queen Hotel: Booking-specific cancellation policy | Trip.com makes cancellation terms dependent on room type and booking terms rather than promising a universal free-cancellation deadline. |
| Casino Queen Hotel guest feedback: Individual review combining praise and a staffing concern | A review posted May 1, 2025 praises the river view and indoor pool while noting limited nearby surroundings and possible understaffing. This is an individual account, not an established recurring theme. |
| Casino Queen Hotel guest feedback: Individual equipment and convenience complaint | A review posted May 18, 2026 reports a small television, no in-room microwave, and a broken ice machine. It does not establish the condition or equipment of every room. |
| Calculation | Result | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Bridgeway social-hour appetizer and cocktail subtotal | 10 US dollars, before tax and tip | The appetizer-and-cocktail pairing provides a reproducible light-dining budget, but the advertised offer is dine-in only during Bridgeway’s social-hour window. |
| Sportsbook baseball home-game snack-and-beer subtotal | 6 US dollars, before tax and tip | This snack budget stays within the published hot-dog limit, but the promotion is restricted to dine-in service around St. Louis baseball home games. |
| Illustrative equal split of the sportsbook tailgate package | $25.00 per person, before tax, tip, and drinks | An equal split makes the package easier to budget for a group; the source does not establish how many people it feeds. |
| Tailgate package with the lowest advertised bottle-service add-on | 250 US dollars, starting subtotal before tax and tip | Bottle service increases the package budget, and the published starting price is not a guaranteed quote for every bottle selection. |
| Illustrative dining discount for an eligible uniformed police officer | $10.00 of discount | Eligible uniformed police officers can budget for a dining discount, but should confirm which purchases qualify and whether it combines with specials. |
Research references: casinos.ballys.com, trip.com.
Method: Published inputs collected 2026-10-12. Illustrative assumptions are labeled, and the full calculation inputs remain in the saved research record. These examples support planning; they do not predict a particular session.
Bridgeway social hour: One selected appetizer and one selected cocktail total $10.00 before tax and tip. The offer is dine-in only from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m., within the restaurant’s listed service days. A soup-and-salad combo is separately advertised at $10.00 during that window. I would treat either as light dining, not a full steakhouse dinner at that price.
Baseball home-game special: Two promotional hot dogs and one monthly beer special produce a $6.00 subtotal before tax and tip, within the two-hot-dog limit. The offer is dine-in only on St. Louis baseball home-game days, with availability advertised two hours before scheduled game time. It is not an everyday meal price.
Group package: The advertised $150.00 tailgate food package works out to an illustrative $25.00 per person if six adults split it equally, before tax, tip, and drinks. Six people is a budgeting assumption, not a published serving count. Adding bottle service at its lowest advertised starting price brings the starting subtotal to $250.00 before tax and tip; the selected bottle may cost more.
Restricted discount: A 20% dining discount is advertised for police officers in uniform, not all visitors. On an illustrative eligible $50.00 subtotal, the supplied calculation gives a $10.00 discount. Ask which purchases qualify and whether it combines with specials.
The useful comparison is eligibility and timing, not just price. A qualifying game-day deal does little for someone arriving on a different afternoon.
Parking, directions, accessibility, and smoking
Use the East St. Louis address in your navigation app, and allow for bridge traffic and downtown events when traveling from Missouri. The hotel listing identifies nearby East Riverfront rail access. Check current MetroLink schedules, fares, and your return connection before relying on transit for a late visit.
Trip.com lists free hotel self-parking. That does not establish separate event-day restrictions, valet arrangements, or RV terms.
The same listing identifies a stair-free main entrance, Braille signs, and an elevator. For specific accessibility needs, ask about the room layout and the route between parking, the hotel, and the casino. A general accessibility label does not promise a roll-in shower.
Trip.com lists no smoking in hotel public areas. That passage does not establish casino-floor smoking policy or vaping rules. Ask directly if smoke exposure would affect your visit.
Keep the gambling bankroll separate from your room, meals, drinks, and transportation budget. Rewards and an ATM should not be reasons to raise your limit.
Rewards program
Current loyalty benefits are not detailed in the published information. Ask the players club how eligible machine and table play is tracked before starting.
I would not assume a DraftKings sportsbook account also records casino play or provides hotel benefits. Check qualifying dates, expiration, and charges that remain payable on each offer.
What hotel guests praise and criticize
Recurring praise
River and Gateway Arch views recur as highlights in the supplied visible Trip.com reviews. Friendly staff, service, and proximity to downtown or transit also receive praise. The view stands out because guests can appreciate it even when they have reservations about other parts of the stay.
Complaints and mixed experiences
Room wear is the clearest recurring caution, including complaints about carpets, furnishings, and curtains. A May 2026 guest also reported equipment and convenience problems, including a broken ice machine. That individual account does not establish every room’s condition.
Service and value receive conflicting assessments. Friendly-service and good-price comments sit alongside reports of understaffing, missed housekeeping, and stays that did not justify their price. Some concerns date to 2025; the equipment complaint is more recent. The material does not establish whether room assignment, maintenance, staffing, or expectations explain the differences.
Review limitation: These are selected hotel impressions from one booking platform, not a representative survey or a casino-wide assessment. The supplied comments span 2024 through 2026, and some favorable 2026 entries provide little detail.
My takeaway is to book for convenience and a specific room category, while comparing the full price with alternatives. I would not dismiss the favorable stays, but I would not ignore room-condition complaints simply because the skyline looks good.
Who Casino Queen is best for
- Sports fans who want sportsbook dining and a place to follow the game.
- Overnight casino visitors who prefer accommodation at the casino complex.
- View-focused travelers willing to book a river-view category for the Arch and skyline.
- St. Louis-area gamblers seeking an Illinois-side gambling stop rather than an elaborate resort itinerary.
It is a less obvious fit for a luxury spa weekend, a family resort vacation, or a poker trip dependent on a confirmed cash game. For alternatives, see our guide to Illinois casinos.
Frequently asked questions
Is Casino Queen in Illinois or Missouri?
Illinois. It is in East St. Louis, across the Mississippi River from downtown St. Louis, Missouri.
Does Casino Queen have a sportsbook?
Yes, an on-site DraftKings Sportsbook is advertised. Confirm wagering hours separately from food and bar service.
Does Casino Queen have a hotel and pool?
Yes. Hotel accommodations, an indoor pool, and a fitness center are advertised. Confirm facility access for your stay dates.
Does Casino Queen have a live poker room?
The supplied current material does not establish an operating player-versus-player poker room or tournament schedule. Confirm before making a poker trip.
Is parking free at Casino Queen?
Trip.com lists free hotel self-parking. Separate event, valet, and RV policies are not established here.
Is the $100.00 hotel deposit a resort fee?
The supplied listing identifies it as a deposit, not a resort fee or nonrefundable charge. Ask about collection and release terms.
Are all five restaurants open daily?
No. Bridgeway and Eastside BBQ list Wednesday-through-Saturday service. Check current outlet schedules before visiting.
What age restrictions are listed?
The dining page lists Bridgeway and the sportsbook as 21 and older. Trip.com lists the main hotel guest as at least 21. Confirm casino admission requirements directly, and bring valid photo identification.
Sources and editorial research note
- Official DraftKings at Casino Queen property page: advertised location, gaming-floor size, hotel amenities, room categories, and contact information.
- Official casino gaming page: advertised table-game lineup.
- Official dining page: venues, schedules, age restrictions, and offers used in the supplied budget comparisons.
- February 2024 company disclosure hosted by the Illinois Gaming Board: sportsbook and food-outlet remodeling information.
- Trip.com Casino Queen Hotel listing: third-party hotel policies, parking, accessibility information, and selected guest comments.
- Legacy official property-information URL: the supplied retrieval resolved to the Bally’s-hosted property page.
- Original property website link: retained from the existing WordPress page.
Editorial research note: This guide uses supplied public-source extracts collected October 12, 2026, selected hotel-review observations, and supplied arithmetic. The comparisons are an editorial compilation, not exclusive underlying research, a representative guest survey, or a firsthand visit. The article is ready for user editorial review, not independently fact-checked. Promotional offers and operating details remain subject to review before publication, which is a separate action. The existing WordPress image is retained; no new hero or section photography was generated.