The Borgata Atlantic City is a large MGM casino resort in the Marina District, with a dedicated poker room, BetMGM Sportsbook & Bar, two hotel options, and extensive dining and entertainment. Its strongest draw is the ability to build an entire getaway around one property. The catch: it is not on the Boardwalk. Borgata best suits adults planning a casino-centered stay, rather than visitors who want the beach and oceanfront attractions outside their hotel door.
Borgata quick facts
| Address | One Borgata Way, Atlantic City, NJ 08401 |
|---|---|
| Location | Marina District, away from the Boardwalk |
| Property type | Full-service casino hotel and spa |
| Casino hours | 24 hours daily; restaurants, wagering services, and amenities have separate schedules |
| Minimum gambling age | 21 |
| Gaming floor | 161,000 square feet, reported July 2024 |
| Slots | Approximately 2,550, based on the July 2024 inventory |
| Gaming tables | 176 reported in July 2024; not necessarily all open at once |
| Poker room | Yes; advertised capacity of 75-plus tables in July 2024 |
| Retail sportsbook | BetMGM Sportsbook & Bar |
| Hotels | Borgata hotel and MGM Tower |
| Parking | Self-parking and valet; check current charges and benefits |
| Smoking | Designated casino smoking areas; not entirely smoke-free |
| Rewards | MGM Rewards |
| Phone | 609-317-1000 |
| Website | Official Borgata website |
What kind of casino is Borgata?
Borgata is a destination resort, not a modest hotel with a few rows of machines downstairs. Its casino, restaurants, show venues, and leisure facilities give you plenty of reasons to stay put after checking in.
The property opened on July 2, 2003. New Jersey’s casino regulator lists Marina District Development Company, LLC as the casino licensee and MGM Resorts International as its parent company.
The location is the key distinction when comparing Borgata with Atlantic City’s oceanfront resorts. Here, a beach visit is an outing. At a Boardwalk hotel, it can fit between breakfast and your next activity. Neither arrangement is inherently better, but choosing the wrong one for your plans can get tiresome.
My advice: choose the neighborhood before choosing the room. Our New Jersey casino guide is a broader starting point if you are still comparing destinations.
Casino floor and gaming
Borgata’s July 2024 property fact sheet reports 161,000 square feet of gaming space, 2,549 slot machines, and 176 gaming tables, with poker-room capacity listed separately. These are dated inventory figures, not a promise about today’s machine count or how many tables will be staffed.
The useful takeaway is the breadth of the offering. Slots, video poker, live tables, electronic games, poker, and sports betting let people with different gambling preferences use the same resort without much compromise.
A little navigation helps. Pick a specific meeting spot, and leave time to get from the garage or hotel room to dinner. “Meet me in the casino” is not much of a plan here.
Slots and video poker
Borgata’s machine selection includes video slots, reel-style games, and progressives. Titles and denominations change, so I would not make a trip dependent on finding one particular machine.
Check the total wager before pressing the button. A penny denomination does not necessarily mean inexpensive play once required credits and betting options are included.
For video poker, inspect the pay table rather than relying on the game name. Similar-looking machines can offer different payouts. Rewards points are a secondary consideration, not a substitute for checking the game itself.
Jackpot stories, losing sessions, and a busy casino floor do not establish what a machine will pay next.
Table games
Blackjack and roulette are among the traditional games named in the property’s fact sheet. Borgata also offers poker-based house games and electronic table gaming, including video roulette. The lineup and number of staffed tables can change by time and demand.
Do not arrive expecting a particular bargain minimum. Read the posted limit, and check the rules before buying in. Blackjack payouts and roulette wheel formats matter more to your long-term cost than whether a table has an empty chair.
The property also identifies Miralto as a high-limit salon. That does not establish what an ordinary table will cost during a busy weekend.
Borgata poker room
Borgata has a dedicated player-versus-player poker room, advertised in July 2024 with capacity for 75-plus tables. Capacity is not the same as the number of games running.
For a poker-focused trip, this is a meaningful reason to consider Borgata: you can combine sessions with a hotel stay, meals, and entertainment without traveling between properties.
Check the current cash-game lineup, stakes, tournament calendar, and registration procedures before traveling. A large room still needs enough players to support a particular game. Contact the room directly if you want something beyond its most commonly spread games.
The Food Hall Eatery sits below the poker room and BetMGM Race & Sportsbook, making it a casual meal option between sessions.
BetMGM Sportsbook & Bar
Borgata has an on-property retail sportsbook, not merely sports televisions or a mobile app. The July 2024 description lists an 8,000-square-foot BetMGM Sportsbook & Bar with a large LED video wall, six betting windows, high-top tables, booths, and VIP lounge seating.
Placing a wager and securing somewhere comfortable for a group to watch are two different tasks. Before a major event, ask about reservations, seating terms, any minimum spending requirement, and wagering hours. The bar and every betting service may not follow the same schedule.
Mobile wagering has separate age, identity, and location requirements. A hotel reservation does not override them.
Hotel: Borgata or MGM Tower?
The resort offers the main Borgata hotel and MGM Tower, formerly the Water Club. They share a resort complex, but room categories, setting, and amenity access deserve separate consideration.
The July 2024 fact sheet lists 2,000 Borgata rooms and suites plus 757 MGM Tower guest rooms, totaling 2,757 rooms and suites across the two hotel inventories. This is a dated combined total, not current availability.
I would compare the actual room and its access privileges rather than treating one tower name as an automatic upgrade. A main-hotel suite and an entry-level MGM Tower room are different purchases, even when their prices overlap.
- For a casino-centered stay: Compare room placement and the route to the venues you will use most.
- For a pool getaway: Confirm which pools your booking permits you to use, including age restrictions and seasonal closures.
- For value: Compare the final room total, mandatory fees, taxes, parking, and transportation, not just the advertised nightly rate.
Standard check-in is generally 4 p.m., with checkout at 11 a.m. Your reservation’s specific terms control, including cancellation rules and any early-arrival or late-departure charges.
If quiet matters, ask about elevators, connecting doors, and room placement. If smoke is a concern, confirm the room’s smoking designation. A nonsmoking bedroom and a smoke-free resort are not the same thing.
Restaurants, buffet, and bars
Dining is one of the stronger arguments for staying at Borgata rather than treating it as a gambling stop. You can plan a special dinner without making every meal a special-occasion expense.
| What you want | Options to compare | What to consider |
|---|---|---|
| A steakhouse dinner | Old Homestead Steak House or B Prime Steakhouse | Compare menus, prices, and atmosphere; these are separate dining experiences. |
| A sit-down meal beyond steak | Angeline by Michael Symon, American Bar & Grille, or Noodles Of the World | Choose by cuisine and schedule, especially before a show. |
| Variety in one meal | Borgata Buffet | Check the operating day, meal period, and current price. |
| A quicker meal | Bread + Butter, Borgata Baking Company, or The Food Hall Eatery | Useful when you do not want a reservation dictating the day. |
Old Homestead takes a traditional steakhouse direction, while B Prime is presented as more contemporary. Angeline centers on Italian food. Noodles Of the World, often shortened to N.O.W., offers Asian noodle, small-plate, and wok options.
For the buffet, confirm the current meal and price rather than relying on an old figure. Taxes, gratuity, and beverages can affect your total. A buffet is not automatically the least expensive meal simply because it is a buffet.
Bar options include B Bar, Long Bar, the live-music-oriented Gypsy Bar, and Sunroom in the MGM Tower lobby. The Beer Garden is seasonal, so it should not anchor a winter itinerary.
My preference would be to reserve the dinner worth splurging on and keep the other meals flexible. Check restaurant schedules before coordinating dinner with show tickets.
Entertainment, pools, and spa
The Music Box and Event Center are Borgata’s principal ticketed entertainment venues, with comedy and musical performances among the offerings. Premier Nightclub and Gypsy Bar provide other nightlife choices. The actual calendar matters more than the venue count.
Spa Toccare, salon services, fitness facilities, shops, and indoor and outdoor pools give nongambling companions more to do than wait for everyone else to finish playing.
Check pool rules before booking. The July 2024 material describes an indoor splash pad for all ages and outdoor daybeds and cabanas, but that does not establish unrestricted access to every pool. Tower eligibility, age rules, reservations, and seasonal operation can differ.
Budget separately for spa treatments and reserved leisure experiences. Having a spa does not mean treatments are included in the room rate.
Parking, transportation, and visit planning
Getting to Borgata and the Boardwalk
Use One Borgata Way for navigation, then follow signs for your hotel entrance, self-parking, or valet. The property estimates Atlantic City International Airport at approximately 20 minutes away; actual timing depends on traffic and transportation.
Borgata’s official property map labels hotel and suite elevators separately. Ask at check-in which elevator bank serves your room before heading off with your bags.
For a Boardwalk outing, plan transportation both ways rather than assuming an easy walk. If most of your itinerary is oceanfront, repeated trips are a reason to consider a Boardwalk hotel instead.
Parking capacity and charges
New Jersey’s parking inventory lists 6,145 spaces for Borgata as of December 29, 2025, compared with 5,831 at Harrah’s and 2,690 at Golden Nugget. That is substantial capacity, but it does not guarantee a space near your preferred entrance or a quick exit after an event.
Check Borgata’s parking information for current guest charges, valet terms, and rewards benefits. Ask whether payment covers exit and reentry.
The state’s published $3.00 daily parking assessment is an operator remittance, not a quoted Borgata customer parking rate. Do not use it to budget your visit.
Smoking and accessibility
Borgata is not entirely smoke-free. Designated casino smoking areas make exposure a consideration even if you plan to stay in a nonsmoking section.
The resort’s size also matters for visitors with mobility limitations. Discuss accessible-room features, parking access, room location, and equipment arrangements before arrival. Specify what you need rather than relying on “accessible” to cover every circumstance.
Budget for the whole trip
Keep your gambling bankroll separate from room charges, meals, drinks, parking, and transportation.
A discounted room may be less compelling if you spend the weekend paying to travel elsewhere. Conversely, a higher room price can be worthwhile if your poker, dinner, show, and pool plans are all here. Consult Borgata’s official FAQ for reservation policies and practical details.
MGM Rewards
Borgata participates in MGM Rewards. Use your card for qualifying play, and ask how eligible hotel and dining purchases should be credited. Benefits depend on your tier, offer terms, and transaction, so check before assuming an expense is covered.
I regard rewards as a useful extra, not a reason to extend a losing session. Chasing a perk can cost more than simply paying for it.
Our take: who should choose Borgata?
Borgata makes the most sense for adults who want their casino, dinner, show, and hotel in one place, with a substantial poker room and retail sportsbook adding reasons to stay on property. Its dining range, pools, and spa also give nongambling companions options. Choose a Boardwalk hotel if beach access and oceanfront walking are the point of your trip, and weigh smoking exposure, internal walking, and the full stay cost against Borgata’s convenience.
Frequently asked questions
Is Borgata on the Atlantic City Boardwalk?
No. Borgata is in the Marina District. Plan separate transportation for beach visits and Boardwalk sightseeing.
How old do you have to be to gamble at Borgata?
You must be at least 21. Bring valid government-issued photo identification.
Does Borgata have a poker room and sportsbook?
Yes. Borgata has a dedicated player-versus-player poker room and an on-property BetMGM Sportsbook & Bar. Check current poker games, tournaments, wagering hours, and sportsbook seating terms before traveling.
What happened to the Water Club?
The former Water Club is now MGM Tower, part of the Borgata resort complex.
Does Borgata have a buffet?
Yes. Borgata Buffet is part of the dining lineup. Confirm operating days, meal periods, and current prices.
Is Borgata smoke-free?
No. The casino has designated smoking areas. A nonsmoking room does not make the entire resort smoke-free.
Is Borgata worth visiting without staying overnight?
Yes, particularly for poker, dinner, a show, sports viewing, or a casino visit. Include parking and transportation in your budget, and reserve time-sensitive activities ahead.
Sources
- New Jersey Casino Control Commission: casino information, including Borgata’s licensee, address, opening date, and phone number.
- MGM Resorts: Borgata property facts, July 1, 2024, including gaming, hotel, dining, and amenity inventories. These dated figures do not guarantee current availability.
- New Jersey Casino Control Commission: parking information, including capacity as of December 29, 2025, and the operator parking assessment.