Presque Isle Downs & Casino is a 24-hour racetrack casino near I-90 south of Erie, Pennsylvania, with more than 1,500 slots, live table games, a retail sportsbook, and seasonal Thoroughbred racing. I think its strongest appeal is variety without much travel fuss: a casino-and-dinner outing or a visit built around the races. Smoking and the lack of an on-property hotel are the main trade-offs. It best suits regional players, racing fans, and highway travelers rather than visitors seeking a self-contained resort.
Presque Isle Downs at a glance
| Address | 8199 Perry Highway, Erie, PA 16509 |
|---|---|
| Property type | Commercial racetrack casino |
| Owner / operator | Churchill Downs Incorporated / PID, LLC |
| Casino hours | 24 hours daily |
| Live table-game hours | 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily |
| Minimum casino age | 21, including entry to casino restaurants |
| Gaming inventory | 1,525 slots and 31 tables reported August 20, 2025; current inventory may differ |
| Poker room | No |
| Retail sportsbook | Yes; sports-betting kiosk access advertised as available 24/7 |
| On-property hotel | No |
| Dining | LBV Steakhouse, Churchill’s Bourbon & Brew, and The INCafé |
| Parking | Free, including overnight RV parking in the lower lot; no valet |
| Smoking | Permitted; advertised as 50% smoking and 50% nonsmoking gaming |
| Rewards | Presque Isle Downs & Casino Players Club |
| Phone | 866-374-3386 |
| Official website | Presque Isle Downs & Casino |
| Information collected | October 13, 2026; individual source dates vary |
What kind of casino is Presque Isle Downs?
Presque Isle Downs combines a year-round casino with a working Thoroughbred racetrack. A live race card gives visitors a reason to step away from the machines and makes this a different outing from a straightforward casino stop.
The setting is practical rather than waterfront. The address uses Erie, while the host municipality is Summit Township. Despite the name, this is not a casino on Presque Isle’s beaches or Erie’s bayfront. A lakefront outing and a casino visit are separate stops.
The property opened in February 2007, and Churchill Downs Incorporated completed its purchase in January 2019. The useful distinction today is simpler: this is a racino, not a hotel resort. For other trip styles, see our guide to Pennsylvania casinos.
Casino floor and games
The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board reported 1,525 slot machines and 31 table games on August 20, 2025. These are dated inventory figures, not a promise that every machine remains in place or every table will be staffed. The property’s FAQ gives the compatible rounded descriptions of more than 1,500 slots and more than 30 tables.
I would describe this as a machine-focused casino with enough alternatives to keep a mixed group interested. Live tables, sports betting, and horse-race wagering broaden the outing, but each operates differently. An all-night casino does not mean every service runs all night.
Slots and video poker
The property advertises slot denominations ranging from pennies to its High Limit Room. A penny denomination does not mean a penny total wager, so check the full spin cost, especially when extra lines or features are involved.
I would not make a special trip for a particular cabinet without checking first. Inventories change, and neither a dated machine count nor a guest’s winning session tells you what a machine will return.
The official dining page identifies bar-top video poker machines at select bar locations. That gives players somewhere to start looking, although it does not specify the games or pay tables. If video poker is your priority, ask about the current selection before traveling, and inspect the pay table before playing.
Table games and hours
The published lineup includes blackjack, craps, mini baccarat, DJ Wild, Mississippi Stud, roulette, Three Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em.
Live table-game hours are 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily. That matters for an early-morning stop, even though the casino remains open. The inventory count also does not establish how many tables will be running on a quiet weekday.
I would not budget around an assumed low-limit table. Check the posted minimum and rules before buying in. Blackjack players should look at the blackjack payout as well as the minimum wager.
Poker room
Presque Isle Downs has no dedicated player-versus-player poker room. Three Card Poker, Mississippi Stud, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em are house-banked table games, not cash games against other visitors. Video poker is a separate machine game.
Sportsbook
Presque Isle Downs has an on-property retail sportsbook by Bar 90. Its FAQ also identifies sports-betting kiosks inside Churchill’s Bourbon & Brew and in the High Limit Room, and advertises sports betting around the clock.
That supports a late-night betting option, but it does not establish 24-hour staffed-counter service or round-the-clock access to every kiosk location. If you need help placing a bet or redeeming a ticket, ask about counter hours and payment arrangements before leaving town.
Horse racing and age restrictions
Live Thoroughbred racing is the property’s distinguishing feature. The operator’s May 2025 presentation describes a one-mile track with a synthetic Tapeta surface and a simulcast center.
The official racing page describes the live season as running weekly from May through October. That is a broad planning window, not a daily schedule. Check the race calendar for dates and post times before choosing your travel day.
My preference would be to plan around an actual race card rather than arrive hoping the track is active. Simulcasting provides wagering on races elsewhere, but watching a screen is a different outing from watching horses run in front of you.
Casino entry and casino dining require age 21. Horse-race wagering is permitted from age 18 at the specified outdoor terminals or in the pari-mutuel room during live racing. Children may attend races on the outdoor patio when accompanied by an adult throughout the visit. That outdoor permission does not extend to dining inside LBV or Churchill’s.
Does Presque Isle Downs have a hotel?
No. There is no on-property hotel. Overnight visitors must book lodging separately and arrange transportation between the hotel and casino.
I would choose the hotel around the rest of the trip. Staying near the casino makes sense when gambling and racing are the priorities. Staying elsewhere in Erie may be better when waterfront dining or Presque Isle State Park is the bigger attraction.
Compare the complete lodging cost, including taxes, any hotel parking charges, and transportation. Do not assume a nearby hotel offers a casino shuttle or that a short distance on a map makes for an easy walk.
Restaurants and bars
The three dining options serve different purposes:
- LBV Steakhouse: The more substantial sit-down choice, with steaks, seafood, cocktails, and wine. I would treat this as a planned meal rather than a quick gambling break.
- Churchill’s Bourbon & Brew: Casual dining on the second floor overlooking the track, with barbecue, burgers, other American dishes, beer, and bourbon.
- The INCafé: Grab-and-go food just off the casino floor, suited to a shorter stop.
Bar 90 is another named bar location. Confirm dining days, hours, and reservation arrangements before committing to a particular meal. A 24-hour casino does not guarantee that its sit-down restaurants are open whenever you get hungry.
The useful comparison is service style, not a claim that one restaurant is better. The available guest reports do not support a current food-quality verdict, and I would not plan around a buffet.
Directions, parking, and practical visit information
The casino is just south of I-90, Exit 27, at 8199 Perry Highway. Free parking makes it a straightforward driving stop. Free overnight RV parking is available in the lower lot, but that is parking permission, not a promise of campground hookups or services.
There is no valet. Visitors needing mobility assistance should account for the trip from their vehicle to the entrance.
Three planning distinctions worth remembering
Comparing the published policies highlights a few differences that are easy to miss:
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 |
|---|---|
| Presque Isle Downs & Casino operating authorization: License renewal and term | The PGCB announced a five-year license renewal on August 20, 2025; this documents regulatory authorization rather than guaranteeing future operations. |
| Casino versus live table games: Daily operating schedules | The casino is open around the clock, but published table-game hours are 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily. |
| Casino gambling versus horse-race betting: Minimum ages and permitted racing locations | Casino-floor play requires age 21; horse-race betting is permitted at age 18 at the specified outdoor terminals or pari-mutuel room during live racing. |
| LBV and Churchill’s Bourbon & Brew: Children’s dining access | The FAQ does not permit children to enter the casino to dine at these restaurants. |
| Outdoor racetrack patio: Children’s access compared with casino dining | Children may attend outdoor races if accompanied by an adult throughout the visit. |
| Wheelchairs versus scooters: Complimentary mobility assistance | Wheelchairs are complimentary and first come, first served; personal chairs and motorized accommodations are permitted. |
| Scooter rentals: Short-visit versus all-day prices | Guest Services/Cage lists scooter rentals at $15.00 for three hours or $30.00 for all day. |
| Smoking and nonsmoking gaming: Published allocation | The property advertises an equal split between smoking and nonsmoking gaming, not a completely smoke-free casino. |
| Overnight lodging: On-property hotel availability | There is no on-property hotel; overnight hotel accommodations must be arranged separately. |
| Visitor parking: Standard and overnight RV parking costs | Parking is free, including overnight RV parking in the lower lot; the passage does not promise campground hookups. |
| Parking services: Valet availability | Valet service is not available, so visitors needing mobility assistance should plan accordingly. |
| Sports betting: Kiosk access versus staffed-counter assumptions | The FAQ advertises round-the-clock sports betting through kiosks in several locations; it does not establish round-the-clock staffed-counter service. |
| Casino game inventory: Dated regulatory counts | The August 20, 2025, license-renewal announcement reported 1,525 slots and 31 table games; these are dated inventory figures, not a count of games open during any particular visit. |
| Live table-game selection: Published game types | The FAQ lists blackjack, craps, mini baccarat, DJ Wild, Mississippi Stud, roulette, Three Card Poker, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em; this list does not establish a player-versus-player poker room. |
| Dining choices: Sit-down versus quick-service formats | The May 2025 hearing presentation distinguishes a steak-and-seafood restaurant, a casual barbecue-and-burger venue, and grab-and-go dining. |
| Casino location: Interstate access and street address | The property is just south of I-90 Exit 27 at 8199 Perry Highway in Erie. |
| RV visitor feedback: Lower-lot use in an August 3, 2025, review | Reviewer AJH reported parking with other RVs in the lower lot, consistent with the official overnight RV parking policy; this is an individual account, not a parking-availability guarantee. |
| RV visitor feedback: Older review’s overnight-parking impressions | An October 19, 2019, review by David described repeated stays and favorable parking conditions; these historical impressions do not establish current lighting, noise, or security conditions. |
| Calculation | Result | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Effective hourly cost of the three-hour scooter rental | $5.00 per included rental hour | Use this hourly benchmark to budget for a short visit; it does not establish an hourly rental option. |
| Additional cost to choose the all-day scooter rental | $15.00 | Compare the upgrade cost with your planned visit length, and ask Guest Services how the property defines all day before renting. |
Research references: gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov 1, presqueisledowns.com, gamingcontrolboard.pa.gov 3, parkadvisor.com.
Method: Published inputs collected 2026-10-13. 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.
- All-night gambling is not all-night table play. Slots and advertised sports-betting kiosk access suit a late stop more readily than live tables, which have their own schedule.
- Outdoor racing access is not casino access. Families can attend races under the patio rules without being allowed into the casino restaurants.
- Free overnight parking is not an overnight resort stay. RV travelers and hotel guests have different arrangements to make.
Smoking policy
The property advertises an equal split between smoking and nonsmoking gaming. That is not a smoke-free building, and I would not treat the nonsmoking designation as a guarantee against smoke exposure. If smoke strongly affects your comfort, this is a meaningful reason to choose another casino.
Wheelchairs and scooter rental costs
Complimentary wheelchairs are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Personal chairs and motorized accommodations are also permitted.
Published scooter rental prices are $15.00 for three hours or $30.00 for all day. Using those prices, the three-hour package works out to $5.00 per included hour, and choosing all day costs $15.00 more. The hourly figure is a budgeting comparison, not an advertised hourly rental option. Ask Guest Services how “all day” is defined, and confirm current prices before renting.
Players Club and gambling budget
The Presque Isle Downs & Casino Players Club is free to join. Before playing, ask how eligible play earns rewards, where points can be used, and whether an offer applies to your account.
I would view rewards as a small addition to a visit you already wanted to make, not a reason to increase your bankroll. Set aside meal and transportation money first, and do not assume rewards transfer to every Churchill Downs property.
Guest praise and practical limitations
The clearest recurring praise in the available customer reports concerns free overnight RV parking. ParkAdvisor travelers appreciate having somewhere to stop and rest. Older accounts describe the parking as level and reasonably quiet, with one also mentioning lighting. An August 2025 reviewer reported using the lower lot alongside other RVs.
These are individual traveler impressions, not guarantees of present-day noise, lighting, security, or space availability. Most reports are older and concern parking rather than the casino experience.
One reviewer disliked the buffet in 2019 while appreciating the overnight stop. That isolated complaint does not establish the quality of today’s restaurants. These RV reports also do not establish recurring casino-service complaints or an overall guest consensus.
The clearer planning limitations are the property’s published policies: smoking is permitted, there is no hotel or valet, and live tables are not available around the clock.
Who Presque Isle Downs is best for
I would choose Presque Isle Downs for an Erie-area casino outing, a planned race-day visit, or an I-90 stop where free parking and game variety matter more than resort amenities. RV travelers’ reports reinforce the appeal of overnight parking, although their impressions are subjective and mostly older. Dining adds flexibility, but separate hotel arrangements and permitted smoking are real trade-offs. Visitors wanting a smoke-free floor or rooms under the same roof should choose another property.
Frequently asked questions
Is Presque Isle Downs open?
Yes. The property advertises a 24-hour casino. The Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board renewed its license for five years on August 20, 2025, following review of financial concerns. That renewal is regulatory authorization, not a guarantee of future operations.
Does Presque Isle Downs have a sportsbook?
Yes. It has a retail sportsbook by Bar 90 and sports-betting kiosks in several locations. Advertised 24-hour kiosk betting does not establish 24-hour staffed-counter service.
Does it have a poker room?
No. It has poker-themed table games and video poker, but no dedicated player-versus-player poker room.
Is parking free?
Yes, including overnight RV parking in the lower lot. Valet is not available, and RV parking should not be treated as a full-service campground.
Is the casino smoke-free?
No. Smoking is permitted, with the property advertising 50% smoking and 50% nonsmoking gaming.
Can children eat at the casino restaurants?
No. Casino entry, including dining at LBV and Churchill’s Bourbon & Brew, requires age 21. Accompanied children may attend races on the outdoor patio under the property’s rules.
Are live tables available all night?
No. Published table-game hours are 11 a.m. to 3 a.m. daily, even though the casino is open 24 hours.
Sources
- Presque Isle Downs official FAQ: visitor policies, hours, games, dining access, parking, accessibility, and sportsbook kiosks.
- Pennsylvania Gaming Control Board license-renewal announcement, August 20, 2025: operator, license renewal, and dated gaming inventory.
- Operator’s license-renewal presentation, May 21, 2025: ownership history, racetrack, and dining formats.
- ParkAdvisor traveler reports: individual RV-parking experiences.
Information was collected October 13, 2026. Inventories, schedules, and policies can change. Customer reports are subjective accounts, not a representative survey or evidence of a firsthand Gamboool visit. The scooter comparisons use the property’s published rental prices.
Poker room and sportsbook
There is no dedicated poker room.