Little Wind Casino in Ethete, Wyoming, is a small, slot-focused casino on the Wind River Indian Reservation, with Morning Star Restaurant inside. Its strongest appeal is a straightforward gambling-and-meal stop for visitors already nearby. Its main limitation is scope: the available information does not establish the hotel, live gaming, or entertainment lineup you would expect from a destination resort. I would consider it for a casual local outing, not build a full casino vacation around it.
Little Wind Casino at a glance
| Address | 800 Blue Sky Hwy., Ethete, WY 82520 |
|---|---|
| Property format | Small casino with an on-site restaurant |
| Main attraction | Slot-machine gaming |
| Slot selection | More than 160 machines reported by an undated third-party listing, not a confirmed current inventory |
| Casino hours | Listed by a third-party directory as open 24 hours daily; confirm directly |
| Dining | Morning Star Restaurant, listed as open noon to 8 p.m. daily |
| Phone | (307) 438-7000 |
| Best fit | A short slot-and-meal stop while nearby |
| Source collection date | October 12, 2026 |
The Wind River Indian Reservation visitor listing supplies the address and phone number. The official Little Wind Casino page advertises promotions and restaurant service, supporting its advertised operating status rather than independently confirming today’s operation. Call before making a special trip.
What kind of casino is Little Wind?
Think community-scale casino rather than sprawling resort. The available descriptions point to a modest machine-gaming venue where a casual meal can be part of the visit.
To me, that smaller format is neither automatically a strength nor a drawback. A manageable stop may be exactly what you want. An evening moving between blackjack, a poker room, a steakhouse, and a show is not an itinerary the documented offerings support.
Do not confuse Little Wind with Wind River Hotel & Casino. Little Wind has its own Ethete address, even though its property page appears on the Wind River Hotel Casino website. A shared website does not mean both locations offer the same amenities.
Slots and video poker
Loc8NearMe’s property listing describes more than 160 slot machines, including older favorites and newer Vegas-style games. That undated directory figure gives a sense of scale, but it is not an exact current inventory and is not corroborated by the supplied official page.
I would not choose Little Wind based on an old list of machine titles. Cabinets, denominations, and selections change. If a particular slot or video poker game is the reason for your drive, ask first. The available sources do not establish a current video poker inventory or pay-table selection.
Check the total wager per spin rather than relying on the machine’s denomination. A penny designation does not necessarily mean a penny bet. Keep gambling money separate from your food and transportation budget.
The Northern Arapaho Nation’s 2014 Class III gaming procedures require summaries of game rules and the odds paid on winning wagers to be conspicuously posted or readily available in pamphlet or electronic form in the gaming area. Ask where to find that information if payout terms are unclear. Winning-wager payouts are not the same thing as an overall slot return percentage.
No property-specific slot return figure is established here. Guest reports of wins, disappointing bonuses, or “tight” machines cannot establish the casino’s actual payout percentage.
Table games, poker, and sportsbook availability
The supplied current sources do not establish live table games, a poker room, or a retail sportsbook at Little Wind. I would plan this as a slot visit, not a blackjack, live poker, or sports-betting destination.
That is a planning recommendation, not confirmation that every other form of gaming is absent. Call if one of those activities is essential to your trip.
Hotel and overnight planning
No on-site hotel is established by the supplied sources. Plan on lodging elsewhere unless the property tells you otherwise.
Lander and Riverton are areas to consider for an overnight stay. I would choose accommodation around the rest of the itinerary, then account for the journey back from Ethete. An inexpensive room is less convenient if it leaves you with a drive you do not want to make late at night.
Do not assume a separate hotel’s pool, shuttle, or other facilities are available to Little Wind visitors. Confirm arrangements with the hotel itself.
Morning Star Restaurant: hours, menu, and costs
Morning Star is the clearest documented amenity beyond gambling. Its official restaurant page and menu list daily service from noon to 8 p.m., with burgers, sandwiches, breakfast dishes, and comfort-food entrées.
A breakfast menu does not mean morning opening hours. The published opening time is noon. Check directly before planning eggs and coffee ahead of an early gambling session.
Listed options include an $11.00 breakfast sandwich with hash brown patties, a $12.00 classic breakfast, a $13.00 chicken sandwich, $17.00 fish and chips, and $18.00 chicken fried steak. Prices and availability can change.
Compare the whole meal, not just the price
The chicken fried steak costs $5.00 more than the chicken sandwich, but its description explicitly includes mashed potatoes and vegetables or corn. The sandwich description does not specify an included side. These are not identical meal packages, so the cheaper item is not automatically the better-value dinner.
The build-your-own hamburger starts at $10.00, with bacon at $2.50 and cheese at $1.50. Fries are not stated as included with that adult burger, although the children’s burger specifically lists them. Ask before assuming your order comes with a side.
For an illustrative two-person dinner, two fish-and-chips entrées at $17.00 each produce a $34.00 food subtotal. That assumes one entrée per person and excludes drinks, any tax, and tip. It is a menu-based planning estimate, not a receipt from a meal we purchased.
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 |
|---|---|
| Published daily dining hours | The official restaurant page lists noon to 8 p.m. daily; do not equate dining hours with the casino’s listed around-the-clock schedule. |
| Little Wind Casino: Third-party weekly operating schedule | Loc8NearMe lists the casino as open 24 hours every day; this is a directory listing, not an official hours confirmation. |
| Little Wind Casino: Visitor-directory address and telephone | The reservation visitor page lists 800 Blue Sky Highway, Ethete, WY 82520, and (307) 438-7000. |
| Little Wind Casino: Directory-reported slot selection | Loc8NearMe describes more than 160 slots, including older games and newer Vegas-style offerings; this is not a dated official inventory. |
| Official location and history | The operator describes the restaurant as inside Little Wind Casino and serving guests since 2009. |
| Breakfast sandwich price and inclusions | The listed breakfast sandwich costs $11.00 and includes hash brown patties; the breakfast heading does not establish morning opening hours. |
| Classic breakfast price and inclusions | The classic breakfast costs $12.00 and includes eggs, a meat choice, hash brown patties, and toast. |
| Build-your-own burger pricing | The hamburger starts at $10.00, with separately priced patties, mushrooms, cheese, bacon, and jalapeno. |
| Chicken sandwich price and preparation choices | The chicken sandwich costs $13.00 and offers grilled or crispy fried chicken; this description does not specify an included side. |
| Chicken fried steak price and included sides | The $18.00 chicken fried steak includes gravy, mashed potatoes, and vegetables or corn. |
| Fish-and-chips price and inclusions | Fish and chips costs $17.00 and includes fries, tartar sauce, and lemon. |
| Children’s burger price and inclusions | The children’s burger costs $8.00 and includes french fries; the menu alone does not establish casino-floor access rules for minors. |
| Beverage price comparison | Soda costs $2.00, coffee costs $3.00, and juice costs $4.00. |
| Dessert price comparison | Listed desserts range from $2.25 ice cream to $6.00 cheesecake with topping. |
| Little Wind Casino guest feedback: Dated quiet-floor anecdote | One July 2024 reviewer reported an empty gambling floor and found the visit boring; this is an individual experience, not a measured crowd pattern. |
| Little Wind Casino guest feedback: Dated food praise | One November 2023 reviewer praised eating at the casino and specifically mentioned bacon cheeseburgers. |
| Little Wind Casino guest feedback: Historical navigation warning | A review displayed as eight years old reported GPS routing to Ethete Store instead of the casino; use the full street address rather than treating this as a current navigation test. |
| Calculation | Result | Takeaway |
|---|---|---|
| Chicken fried steak versus chicken sandwich price difference | $5.00 | The sandwich has the lower listed price, but the steak description explicitly includes sides, so these are not identical meal packages. |
| Two fish-and-chips entrées before drinks, tax, and tip | $34.00 | For a couple stopping for dinner, keep this food subtotal separate from drinks, tax, tip, and the gambling budget. |
Research references: windriverhotelcasino.com 1, loc8nearme.com, sparrow-pineapple-3cy9.squarespace.com, windriverhotelcasino.com 4, urcomped.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.
Gamboool assembled the published menu details and supplied calculations to make these comparisons reproducible. They are planning references, not guaranteed bills or firsthand restaurant tests.
Directions, casino hours, and visitor policies
Use the full address, 800 Blue Sky Highway, Ethete, WY 82520, when navigating. For an out-of-town visit, I would arrange the return journey before gambling rather than count on finding a ride at the last minute.
Loc8NearMe lists the casino as open 24 hours daily. The supplied official page does not provide readable casino-hours information. Morning Star’s noon-to-8 p.m. hours apply to dining, so the two schedules are not contradictory.
Parking fees, valet service, airport transfers, smoking rules, accessibility features, and the minimum gambling age are not established by the supplied sources. Bring government-issued photo identification, and call (307) 438-7000 about any policy that could determine whether your visit works.
The restaurant’s children’s menu does not establish where minors may enter or how restaurant access works. Families should ask specifically about dining access.
Rewards, promotions, and entertainment
The official page advertises promotions, but the published information mixes October headings with April offers and an invalid April date range. I would not plan a drive around those displayed dates without confirmation.
Ask which offers are active, whether enrollment is required, and how redemption works. Rewards-program terms and cross-property benefits are not established here. Free play is not the same thing as cash, and a dining offer is only useful when the restaurant is serving.
No current bar schedule, live entertainment calendar, pool, spa, or broader resort-amenity lineup is established by these sources.
Guest praise and common limitations
Food, cleanliness, and service receive praise
Food is the most useful positive theme in the available guest material. Older URComped restaurant comments praise the food, and a November 2023 Loc8NearMe reviewer specifically singled out the bacon cheeseburgers. That makes Morning Star worth considering as part of a stop, although this is not a firsthand restaurant review from me.
Cleanliness, clean restrooms, and friendly cashier service also appear in older feedback. Those are encouraging historical observations, not promises about current conditions.
The visible Loc8NearMe reviews span November 2023 through July 2024, while URComped labels its visible comments eight or nine years old. This is limited, dated material, not a representative survey or a basis for a current overall rating.
A quiet floor and narrow offering may disappoint
A July 2024 reviewer reported that nobody was gambling and found the visit boring. That is one person’s experience at one time, not evidence that the casino is routinely empty. It does illustrate why a quiet venue may suit one visitor and disappoint another.
Older slot comments range from enjoyable games and wins to complaints about tight machines and disappointing bonuses. Those individual outcomes do not prove the odds.
The more useful planning limitation is the narrow documented offering. Slots and a casual meal are supported; a full resort weekend is not. Limited official detail about hours, gaming inventory, and visitor policies makes a phone call worthwhile before a long drive.
Who Little Wind Casino is best for
- Nearby slot players seeking a modest casino outing.
- Travelers already in the area who want to combine machine play with a casual meal.
- Visitors arranging their own transportation and lodging rather than relying on a resort package.
I would look elsewhere first if live tables, a poker room, a sportsbook, or an attached hotel is central to the trip. Little Wind’s strongest case is a convenient stop, not an elaborate getaway.
Frequently asked questions
Where is Little Wind Casino in Ethete?
Little Wind Casino is at 800 Blue Sky Highway, Ethete, Wyoming 82520, on the Wind River Indian Reservation.
Is Little Wind Casino open 24 hours?
A third-party directory lists 24-hour daily operation. Confirm casino hours directly before traveling, especially for a late-night visit.
When is Morning Star Restaurant open?
The official restaurant page lists noon to 8 p.m. daily. Check for changes before planning a visit around a meal.
Does Little Wind Casino have a hotel, poker room, or sportsbook?
Those facilities are not established by the supplied current sources. Do not plan around them without direct confirmation.
Is Little Wind Casino worth a special trip?
It may make sense for a nearby slot player who also wants lunch or dinner. I would be less inclined to recommend a long drive for someone expecting a broad casino-resort experience.
Sources and editorial review note
Source links appear with their relevant information above. The legacy Little Wind Casino website is retained from the existing Gamboool page, but is not used to establish current policies.
Existing related reading: Wisconsin casinos.
Research note: This article uses public-source material collected on October 12, 2026, selected guest reports, and supplied menu calculations. It does not claim a firsthand visit, representative review survey, independent confirmation of current operation, or exclusive underlying data. Ready for user editorial review, not independently fact-checked. Factual claims, current prices, and visitor policies should be reviewed before publication; publishing is a separate action.
Poker room and sportsbook
There is no dedicated poker room or on-site sportsbook.