Casinos Near Tampa Florida

If you’re looking for any casinos in Tampa, Florida, you’ll only find one major venue.

While there are card rooms and horse tracks in the area that offer limited gambling options (as well as casino cruises that sail from port in the area), traditional Vegas-style gambling is only available at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.

Physically, there is only one proper casino in Tampa. However, there are 10 or so smaller nearby venues that offer various kinds of gambling (albeit no slots or table games).

These include horse tracks, defunct dog track “racinos,” and casino cruise lines.

The latter offer a full complement of traditional casino amusements, but these can only be enjoyed once the ships are in international waters and no longer technically in FL (or the United States).

Not technically.

There’s plenty of gambling available at Tampa Bay Downs, including horse racing betting and player-banked poker games.

That said, there are no traditional casino games, nor are there any VLTs (video lottery terminals), EGMs (electronic gaming machines), or instant racing machines/HHRs (historical horse racing machines).

The official name of the major Tampa casino of note is the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa.

However, the venue is also commonly called the Hard Rock Café Casino Tampa, the Tampa Bay Hard Rock Casino, or just the “Tampa Bay casino” by locals.

In addition to this primary destination, there are other smaller (and more limited) gambling venues close to Tampa.

The Seminole Hard Rock Casino Tampa operates a mobile app bearing the same name. However, this app does not allow for real-money iPhone gambling or Android gambling.

Instead, it’s a sort of “social network” for area gamblers, allowing them to play virtual casino games for fun.

Comp points can be accrued playing these games for those with a Seminole Wild Card rewards plan, which can then be redeemed for dining coupons, room discounts, and various concert tickets at Seminole casinos throughout the state.

Social casinos are common for all domestic USA casinos, especially in states – like FL – that have not yet legalized local iGaming.   

The Hard Rock Casino Tampa hours of operation are 24/7 for the main gaming floor, with most restaurants and nightclubs typically staying open until 1-2 AM. 

You can contact the Hard Rock Casino in Tampa at the following phone numbers:

• (866) 388-4263
• (813) 627-7625

It depends on the drink!

Alcohol is served at the Hard Rock Tampa, but the venue does not offer comped adult beverages.

Soft drinks are free for those gambling on the Tampa Hard Rock gaming floor.

The alcoholic beverages served at the Hard Rock Tampa cost between $8 and $15 on average, in line with standard higher-end bars in the area.

Of course, wine and champaign are more expensive, depending on the vineyard and vintage.

Yes! There are smoking sections on the gaming floor at the Tampa Hard Rock, and the venue also offers smoker-friendly hotel rooms.

That said, smoking is not allowed in any of the casino’s restaurants or nightclubs.

Portions of the Seminole Hard Rock in Tampa are smoke-free, giving gamblers the opportunity to play slots and table games in clean, fresh air with state-of-the-art filtration systems.

You can also stay in smoke-free hotel rooms at the property, and all Tampa Hard Rock restaurants are smoke-free, as well.

The Seminole Tribe of Florida owns the Hard Rock Casino Hotel Tampa.

In fact, the Seminole own the entire Hard Rock brand, which is operated under their Hard Rock International imprint.

The Seminole also own all Hard Rock restaurants worldwide. 

While “best” is subjective, the flagship Tampa casino restaurant is Council Oaks Steaks & Seafood.

Other fine dining options at the Hard Rock Tampa include The Rez Grill (American/Southern) and Cipresso (Italian).

Casual dining options include the venue’s namesake Hard Rock Café Tampa, the Fresh Harvest Buffet, the Rock ‘N Raw (Asian fusion/sushi), and several other eateries.

For our money, we typically prefer the Hard Rock Café, but The Rez Grill is also a recent favorite. 

The best hotel anywhere near the Hard Rock Tampa is the venue’s own East and West hotel towers. The rooms are affordable and offer a level of luxury that no other nearby hotel chains can offer.

Of course, Tampa is a major tourist hub, so there is no shortage of quality hotels in the area.