There are no Tennessee poker rooms for avid Hold’em and Omaha players. However, there are still several live poker options available if you’re willing to travel. Here, we’ll examine the possibilities for cash game players and tournament fiends close to The Volunteer State.
Tennessee used to have some of the strictest laws on gaming in the US. New TN gambling laws have made sports betting apps legal, but poker is still largely prohibited. Here are some good alternatives to Tennessee poker rooms close to the state.
The Horseshoe Casino Tunica is our go-to casino if you want to make the journey to Mississippi. It’s easily the top casino in Mississippi with the best poker action. All in all, it’s a great alternative if you’re struggling to find a Tennessee poker room.
The Horseshoe Casino is operated by Caesars Entertainment, which means you can enjoy some excellent poker action (and perhaps the occasional WSOP-C event too). There are 25 tables in total, with $1/$2 cash games running during the day and night.
Source: Horseshoe Tunica
Daily tournaments are offered for Hold’em players. The maximum buy-in of $200 should appeal to players of all budgets. Stick around for Saturday night, which is when the Horseshoe runs a $10K-GTD Hold’em tourney.
Semi-regular “Thousandaire” tournaments are also a blast. The Hold’em freezeout carries a friendly $135 buy-in. Instead of a staggered payout structure, however, the top 4 finishers each receive at least $1,000 in cash.
We should also mention the in-house Caesars Rewards program. You are eligible to join the program fresh as a TN resident or use your existing rewards card to rack up points.
You earn Tier Credits for every hour of poker you play. The more points you earn, the more benefits you can unlock. Bonuses include free food, room discounts, and birthday gifts.
Continue your journey from the Horseshoe Tunica to visit the Golden Moon Hotel & Casino in Philadelphia, MS. It’s one of four casinos owned by the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. However, the Pearl River Poker Room here is easily the biggest cardroom of all the casinos.
There are 14 tables in total at the Pearl River Room, spreading a mix of Hold’em and Omaha. Limit and No-Limit stakes are available for all cash games. The good news is that the poker room is open 24/7.
Source: Golden Moon Casino-Resort
Despite the abundance of cash games, there’s not much in the way of tournament action. The $75 Hold’em freezeout runs every day, but we recommend you download the Bravo Poker app to keep abreast of newly-added tourneys.
That said, Pearl River cardroom hosts plenty of special events throughout the year. These include the ‘Milly in Philly’. It’s a poker series featuring 15 events with a total guaranteed prizepool worth $1m. High rollers and Seniors are also catered to with their own big-money tournaments.
You may want to stay a night or two if you’re traveling from Tennessee. Luckily, the Golden Moon Casino-Resort offers special rates for poker players on-site. Just call ahead (1-601-663-1040) to see what deals are available.
OK, so the Beau Rivage is a 7-hour drive from Tennessee, but it’s worth the trip if you want to find the biggest poker tournaments in the Deep South. Stay for a few days and it could be the best “Tennessee poker room” for miles. With 16 tables, the Beau Rivage is the largest cardroom in the area too.
Tournaments and cash games at the Beau Rivage start at 10 a.m. Cash games keep running until 4 a.m. too. Limit Hold’em is popular, as is No Limit Hold’em at $1/$2 and up. PLO and 5-Card Omaha Hi-Lo are also available. Though Stud games aren’t on the official playlist, you can request a game if a dealer is available.
As for tournaments, you can jump straight into daily games with buy-ins starting at $100. The largest game at the casino is the Million Dollar Heater. It’s held every January, and the prizepool is a cool $1m.
The Beau Rivage offers a rewards program for players. As part of the MGM chain, you can join the MGM Rewards scheme to earn points when you play poker. You may redeem points for hotel accommodation, free food, and even a spell in the on-site spa. That’s just the thing you need to unwind following a long session at the tables.
Saracen Casino Resort is owned and operated by the Quapaw Nation in Arkansas. The casino also possesses one of the state’s only sportsbook licenses.
As for poker, the small and private cardroom features 10 tables spreading Hold’em and Omaha cash games throughout the week. Though tournaments are also promised, you must install the Poker Atlas mobile app to reserve your place. You can also use the app to get up-to-date information on what games are running.
Source: Saracen Casino Resort
Cash games offered at Saracen Casino Resort include $1/$3 Hold’em up to $5/$10 NLHE. You can also try $2/$5 PLO, in addition to Big O at the same limits.
We recommend joining the Saracen Player’s Club if you’re coming from Tennessee. Live poker games contribute toward the VIP scheme. You can redeem points for food comps or invites to exclusive parties.
Harrah’s Metropolis might be in Illinois, but it’s worth the trip north from Tennessee if you want to find great poker games and promotions. It’s also the only casino on our list that runs WSOP-C tournaments.
The cardroom opens at 10 a.m. and runs through the night. While there are only five tables, you do have a choice of Hold’em, PLO, and Stud in terms of games. Cash games start at $1/$2 for No Limit Hold’em.
The poker room at Harrah’s Metropolis runs a full schedule of tournaments. Hold’em re-buys run weekly, though check the website before you travel to avoid missing out. The cardroom is also a former stop on the WSOP Circuit, one of the best alternatives to the World Poker Tour or WSOP proper.
Let’s also mention the Caesars Rewards program. Earn Reward Credits and Tier Credits when you play poker to earn perks like member room rates, shopping credits, and free meals. You can even apply for an exclusive Caesars credit card to earn yourself even more points.
There’s no live poker in Tennessee. However, we have listed the best local alternative cardrooms right here.
| Cardroom Name | Address | City | Phone Number |
| Horseshoe Casino Tunica | 1021 Casino Center Drive, Robinsonville, MS 38664 | Robinsonville | 1-800-303-7463 |
| Pearl River Resort | Highway 16 West, Choctaw, MS 39350 | Choctaw | 1-866-447-3275 |
| Beau Rivage Resort & Casino | 875 Beach Blvd, Biloxi, MS 39530 | Biloxi | 1-228-386-7111 |
| Cardroom Name | Address | City | Phone Number |
| Saracen Casino Resort | 1 Saracen Resort Drive, Pine Bluff, AR 71601 | Pine Bluff | 1-870-686-9001 |
| Cardroom Name | Address | City | Phone Number |
| Harrah’s Metropolis Hotel & Casino | 100 E Front St, Metropolis, IL 62960 | Metropolis | 1-618-524-2628 |
You can find several Tennessee live poker alternatives in neighboring states. Here are some of the biggest Tennessee poker rooms.
| Cardroom Name | Games Offered | Number of Tables | Major Events |
| Horseshoe Casino Tunica | Daily tournaments, monster stack, $10,000-GTD events, bounties | 25 | WSOP Circuit |
| Pearl River Resort | Daily Hold’em freezeouts, Limit Hold’em/No Limit Hold’em cash, PLO | 14 | Milly in Philly, Pearl River Poker Open, Gulf Coast Poker Tour Championship |
| Beau Rivage Resort & Casino | Hold’em, Omaha, Big O, mixed games | 16 | Million Dollar Heater |
| Harrah’s Metropolis Hotel & Casino | $2/$5 NLHE cash, Omaha | 5 | WSOP Circuit |
| Saracen Casino Resort | $1/$3–$5/$10 Hold’em, $2/$5 PLO | 10 | n/a |
Live Tennessee Poker Rooms with Hotels
You’ll need to find somewhere to sleep if you’re traveling from Tennessee to play poker tournaments and mixed games. These casinos are based on resorts with hotels.
| Casino Name | Number of Rooms |
| Horseshoe Casino Tunica | 500+ |
| Pearl River Resort | 600+ |
| Beau Rivage Resort & Casino | 1,700+ |
| Harrah’s Metropolis Hotel & Casino | 250+ |
| Saracen Casino Resort | 320 (TBC) |
Poker Laws in Tennessee
Tennessee has some unusual gambling laws compared to other states. Overall, the laws on poker and casino games are strict. There are no land-based casinos, and online gambling is virtually banned.
However, sports betting was legalized in 2019 for the first time. With no casino resorts in the state, however, all sportsbooks must operate via mobile apps. Online sportsbooks are regulated by the Tennessee Sports Wagering Council.
The legal landscape is changing all the time in the US. Catch up with our guide to gaming laws state-by-state.
Other forms of gambling in Tennessee:
There are no TN casinos where you can play poker. However, most cardrooms in nearby states like Mississippi offer a healthy mix of Hold’em, Omaha, and Stud. Cash games, tournaments, and mixed games are offered at some cardrooms too.
You can play Hold’em tournaments from $70–$100 at most cardrooms in the Deep South. The larger cardrooms also run local championships, some even offering hundreds of thousands of dollars in prize money.
Hold’em is the classic poker format where you receive two hole cards at the start of a hand. The aim is to form the best poker hand from your two hole cards and any of the community cards.
Omaha is normally reserved for the cash tables. It’s a 4-card variant of Hold’em played with Pot Limit stakes. Both Omaha Hi and Omaha Hi-Lo cash games can be played. Look out too for Big O, a 5-card version of Omaha played at $2/$2 stakes and above.
7-Card Stud is offered at some cardrooms near Tennessee. Cash games start around $1/$3 (if Limit betting is being used).
It’s not unusual to find some mixed games at Tennessee poker room alternatives. Typically, they are cash games that alternate the rounds between Hold’em and Omaha.
You must be 21 as a minimum age for gambling in order to play poker near Tennessee. Here are some of the best poker variants that you can play.
Near Tennessee, poker rooms will offer cash games as standard, even if tournaments are not on the table. $1/$2 is the lowest limit allowed for No Limit Texas Hold’em. However, it is possible to find $2/$5 at the larger casinos.
Tennessee live poker rooms run tournaments at least once per week. The lowest buy-in is usually in the region of $70–$100. Major poker events run for select periods only.
You can enter satellites into bigger live tournaments at some cardrooms near Tennessee. Poker room options usually include a small qualifier, but mega-satellites guarantee a lot of seats into the same large event.
Some cardrooms near Tennessee run their own seasonal poker championships. Series will include a main event with a guaranteed prizepool. You can also jump into smaller tournaments with lower buy-ins.
Mississippi is your best destination for playing the WSOP Circuit. Win a gold ring by playing one of the low-buyin tournaments that accompany the much larger World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. The main event is priced at $1,700, making it a good alternative to the $10,000 WSOP Championship.
Casinos in Mississippi, Arkansas, and Illinois run regular championships of their own. The Pearl River Resort is a good alternative to a Tennessee poker room with its Gulf Coast Poker Tour Championship.
Earning reward credits at cardrooms in the United States is a good way to make your poker play benefit more. Most cardrooms in the Deep South run some kind of reward scheme. The more poker you play, the more loyalty points you earn.
One of the most popular reward programs in the country is the Caesars Rewards program, which operates across several states and offers a variety of perks to its members.
Caesars Rewards is a loyalty scheme where members earn reward credits and tier credits based on their play at casinos, hotels, and resorts. These credits can be used for dining, shopping, and accommodations at any Caesars Entertainment property. The more you play, the more credits you earn, leading to greater rewards.
To start earning reward credits, you need to sign up for a Caesars Rewards account, which is free. Once you have an account, you can earn reward credits for every dollar you spend on poker cash games and tournaments.
In addition to reward credits, you also accrue tier credits. Credits determine your tier status within the rewards program. There are four tiers: Gold, Platinum, Diamond, and Seven Stars, each offering its own set of unique benefits. Tier credits are earned the same way as reward credits, but they cannot be spent. Instead, they help you climb the loyalty ladder, unlocking more perks as you ascend.
Tennessee has taken a robust approach to online gaming ever since the Unlawful Internet Gambling Enforcement Act was introduced in 2006. In theory, all online gambling (apart from licensed sports betting) is banned in The Volunteer State.
However, in reality, there are poker sites and online casinos that you can access without risk of prosecution. They don’t adhere to the Wire Act and are based offshore. You won’t be blocked from setting up an online account if you live in Tennessee.
Here are other guides to online gambling in Tennessee:
The Volunteer State has produced some of the most successful poker players of all time, including 2003 World Series of Poker champion, Chris Moneymaker, who arguably kickstarted the online poker boom.
You must report all poker winnings on your TN tax return if you are a resident of the state. As gambling winnings form part of your annual income, you may be liable for tax, regardless of where you won money.
Poker losses can be deducted from overall gambling winnings. However, you can only deduct losses up to the amount of your wins. You must also itemize all loss deductions on your state tax return.
Anything you win online may also be liable for tax, but only if it accounts for your personal income. It’s easiest to keep detailed records of transactions in and out of your poker site account. You can read more in our guide to online gaming tax.
No. There are no live poker rooms or casinos in Tennessee. Poker tournaments are held across the border legally in states like Arkansas. However, you must travel if you want to play any poker in the Deep South.
Close to Tennessee, poker room options include the Saracen Resort in Arkansas and the Beau Rivage in Mississippi. You must be 21 or over to play poker and gamble in those states.
There are no licensed poker sites in Tennessee. The Volunteer State has not decided to legalize online poker, but it is possible to play offshore at sites based in territories like Curacao.
The legal age for playing poker in states near Tennessee is 21. You must present a photo ID when you visit for the first time. You may also be asked to present it on request by the casino staff.
Most casinos near Tennessee operate a smart-casual dress code. You may be denied entry into the poker room if you aren’t wearing the right clothes.
Cardrooms near Tennessee are regulated and licensed by their respective gaming commissions. You can find a full directory of US gaming commissions in our easy-to-read guide.
There are no casinos in Tennessee that run WSOP-C events. However, neighboring Mississippi has hosted regular WSOP Circuit tournaments at casinos in Tunica and elsewhere.
No, home games in Tennessee are covered by the same rules outlawing casino poker. However, you can apply for a charity license to run fundraising poker events and tournaments.
You may be liable for tax on gambling winnings if you are a Tennessee resident. Poker winnings are considered part of your personal income, and could therefore be classed as taxable. However, you can deduct losses from your winnings up to the same value.
Yes. Casinos and cardrooms operate responsible gaming policies to protect players. However, you can also make use of free phone lines when you return to Tennessee. The Tennessee REDLINE (1-800-889-9789) is a free hotline that you can phone to get more information on addiction programs.
Yes. Kathy Liebert is the most successful female poker player of all time. Chris Moneymaker, meanwhile, won the 2003 WSOP Main Event and helped to launch the online poker boom.
No. Freerolls are no-buyin tournaments that are generally restricted to poker sites. You receive freeroll tokens as part of a welcome bonus, but you have the opportunity to win real money when you play.
Yes. The best cardrooms are part of reward programs where you can earn points every time you play. You can redeem your credits for cheaper hotel rooms, free meals, or access to bespoke promotions.
No. Tennessee doesn’t have any tribal casinos or poker rooms. The Volunteer State is one of the few in the United States that has no tribal compacts in place to allow for casinos and games of chance.
No. There are currently no plans to build new casinos or poker rooms in Tennessee. The nearest new casino to Tennessee is Hard Rock Casino in Virginia. It’s a 5-hour drive from Tennessee and is set to open in 2024.
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