Ameristar is the largest casino floor on the Missouri side of the Kansas City metro, operated by Boyd Gaming since it acquired the business from Pinnacle in October 2018. It rates 4.1 from more than 16,400 Google reviewers — the best-rated casino in the metro.
The thing directories still get wrong
Start here, because it saves a wasted drive: Ameristar does not have a poker room.
It used to have the largest one in the market at fifteen tables. That room closed in March 2020 and has not reopened, and there are no plans to bring it back. A number of listing sites still show it, and it remains one of the most common reasons people arrive disappointed.
If poker is the point of the trip, Harrah's North Kansas City has the WSOP Poker Room — fifteen tables and smoke-free — and it is the only serious room left in the metro.
What's on the floor
More than 1,900 slot and video poker machines, running from penny denominations up to $100, and 59 table games.
Fifty-nine tables is the largest pit in the Kansas City area, ahead of Harrah's 46. The spread covers blackjack, craps, roulette, mini-baccarat, EZ Pai Gow and Fortune Pai Gow Poker.
So the split between the two big Missouri-side floors is clean: Ameristar for tables and machine variety, Harrah's for poker.
Cinema, dining and the hotel
The property has an eighteen-screen Regal cinema on site — a full commercial multiplex rather than a screening room, with wall-to-wall screens. Very few casinos anywhere have one, and it is the single most distinctive thing about the property.
Dining includes Arthur Bryant's, which matters more in Kansas City than a restaurant list usually would. Bryant's is one of the defining names in Kansas City barbecue, and having an outlet on the casino floor is a real draw rather than a licensing exercise. The Falcon Bakery covers the pastry end.
Tips before you go
You must be 21 to gamble, the minimum age at every Missouri casino.
The casino is open 24 hours, seven days a week.
The cinema changes how you can use the property — it is one of the few casinos where a group can genuinely split up for a couple of hours and reconvene, without anyone having to leave.
Nearby alternatives
Across the river, Harrah's North Kansas City has the metro's only significant poker room. West at Riverside, Argosy Casino Hotel & Spa has a high-limit room with double-deck blackjack. Downtown-adjacent, Bally's Kansas City is the compact option.
For the full picture, see all Missouri in-person casinos.
FAQ
What are Ameristar Kansas City's hours?
The casino is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The cinema and restaurants keep their own hours.
How old do you have to be to gamble at Ameristar Kansas City?
You must be 21, the minimum age at every Missouri casino.
Does Ameristar Kansas City have a poker room?
No. The fifteen-table room closed in March 2020 and has not reopened, with no plans to do so. Listings that still show it are out of date. Harrah's North Kansas City has the metro's remaining poker room.
What games are available at Ameristar Kansas City?
More than 1,900 slot and video poker machines from penny denominations to $100, and 59 table games including blackjack, craps, roulette, mini-baccarat, EZ Pai Gow and Fortune Pai Gow Poker.
Does Ameristar Kansas City have a cinema?
Yes — an eighteen-screen Regal cinema on site, a full commercial multiplex.
What restaurants are at Ameristar Kansas City?
Several, including an Arthur Bryant's barbecue outlet — one of Kansas City's defining barbecue names — and the Falcon Bakery.
Rather play from your couch tonight? See our Missouri sweepstakes rankings.
Updated August 2026 · Details verified against Missouri Gaming Commission records and the venue's official site. Hours and offerings change — confirm before you go.
