Hialeah Park Casino rates 4.1 from more than 4,300 Google reviewers, and it is the most beautiful place to gamble in Florida by a distance that is not close.
The casino opened in 2013. The racetrack it sits inside has been a South Florida fixture for more than ninety years, occupies 200 acres of groomed grounds and gardens, is listed on the National Register of Historic Places, is designated an Audubon Bird Sanctuary, and is famous for its resident flock of flamingos. It has been called the world's most beautiful racecourse, and standing in it you can see why.
What's on the floor
A 90,000-square-foot casino with roughly 880 slot machines carrying progressive jackpots, plus electronic table games including blackjack and roulette.
Electronic, not live. As a pari-mutuel rather than a tribal property, Hialeah cannot offer house-banked live tables — under Florida's compact with the Seminole Tribe those are reserved for tribal casinos.
There is also a simulcast room for wagering on racing worldwide.
The poker room, and the veranda
The card room carries 23 poker tables, and it has a feature no other room in Florida offers: some of the tables sit out on the veranda, where cigar smoking is permitted.
Playing cards outdoors, in the open air of a ninety-year-old racecourse, with a cigar, is a genuinely distinctive experience. Whether or not you smoke, the veranda tables are the reason to choose Hialeah over the other Miami-Dade rooms.
The racing question
Be careful with what you read here. Hialeah ran quarter horse racing from 2009 to 2016, which is what allowed the casino to open in the first place. Live racing has not run on the historic schedule that made the track famous for a very long time.
Some listings still advertise a live season. Treat that as unreliable and confirm with the venue if watching horses is the point of your visit. The simulcast room is open regardless.
Dining
Six bars and restaurants, including the Fountain Terrace, Junior's Bistro, The Brass Rail and La Veranda Café & Bar.
Tips before you go
The casino is not open 24 hours during the week. It opens at 8am daily and closes in the early hours — around 4am most weeknights and earlier on Thursdays — then runs continuously through Friday and Saturday. Confirm before a late weekday visit.
Florida pari-mutuel venues generally allow 18-plus for poker and pari-mutuel wagering, with slots restricted to 21-plus. Rules vary by activity, so bring ID and confirm with the venue.
Come in daylight at least once. The grounds are the attraction, and you cannot see them at 2am.
Nearby alternatives
West, Casino Miami pairs a 24-table poker room with live jai alai. Also in the city, Magic City Casino has an 18-table room and an outdoor amphitheatre. North, Calder Casino at Miami Gardens has the county's largest slots floor.
For the full picture, see all Florida in-person casinos.
FAQ
What are Hialeah Park Casino's hours?
It opens at 8am daily and closes in the early hours on weeknights — around 4am most nights, earlier on Thursdays — then runs continuously through Friday and Saturday. It is not a 24-hour property during the week.
How old do you have to be to gamble at Hialeah Park Casino?
Florida pari-mutuel venues generally allow 18-plus for poker and pari-mutuel wagering, with slots restricted to 21-plus. Rules vary by activity, so confirm with the venue.
Does Hialeah Park Casino have a poker room?
Yes — 23 tables, some of them on an outdoor veranda where cigar smoking is permitted. No other poker room in Florida offers that.
Does Hialeah Park still have horse racing?
Quarter horse racing ran from 2009 to 2016. Listings advertising a current live season are unreliable — confirm with the venue. The simulcast room operates regardless.
Does Hialeah Park Casino have live table games?
Not house-banked ones. Under Florida's compact with the Seminole Tribe those are reserved for tribal casinos, so blackjack and roulette here are electronic.
Why is Hialeah Park famous?
The 200-acre racetrack is on the National Register of Historic Places, is designated an Audubon Bird Sanctuary, and is known for its flock of flamingos. It has been called the world's most beautiful racecourse.
Rather play from your couch tonight? See our Florida sweepstakes rankings.
Updated August 2026 · Details verified against Florida Gaming Control Commission records and the venue's official site. Hours and offerings change — confirm before you go.
