Top 10 casino openings and expansions for July 2026

I’ve been planning to head over to Encore Boston Harbor or set up a trip to Foxwoods Resort Casino in the near future and it got me thinking: What’s new at those properties? So then I took it a step further. Which casinos are introducing new amenities, upgrading gaming floors, and making overall improvements to enhance the guest experience? There are many that fall under that category, so here, we take a look at 10 openings and expansions that have been announced since our last edition.

10. New rooftop restaurant at Graton Resort and Casino
Opened in early June at Graton Resort and Casino in Northern California, AYA is a rooftop restaurant in Sonoma County from Chef Roy Ellamar that blends Filipino and Hawaiian flavors with the ingredients and seasonality of the area.

Salt-Baked Snapper in a shiso salt crust, Fireplace Short Rib smoked for 12 hours, and Tempura Soft Shell Crab headline the menu, served alongside views of the Sonoma Hills.

At AYA’s core is a 40-acre farm that supplies hyper-seasonal produce driving the menu day by day. Defined by live-fire cooking, layered umami and thoughtful sourcing, the menu reflects Ellamar’s culinary perspective shaped by his Hawaiian upbringing and time in Michelin-starred kitchens.

9. The Secret Garden at The Brook

The Brook, America’s largest charity casino located just minutes from the New Hampshire–Massachusetts border, unveiled the entertainment lineup for The Secret Garden, its new indoor-outdoor event venue designed to host live music, comedy, and special events year-round.

The Secret Garden features winding garden paths, pergolas, fire pits, and a 5,400-square-foot glass conservatory that creates an all-season experience.

Throughout the season, the venue will also be open daily for dinner and Sunday brunch, offering a farm-to-table menu featuring ingredients grown organically right on the property.

In addition, Joey Chestnut, 18-time Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest champion and one of the most accomplished competitive eaters in the sport, will headline the First Annual Saugus Wing Eating Championship at The Brook on 11 July.

Saugus Wings were made famous by Kowloon, the iconic Route 1 landmark that collaborated with The Brook to open 9 Dragons, the casino’s celebrated Asian dining concept.

The competition begins at 5:30 p.m. with Chestnut facing a field of challengers.

8. Caesars Beach Club opens in Atlantic City
Caesars Atlantic City debuted its newest outdoor experience, Caesars Beach Club, on 19 June. The oceanfront destination provides an open-air escape, blending coastal fare, handcrafted cocktails and DJ entertainment.

Caesars Beach Club offers guests a beachside atmosphere featuring a full-service bar, lounge seating, dining areas and exclusive VIP cabanas.

The menu showcases a fresh take on coastal classics, featuring Jersey dayboat scallops, lobster rolls, tuna steak sandwiches, grilled margherita pizza and caprese skewers.

7. Crapless Craps at Mohegan Sun in Connecticut
Mohegan Sun enhanced the gaming floor in June with the debut of Crapless Craps in Casino of the Sky.

Incorporating 2, 3, 11 and 12 as point numbers for added excitement, Crapless Craps is designed for ease of play, featuring a high-definition, touch-responsive interface and a mechanical dice generator that sits at the top of the game. The game has a $5 minimum bet requirement.

6. Fairmount Park adds live table games
In May, Fairmount Park Casino & Racing in invested nearly $3 million and hired 35 new employees to introduce live table games to its casino, marking another major expansion for Illinois’ only “racino.”

When Fairmount Park remodeled in 2025, the space only featured electronic table games and slot machines. General Manager Vince Gabbert said bringing table games to the floor was a huge goal for the track, and now they’ve made it a reality.

Gabbert said the new additions feature some of the world’s most recognizable casino games, including blackjack, poker, mini baccarat and roulette.

5. More smoke-free coming to Seminole Hard Rock Tampa
During the first week of June, Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Tampa announced plans to significantly expand its smoke-free offerings. Smoke-free gaming areas will expand to include over 40% of the total number of slot machines available at Seminole Hard Rock Tampa.

Scheduled to debut before the end of 2026, the experience will more than double the property’s smoke-free slot machines and table games while introducing additional smoke-free areas throughout the resort and casino.

4. New hotel at Hollywood Casino Columbus
On 12 June, PENN Entertainment announced the new hotel tower at Hollywood Casino - Columbus officially opened.

The $100 million, 203-room hotel provides guests with upscale accommodations at the gaming, dining, and entertainment experience in Columbus. The 150,000 square-foot tower features 183 standard rooms and 20 luxury suites, a full-service bar and restaurant - The Hill Eatery & Lounge, conference rooms, fitness center and an outdoor seating terrace.

In addition to the hotel, Hollywood Casino Columbus will also introduce an expanded high limit table games room and speakeasy bar later this year.

3. Turning Stone to celebrate opening of new hotel
On 17 July, Turning Stone Resort Casino in upstate New York will celebrate the grand opening of The Crescent, the resort’s new 258-room luxury hotel, and the debut of Salt, the fine-dining restaurant, on 22 July.

The resort’s fourth hotel on property features 258 refined guest rooms decorated with modern textures, furniture and amenities. The hotel provides access to Turning Stone Resort Casino’s spas and wellness programs, restaurants, entertainment, golf and gaming. It is also be home to Rome Health Convenient Care at Turning Stone, an on-site medical center offering care for guests and team members. The Crescent started to welcome guests on 29 June with a grand opening event on 17 July.

2. Grand opening of Hollywood Casino and Hotel Aurora
On 24 June, PENN Entertainment celebrated the grand opening of Hollywood Casino Aurora, the all-new, $360 million state-of-the-art casino and hotel. PENN’s latest land-based property replaces the former riverboat property that operated on the Illinois shores of the Fox River since 1993.

Guests can now experience over 1,000 slot machines, over 50 table games, a baccarat room, a retail sportsbook, national and Chicagoland celebrity-led dining, a 226-room premier hotel and wellness spa, an event center and more.

The sportsbook includes one of Chicagoland’s largest TV screens, sports betting tellers, and sports wagering and racing kiosks, along with interactive games.

Major News! The all-new Hollywood Casino Aurora will officially open its doors on June 24, 2026.

This new state-of-the-art property will feature an upscale hotel, retail sportsbook, outdoor entertainment area, full-service spa, world class dining and an event center. pic.twitter.com/puHQscfgxA
— PENNEntertainment (@PENNEntertain) March 19, 2026

1. The Vanderpump Hotel opens on the Las Vegas Strip
On 11 June, television personality, entrepreneur and restaurateur Lisa Vanderpump celebrated the official grand opening of The Vanderpump Hotel, taking place of The Cromwell.

Across the casino floor, a walkway is lined with chandeliers from the original resort, reimagined with new crystals and custom shades. In addition, The Vanderpump Hotel opened Gigolo, a lounge named after Lisa Vanderpump’s beloved late Pomeranian “Giggy,” serving as an endearing tribute to her canine companion and complemented by a menu of cocktails.

The resort is also home to Drai’s After Hours, Soleia, the elevated rooftop pool, Giada De Laurentiis’ namesake restaurant, GIADA, The Bar at The Vanderpump Hotel, Starbucks and a Caesars Sportsbook.

A hint of mischief, a dash of glamour… and one adorably confident little star ??? Consider this your first look at The Vanderpump Hotel, which opens in just days. We hope you’ll join us—reserve your stay today!

Reserve your stay and learn more at: https://t.co/jU4JMhYCEX pic.twitter.com/mledhG8ylu
— The Vanderpump Hotel (@vanderpumphotel) May 28, 2026