Poker Options Surrounding Tennessee

Tennessee has sports betting, with a variety of online sportsbooks up and running. However, when it comes to other casino games, the choices are limited.

Poker players in particular have no legal live rooms in the state where they can play. In fact, charity poker tournaments aren’t even permitted.

That said, there are options, including a number of nearby poker destinations in surrounding states. For online players, sweepstakes poker sites like Global Poker provide an alternative as well.

Live poker destinations in Tennessee’s neighboring states

Those living near the borders of Tennessee do have some live poker options in surrounding states.

Eastern Tennessee options

Poker players in eastern TN can trek over to North Carolina to Harrah’s Cherokee Casino Resort in Cherokee. The casino has a large 25-table poker room that regularly spreads no-limit hold’em and pot-limit Omaha cash games.

The room also hosts frequent tournaments, and the casino has been a regular site for World Series of Poker Circuit stops that draw huge fields.

Cherokee is located right at the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Since it is mountainous country, it takes a bit of effort driving there, no matter which way you go. From Knoxville, it’s generally about a two-hour trip.

By contrast, you won’t find much poker in Kentucky, Virginia, or Georgia. That said, Georgia does have one charity poker room, Little Kings and Queens in Buford, a bit more than a two-hour drive from Chattanooga.

 

Southern Tennessee

Looking to the south, Alabama isn’t very poker-friendly, either. Mississippi does have several poker rooms and casinos, although most are located in the southernmost part of the state.

However, the big 25-table room at Horseshoe Casino Tunica is only about a 40-minute drive from Memphis. Tunica is the best poker destination for Tennesseans near the southern border.

Tunica casinos

The closest Tunica casinos to the Tennessee borders are:

  • Horseshoe Casino Tunica– 3-card poker, large poker room
  • 1st Jackpot Casino Tunica– MS Stud
  • Gold Strike Casino Resort– 3-Card Poker, 4-Card Poker, Stud variations
  • Fitz Tunica Casino & Hotel– 3-card poker, MS Stud
  • Sam’s Town Hotel & Gambling Hall Tunica– 3-card poker, MS Stud
  • Hollywood Casino & Hotel Tunica– MS Stud

 

Western Tennessee options

Meanwhile, those in the western part of Tennessee have a handful of options in both Arkansas and Missouri.

Most of the Missouri rooms are quite far away, near St. Louis and Kansas City.

The closest Arkansas poker room is a couple of hours west of Memphis in Little Rock, a small room at the Saracen Casino Resort.

 

Online poker options in Tennessee

What about online poker in Tennessee? Alas, Tennessee does not allow real-money online poker sites, nor do social and sweepstakes sites like Global Poker operate in the state. Much like with live poker, those in TN wanting to play online poker need to travel to other states to find either real-money or sweepstakes games.