Kewadin Casinos in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula
The Kewadin Casinos are a group of five casinos based in and around Michigan’s Upper Peninsula. The primary location is in Sault Ste. Marie. You will find smaller casinos in Christmas, Hessel, Manistique, and St. Ignace. All of the casinos are owned and operated by the Sault Tribe of Chippewa Indians, and the first casino opened in 1984.
Across the five sites there are more than 2,200 slot machines and electronic gaming options. Table games are available at all five sites (virtually at Manistique), featuring all of your favorites, including blackjack, craps, roulette, and Let it Ride. You can also now enjoy sports betting, after a link up with GAN, one of the leading online gaming platforms in the US.
On this page you will find everything you need to know about the Kewadin Casinos ahead of your trip. The wide range of gaming options is detailed, including slots, table games, and sports betting. A look at the rewards and promotions follows, along with a detailed overview of the entertainment and dining options and hotel facilities.
History of the Kewadin Casinos
The history of the casinos is linked to the history of the Sault Ste. Marie tribe of Chippewa Indians. This tribe has lived in the Great Lakes Region for more than 500 years. In relatively recent times, the tribe became an impoverished community and it took them more than two decades to gain federal recognition.
The opening of the first Kewadin Casino in 1984 saw a change of fortunes, with four further casinos now in operation, along with 15 non-gaming enterprises. The long-term goal of the tribe is to become self-sufficient, with revenues from the tribe’s casinos and non-gaming businesses spent in ways that better their communities.
Slots at the Kewadin Casinos
In total there are more than 2,200 slots available across the five casinos. You can play slot games starting at just a penny or nickel a spin, ranging all the way up to $25.
Of that total, 800 of those slots are based at the primary site in Sault Ste. Marie. A recent deal with Scientific Games has seen a new games package across all of the five casinos. Kewadin Casinos is the first Scientific Games Systems user in Michigan to install iView4, making the selected casinos flagship sites for Scientific Games Systems products.
Your slot options are not limited to SG titles. You will find popular reel slots, video slots, and video poker games from IGT, Aristocrat and Konami at the larger Kewadin casinos. They include slots with progressive jackpots, including the huge linked progressives.
Table games
You can enjoy live table games at Kewadin Sault Ste. Marie, St. Ignace, and Christmas, while electronic table games are available at the Manistique casino site. Blackjack, roulette, and craps can all be played at a variety of stakes across the sites. You can also enjoy Let it Ride bonuses, where side bets can give players a huge instant win for the best poker hands.
As well as the casino classics, you can also enjoy Keno and bingo at Kewadin Casinos. Keno can be played at Sault Ste. Marie from Thursday to Sunday between 10am and 4pm, where up to $100,000 can be won. Bingo can be enjoyed at Sault Ste. Marie and St Ignace. Look out for the two annual Mega Bingo tournaments that take place at St. Ignace. You can enjoy tournaments across the Kewadin casino sites, where credit prizes can be won for your play.
Sports betting at the Kewadin Casinos
New laws in Michigan now allow casinos in the state to link up with online gambling operators to offer retail sports betting. GAN, an award-winning developer, has been chosen as the partner for the Kewadin Casinos, offering operational services across the five casinos.
Online gambling options
As part of the partnership with GAN, this developer also supplies the online gaming options, which comprise both online sports betting and casino games. They are available to anyone over the age of 21 via an app. To enjoy sports betting or casino gaming you need to be physically present in Michigan. Geolocation software within the apps and devices will ensure that the game play is within the state borders.
Kewadin Casinos promotions and rewards
The rewards program at the five Kewadin Casinos in Michigan is called ‘Northern Rewards’. Every time you play at any of the casinos, you will earn reward points at the following rate:
- One club point for every $4 bet in slot play
- One club point for every $8 bet in video poker
- One club point for every $1 bet in Keno
These club points have a monetary value of $1 for every 100 club points earned. These points can then be used towards goods and services offered by the casinos.
As well as club points, you will also earn tier points. These are awarded at the same rate as above, with the addition of table games (where you earn one tier point for every $10 bet). The more tier points you earn, the higher the level you reach. Players start with a green card, and then move through silver, gold, and black card levels. In addition, there is also a ‘Valor’ card which is open to all active, retired, and honorably discharged military, police, fire, and EMS personnel.
Benefits of the scheme include invitations to exclusive events, guaranteed hotel reservations, discounts at the Kewadin retail shops, complimentary ticket offers, valet services, and much more.
If you are a casino regular who lives either below the Mackinac Bridge or above the International Bridge, the casinos will reimburse your toll fares with $8 in Kewadin Credits.
In addition to the rewards club, check your inbox for further rewards from the Kewadin Casinos. These can include:
- Point multipliers
- Kewadin credits
- Food vouchers
- Complimentary hotel stays
- Gift shop discounts
- Entertainment discounts
Kewadin Casinos hotels
There are two hotels available at the Kewadin Casino sites. The first is the Sault Ste. Marie Hotel, which features 319 rooms, including deluxe suites and whirlpool rooms. Facilities include an indoor swimming pool, fitness room, and games arcade. The St. Ignace Hotel features 81 rooms, with amenities including suites with jetted bathtubs, a swimming pool, a fitness room, and an arcade on site. Otherwise, you can stay at the Hessel Cabin. The Christmas and Manistique sites do not offer accommodation.
You can also stay at the RV parks that are situated at all of the five Kewadin Casinos.
Dining options
Here is a look at the dining options for each of the five casinos:
- Sault Ste. Marie — The main eatery is the Dream Catchers Restaurant, with 260 seats and offering a full menu. Or, head to the Signatures Lounge for sandwiches and appetizers. If you look up, you will see exactly how this lounge got its name. Head to the Trail Deli for the signature Kewadin Club Sandwich and more.
- St. Ignace — The smoke-free Horseshoe Bay Restaurant is the main dining area, overlooking beautiful Lake Huron. Head to the Whitetail sports bar to enjoy the best of sporting action while enjoying a drink and a bite. The Campfire Deli features the Kewadin Club Sandwich, hot wings, and more.
- Manistique — Head to the Mariner’s Cove Restaurant, which seats 60 people. Enjoy a full breakfast, lunch, and dinner menu in this smoke-free environment.
Christmas — Frosty’s Pub and Grub is the place to go if you enjoy extra-large portions. This venue offers both lunch and dinner menus. - Hessel — Head to the Northern Nook Bar and Grill for the best in burgers, pizzas, sandwiches, and more.
Entertainment
There are a number of entertainment venues across the Kewadin Casinos. The main entertainment space is the DreamMakers Theater, located at the Sault Ste. Marie casino, which is a traditional concert and theater venue. Acts such as Candlebox and Black Label Society are booked to appear, while comedy nights take place regularly. Also, at that site you will find the Rapids and Signature Lounges. The former venue offers live music from local acts of a variety of genres. The latter offers a similar range of live music, with the opportunity to have a go yourself during regular karaoke nights.
At the St. Ignace casino, the Event Center is the main entertainment venue. Here you can see popular rock and country acts and more. The Northern Pines Lounge at the casino offers local live music and the chance to sing karaoke.
The Team Spirits Bar at the Manistique site features occasional live music, trivia nights, comedy shows, and a host of big screens to watch the latest sporting action.
How do the Kewadin Casinos match up?
You are never far from a Kewadin casino when in the Upper Peninsula region of Michigan. The five sites offer something for everyone. Slots players will enjoy the more than 2,000 games on offer across the casinos, while all of the popular table games can be found. Bingo and Keno enthusiasts are well-catered for too. With a wide range of entertainment options, restaurants at all of the five sites, and hotel stays available, everything can be found on site at the Kewadin Casinos. The Northern Rewards program ensures that your loyalty will pay dividends.