The World’s Largest Casino Is Being Built Right Now in Big Sur
Gambling Meets the Great Outdoors in Big Sur’s Bold New Move
Go Big in Big Sur 🦭🎰
Big Sur is one of the most breathtaking places in California—a rugged, untamed stretch of coastline between Carmel and San Simeon that makes you question why you decided to live in the city. If you’ve been, you know. If you haven’t, there’s about to be another reason to go. A reason with neon lights, 9,000 slot machines, and an outdoor escalator system. That’s right: the largest casino in the world is being built right in the heart of Big Sur.
Road Trip Goals — Big Sur, USA 🚐 pic.twitter.com/TtChwCHdGH
— Travolax | Travel & Destinations (@travolax) March 29, 2025
The World’s Largest Casino
Currently, that title belongs to Oklahoma’s WinStar World Casino (still so random—what does Oklahoma even have? Wind?), but California is about to snatch that crown. The new Big Sur cash casino will clock in at 700,000 square feet of gaming floor—a full 100,000 more than WinStar. And the location? Nestled between Point Sur Lighthouse and Andrew Molera State Park. If you’re imagining peaceful hikes followed by blackjack and a Beyoncé concert, you’re not wrong.
As a Californian who grew up visiting Big Sur and also frequented Chuckchansi Casino while living near Yosemite, this feels… inevitable? Giant casino resorts love parking themselves next to national parks. There’s a strategy here: Tourist traffic means guaranteed footfall, and rural areas have minimal competition. Also, let’s be real—when the closest town has one gas station and a single salad bar, a glittering new resort becomes the local social hub real quick.
We’re talking 9,000 slot machines, 300 gaming tables, six restaurants, guest rooms, an indoor arena, an outdoor concert venue, a heliport, and even a dock for ocean-going cruise ships. It’s being operated by the offshore Russian gaming company 1XBet, who got the contract without a public bid. Nothing sketchy about that!
Big Sur at the Central Coast in California, US pic.twitter.com/lOG4TCAoxA
— Tina Koskima 🕊️ (@LoveSongs4Peace) December 4, 2024
The Community Is Excited About the New Casino
The casino has been welcomed by many residents who are just excited to finally have wider roads and better infrastructure. And despite California’s strict gambling regulations, this project seems to be going smoothly thus far. A county-commissioned study even suggested that Big Sur could support a population of 300,000 if we “put the land to proper use.” (Apparently condor-watching isn’t a scalable economy.)
And now, let’s talk about environmental impact because let’s be real, we’re all tree huggers deep down. According to the developers, there’s minimal concern about emissions, noise, or artificial light. Their solution is to plant more eucalyptus trees and ice plants. (Okay sure, I’m cautiously optimistic.)
Big Sur, California, United States pic.twitter.com/v3VYxe2MDJ
— beautiful nature (@naturebeautyful) March 24, 2025
But if hiking boots and hotel stays aren’t in the cards for you right now, there’s always our online casino, where you can still play for real money from your own house. You won’t get the same coastal views, but hey, at least you won’t have to fight a cruise ship crowd for parking. And if you’re itching for a quick fix between real-life trips, check out a virtual casino game or two—we won’t tell.
So yes, this might be the most random piece of casino news in a minute. But if you’ve ever driven Highway 1, seen a sea otter pop its head up, and thought, “You know what this place needs? A prize fight and a Sbarro,” then Big Sur’s got something very special in store for you.
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