Casino Arizona and Talking Stick Resort & Casino are each a short drive from Old Town Scottsdale and surrounding airports. While both offer gambling, betting, unique dining and live entertainment, visitors can also experience some of the nation’s largest collections of Native American culture and art on display, since the casinos are owned by the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
Talking Stick Resort & Casino
With a 15-story, 500-room tower, visitors can stay where they play and access an array of amenities—yet the property’s casino is the gem. There are more than 900 slots and a high-limit slot room, and if cards are your game, there are nearly 50 tables: blackjack, roulette, craps, three card poker, and Let It Ride, just to name a few. Plus, Talking Stick is home to the state’s largest poker room, with more than 45 tables catering to Texas Hold ‘Em, Omaha, and 7-Card Stud. The resort also hosts the Arizona State Poker Championship, where the prize pool has reached over $1 million. And speaking of pools—a favorite word here in Arizona—hotel rooms grant access to the family friendly or adults-only pool, both offering luxurious amenities like cabana and daybed rentals, surrounded by lush landscaping.
But you don’t have to stay at the resort to partake in some of the resort’s best features. At the spa, “The Monsoon,” a three-part shoulder-to-toe treatment, is worth the splurge. While you’re there, take advantage of the spa’s gorgeous balcony lounge where you can enjoy lunch and refreshments overlooking the golf courses and far mountain views. The public also can take a swing at one of Talking Stick Golf Club’s two championship courses: one is a traditional design, while the other boasts more modern lines.
When it comes time to eat, head up to Orange Sky on the resort’s 16th floor for 360-degree sunset views and a menu themed around fire, water, air and earth; think proteins like antelope and bison, alongside spaghetti squash corn rolls. Another favorite is Ocean Trail, a 19-seat New Orleans’ themed seafood bar serving gumbo, shrimp boils, a range of oyster shooters, and crawfish etouffee. At night, Degree 270 turns from lounge to dance club; Shadows, a martini bar, also doubles as one of Scottsdale’s only indoor cigar bars; and the medium-sized showrooms featuring regular touring acts ranging from up-and-comers to legends like ZZ top and Jay Leno.
And a can’t-miss feature? The contemporary Native American art collection—the largest outside of a museum in the country. Swing by the lobby’s display cases to see pottery, jewelry and an actual “talking stick,” a custom piece from which the hotel gets its name.
Casino Arizona
Casino Arizona is slot machine heaven, with more than 1,400 machines, blackjack, roulette, craps, high-card flush, Pai Gow Poker, and a keno and bingo lounge catering to avid players, with food and drink specials, as well as matinee, evening, and late-night sessions.
At the casino’s CAZ Sports Bar Sportsbook, try your hand at betting on your favorite team or just watch the game on one of the 42 screens, and indulge in some chili-spiked waffle fries, Dulce de Leche cheesecake, or for those early games, breakfast items like loco moco poutine and green chili pork hash. And while there isn’t a hotel here, there’s plenty to enjoy outside of gambling, starting with the casino’s design. Casino Arizona’s architecture mimics the look and feel of a basket to reflect the tribe’s culture. Stroll through the walkways and you’ll see a showcase of the country’s most significant contemporary Native American artists, as well as the culture of the Pima and Maricopa tribes.
Once you work up an appetite, Caz Taqueria offers six types of Native fry bread, including both savory and sweet options; the extensive Eagles Buffet is known for unique pop-up stations and all-you-can-eat crab legs; or class it up at Cholla Steakhouse with a juicy elk tenderloin or vegetarian risotto. Afterward, catch a show at the small cabaret-style venue, where national and local performers—jazz, country, comedy, dance, magic and more—regularly perform.
Sportbooks in Scottsdale
Looking to bet but don’t want all the casino noise and action? Scottsdale has you covered there, too. Legal since 2021, there’s an array of ways to bet on your favorite teams—including Arizona’s own like the Arizona Cardinals (NFL), Phoenix Suns (NBA), Arizona Diamondbacks (MLB), Arizona Coyotes (NHL) and collegiate teams. Your best bet? Sportsbooks in Scottsdale including Draftkings at TPC Scottsdale!
