Gun Lake Casino Michigan
Gun Lake Casino is a tribal casino located in Wayland, Michigan.
It is located off Exit 61 on US 131, halfway between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo.
The casino opened in 2011 and is owned and operated by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians. It was initially managed by an affiliate of Las Vegas, Nevada-based Station Casinos and private investors from Michigan. However, the band took control when its management agreement with Station Casinos came to an end in 2018.
Gun Lake Casino features more than 160,000 square feet of gaming with more than 2,500 slot machines and 47 table games. There’s a high-limit room, multiple restaurants, including a sports bar, brewpub, chophouse, 300-seat buffet and a 225-seat cafe, as well as lounges and a popular live entertainment venue.
After being closed indefinitely by the COVID-19 pandemic, Gun Lake Casino’s poker room was re-opened on Dec. 16, 2022.
You must be at least 21 years of age to gamble at Gun Lake.
In September of 2021, the casino underwent a massive expansion, adding 72,000 square feet to the existing property. It included additional slots and table games, an expansion of the 131 Sportsbook, three new restaurants and two outdoor patios.
The new restaurants include the Shkode Chophouse, CBK (a brewpub) and 131 Sportsbar & Lounge.
Prior to the recent expansion, Gun Lake converted part of its Stage 131 venue into the 131 Sportsbar & Lounge, taking sports bets there beginning in October 2020.
The casino also announced plans to build a 250-room hotel on the property, along with a six-story Aquadome. The project will cost an estimated $300 million, but will have $650 million in economic impact and create 350 jobs. The expansion broke ground in May of 2022 and is expected to be completed by March of 2025.
Gun Lake launched an online casino in April 2021. PlayGunLake, powered by Parx Casino, is live. Gun Lake went live with online sports betting in August 2021.
The band agreed with Pennsylvania’s Parx to launch the sportsbook, along with the sportsbook and casino website and app across Michigan.
Parx Casino and partner GAN have previously launched online gambling and sports betting operations in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Gun Lake Casino location and hours
Gun Lake Casino is located at 1123 129th Ave., in Wayland, MI. The casino is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
Gun Lake in the news
Gun Lake Casino online gambling partnerships
In March, Gun Lake Casino agreed with Parx Casino for its sportsbook and online gambling operations.
Parx is a Philadelphia-area casino that has launched online operations in the Keystone State. Parx will be one of 15 sports betting operators and 15 online casino operators in the state.
Parx powered the new Stage 131 Sportsbook & Lounge, which opened in October 2020.
The online casino launched in April 2021, with online sports betting following in August 2021.
Parx Casino and online gaming software partner GAN have previously launched online gambling and sports betting operations in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
The casino at Gun Lake Casino
The 156,000-square-foot gaming floor at Gun Lake Casino is open 24 hours.
It features more than 2,500 slots and 47 table games and a poker room.
There is a variety of slots, video poker and keno machines, plus the most popular and latest trends in table gaming, along with a sportsbook.
Gun Lake Casino runs a variety of promotions, including Bonanza Bucks. The latest promotions can be found on the casino’s website.
Slot machines
Gun Lake Casino features more than 2,500 slot machines, which includes penny slots, video poker and keno machines.
The selection includes classic slot games, like Wheel of Fortune, and new choices are updated regularly.
Table games
Gun Lake Casino has a selection of 47 table games.
It includes the classics and new favorites like three-card poker, progressive Mississippi Stud, progressive four-card poker and progressive Ultimate Texas Hold’em.
Poker room
After being closed for more than two years by the COVID-19 pandemic, GLC re-opened its poker room on Dec. 16, 2022.
Those looking to be kept up-to-date on the current poker games at GLC can download the BravoPokerLive app that is available on mobile platforms.
GLC Rewards
GLC Rewards is Gun Lake Casino’s players’ loyalty club.
GLC Rewards members can earn, access and use points, comps, rewards and exclusive tier benefits at Gun Lake Casino.
Members earn rewards dollars and rewards points. Rewards dollars and comps are fully visible; you can use them how you want and when you want.
You can rack up rewards points and hold onto them throughout the one-year earning period.
Just play your favorite games with your GLC Rewards card and you’ll earn:
- Slots: Every $1 equals 1 point
- Keno: Every $1 equals 1 point
- Video Poker: $2 equals 1 point
- Table Games: Average bet amount times the hours played equals points.
- Appliques Gift Shop Purchases: $1 equals 1 point
- Harvest Buffet Purchases: $1 equals 1 point
- Shkodé Purchases: $1 equals 1 point
- CBK Purchases: $1 equals 1 point
- 131 Sportsbar & Lounge: $1 equals 1 point
You can redeem your points at a rate of $1 for every 500 points for:
- Slot play
- Table game bets
- Entries for select drawings
- Food and drinks
Rewards dollars are instantly redeemable.
GLC Rewards includes five tiers with increasing benefits:
- Experience
- Preferred (7,500 points)
- Reserve (30,000 points)
- Elite (120,000 points)
- Elite+ (Invite-only)
Various GLC Rewards benefits include:
- Tier-based promotions
- Harvest Buffet discount
- Applique gift shop discount
- Alcohol discounts
- Priority parking
- Early access to gift giveaway items
Gun Lake Casino sportsbook
The 131 Sportsbar & Lounge brings you the best in sports betting. There is a betting counter in the bar and self-service kiosks located throughout the casino.
It will offer single bets, over/unders, spreads and more for a variety of professional and collegiate sports, including football, basketball, baseball, racing and boxing.
The entertainment and game viewing venue features live entertainment, big-screen TVs, and ice-cold beer on 20 draft lines with rotating and seasonal features.
Gun Lake Casino amenities
Dining and entertainment
Gun Lake Casino features multiple dining options, including:
- The Harvest Buffet: A 300-seat, multistation buffet that uses fresh, local and seasonal ingredients. Harvest offers an upscale buffet experience.
- CBK: It stands for Craft, Bar, Kitchen, and it delivers with more than 100 different brews on tap, craft cocktails and farm-to-table menu choices.
- Shkodé Chophouse: A steak and seafood that features artisan cocktails and an extensive wine list.
- Grab & Go: Grab a quick sandwich, salad or snack at this 24/7 eatery.
- 131 Sportsbar and Lounge: Features hot local entertainment, big games on the big screens and no cover charge.
Bars
In addition to the restaurants, there are other options on site for drinks:
- Crossroads Bar: Crossroads offers cold beverages and big-screen sports on the casino floor.
- Chill Bar!: This bar features frozen drinks made with high-quality Fat Tuesday’s mixes and fun souvenir cups. It is right in the heart of the casino.
- On The Side Bar: All of your favorites are available while you play. Plus, it features a rotating rare draft beer. It is near the parking garage entrance.
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Gun Lake Casino history
Gun Lake Casino opened in February 2011 despite construction delays. It was due to the legal battle surrounding the federal government’s decision to give the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians the land to build it on.
Lawsuits caused the delays, but after the casino opened, the casino never closed. In 2018, the last of any legal actions were dismissed.
The original casino featured more than 1,600 slot machines, 33 table games, a food court and a 225-seat cafe, along with a handful of bars, lounges and a live entertainment venue.
In 2017, Gun Lake Casino finished a $76 million expansion, almost doubling its size. The remodel included a buffet, high-limit gaming room and the Stage 131 entertainment lounge.
Ultimately, 73,000 square feet of space was added to the existing 83,000-square-foot facility. The casino features 2,050 electronic game machines and 42 table games. Gun Lake also features an employee dining room and lounge.
Gun Lake Casino had been managed by an affiliate of Las Vegas, Nevada-based Station Casinos and private investors from Michigan since it opened. But in 2018, the band took over. Its management contract with Station Casinos had come to an end.
In 2019, Gun Lake Casino announced plans to add another 72,000 square feet to the existing 156,000-square-foot facility. The expansion will include the addition of another 450 slot machines, 12 table games and a larger nonsmoking area.
In the meantime, Gun Lake Casino converted part of Stage 131 into the Stage 131 Sportsbook & Lounge at Gun Lake Casino, which opened in October 2020.
The band also entered into an agreement with Pennsylvania’s Parx Casino, providing the retail sportsbook operations on the property and an online and mobile sportsbook and online casino in Michigan. The online casino service launched in April 2021, with the online sports betting portion following in August 2021.
Parx Casino and software partner GAN have previously launched online gambling operations in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.
Gun Lake also announced plans in April 2021 to build a 250-room hotel and resort on the property, along with a six-story Aquadome. The Aquadome will feature three pools and be able to convert into a concert venue. Gun Lake broke ground on the expansion on May 19, 2022. Plans call for the expansion project to be completed by March 2025.