To Top

Gun Lake Casino Michigan

Gun Lake Casino is a tribe-owned venue nestled halfway between Grand Rapids and Kalamazoo in Wayland, Michigan. Easily accessible off Exit 61 on US 131, it opened in 2011 and is owned and operated by the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians.

Gun Lake Casino features more than 2,300 slot machines and over 50 table games, one of the largest game offerings among Michigan retail casinos. There’s a high-limit table games room as well as a high-limit slots room. Meanwhile, the resort offers multiple restaurants, a large sportsbook, lounges, and a popular live entertainment venue. You must be at least 21 years old to gamble at Gun Lake.

The property has undergone significant growth over the years, most recently with its “Phase 5” expansion, which added a 16-story, 252-room luxury hotel, additional dining options, and a full-service spa. The centerpiece of the $300 million project is the Wawyé Oasis, a 32,000-square-foot glass atrium featuring a tropical climate, several pools, and an entertainment center.

Gun Lake additionally launched an iCasino in April 2021, called Play Gun Lake. A few months later, online sports betting was added to the site. The band partnered with Pennsylvania’s Parx to launch the site across Michigan.

Gun Lake Casino snapshot and driving distances

Address1123 129th Avenue, Wayland, MI 49348
Hours of operation24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Games2,300+ slots; 50+ table games (blackjack, roulette, craps); sportsbook; poker
Sportsbook hoursM-F 12-10 p.m.; Sa-Su 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; kiosks avail. 24 hrs.
Poker Room hours24/7 except closed 4 a.m.-10 a.m. MTW
Minimum age21 years old

Driving distances to Gun Lake Casino

Here’s how far it is to Gun Lake Casino if you are driving from a few other Michigan locations:

  • Driving distance from Grand Rapids, MI — 25 miles via US-131 S
  • Driving distance from Kalamazoo, MI — 28 miles via US-131 N
  • Driving distance from Michigan’s Adventure in Muskegon, MI — 73 miles via I-96 E and US-131 S
  • Driving distance from Detroit, MI — 170 miles via I-96 W

Gun Lake Casino’s online gambling partnership

As noted, Gun Lake Casino partners with Parx Casino for iCasino and sports wagering operations in Michigan. The Philadelphia-based Parx Casino and its online gaming software partner, GAN, also handle similar sites in both Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Games at Gun Lake Casino

Thanks to the “Phase 5” expansion, the amount of available gaming space at Gun Lake Casino has increased to more than 225,000 square feet. Visitors can enjoy more than 2,300 slots, 56 table games, and a poker room. There are video poker and keno games available, plus a sportsbook and lounge.  

Gun Lake Casino runs a variety of promotions, including the progressive jackpot promotion Bonanza Bucks. The latest promotions can be found on the Gun Lake Casino website.

Slot machines

Gun Lake Casino features more than 2,300 slot machines, including many penny slots and progressive jackpot slots. The selection includes classic slot games like Wheel of Fortune, and new games are added regularly.

Table games

Gun Lake Casino currently offers 56 table games. You’ll find blackjack, roulette, and craps, as well as many poker-based games such as Three Card Poker, Mississippi Stud, and Ultimate Texas Hold’em.

Poker room

Located near the 131 Sportsbook, the Gun Lake Casino poker room is open daily, except from 4 a.m.-10 a.m. on Mon., Tue., and Wed. Those looking to stay up to date on the current poker games being spread can download the BravoPokerLive app, available on mobile devices.

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 however you want, whenever 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 earn points as follows:

  • 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:

  1. Experience
  2. Preferred (7,500 points)
  3. Reserve (30,000 points)
  4. Elite (120,000 points)
  5. 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 is the destination for sports wagering at Gun Lake Casino. Self-serve kiosks are open 24 hours a day, with windows and tellers available from noon to 10 p.m. during the week and 11 a.m.-9 p.m. on Sat. and Sun. There is plenty of seating and over 1,000 square feet of screens to watch games.

From Thursday through Sunday, guests can also enjoy draft beers, signature cocktails, premium liquor, and a variety of appetizers, salads, burgers, sandwiches, pizzas, and desserts.

Gun Lake Casino amenities

Hotel, pools & spa

The Gun Lake Casino Resort Hotel earned AAA Four Diamond status in April 2026, making it one of only a handful of properties in West Michigan with that distinction. The 252-room hotel gives guests access to the spa and fitness center as well as meeting spaces. In-room touches include a mini fridge, an Illy coffee brewer, and complimentary high-speed Wi-Fi. Room service, a 24/7 grab-and-go outlet, and an on-site gift shop round out the stay for both leisure and business travelers.

Meanwhile, anyone who stays at Gun Lake Casino will undoubtedly want to spend time at Wawyé Oasis. The 32,000-square-foot glass atrium is kept at a constant 80° and filled with live palm trees and tropical flora, with two pools, private cabanas, and a swim-up bar. Pool passes run $20 (free for GLC Rewards cardholders), and cabanas rent for $200 on weekdays or $300 on weekends. After dark, the space transforms with spotlights and LED lighting into a concert venue, hosting touring acts on a state-of-the-art stage.

There’s also the MnoYé Spa, which gets its name from the Pottawatomi word for “living well.” There you’ll find xix treatment rooms with massages, facials, body treatments, and a nail spa, plus a tranquility pool and hot tub. A relaxation lounge is reserved for spa guests, and a private VIP Suite is available for couples. It is open Sunday through Thursday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Friday and Saturday from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Dining options

Gun Lake Casino features multiple dining options, including:

  • Lucky Dragon Noodle Bar: Vietnamese pho and asian delicacies.
  • Shkodé Chophouse: A steak and seafood restaurant that features artisan cocktails and an extensive wine list.
  • 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.
  • Harvest Buffet: A 300-seat, multi-station buffet that uses fresh, local, and seasonal ingredients. Harvest offers an upscale buffet experience.
  • Sandhill Express: Quick bites featuring sandwiches and salads (open 24/7).
  • Sandhill Café: Home-cooked hearty classics, including an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet.
  • The Oasis Bar & Grill: Casual fare including burgers, nachos, wings, and drinks.

Bars

In addition to the restaurants, there are other options on site for drinks:

  • Social Bar & Lounge: Casual setting for craft cocktails and more.
  • 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 property.
  • On the Side Bar: All of your favorites are available while you play. Plus, it features a rotating selection of rare draft beers. It is near the parking garage entrance.
  • Lobby Bar: Exquisite drinks in an elegant setting, offering terrific views of Wawyé Oasis.

Gun Lake Casino history

Gun Lake Casino opened in February 2011 after delays from a legal battle over the federal government’s decision to grant land to the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians. Once opened, it never closed, and the last related lawsuit was dismissed in 2018. Gun Lake Casino operates under a tribal-state gaming compact between the Match-E-Be-Nash-She-Wish Band and the State of Michigan, with the Michigan Gaming Control Board overseeing certain aspects of compliance.

In 2017, Gun Lake completed a $76 million expansion that nearly doubled its size, adding 73,000 square feet and new amenities including a buffet, high-limit gaming room, and the Stage 131 entertainment lounge. Station Casinos, a Las Vegas-based company, managed the property alongside Michigan investors until the band took over in 2018, when the management contract expired.

In 2019, Gun Lake announced a further expansion, adding slot machines, table games, a larger nonsmoking area, and what would eventually become the 131 Sportsbook & Lounge, which opened in October 2020. In 2021, the band also partnered with Pennsylvania’s Parx Casino for both online and retail sports wagering as well as iCasino in Michigan.

In April 2021, Gun Lake announced another major renovation of the hotel, adding dining options, the spa, and the spectacular Wawyé Oasis atrium. Building began in 2022 and was completed in 2025.

Gun Lake Casino FAQ

You must be at least 21 years old to play any of the games or wager on sports at Gun Lake Casino.

The venue is open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. The sports bar and lounge also has betting kiosks open at all times. The poker room is also almost always open, but closes from 4-10 a.m. on Mon.-Wed.

A progressive jackpot network linking many games awards a Bonanza Bucks Jackpot. The jackpot is awarded randomly and resets to $20,000.

Yes, the Harvest Buffet is open Thur.-Sun. for lunch and dinner, and features a huge variety of Italian, Asian, Mexican, and American cuisine.

Gun Lake Casino first opened in February 2011.

Driving directions from Grand Rapids, Michigan, to Gun Lake Casino in Wayland are simple. It is essentially a straight shot of about 25 miles down US-131 S.

Looking ahead at Gun Lake Casino

Between its recently expanded hotel, the Wawyé Oasis, and its gaming floor, which ranks among the largest in the state, Gun Lake Casino has grown into one of Michigan’s most complete land-based destinations. Players in the area looking for a well-rounded trip, including slots, table games, dining, and now a resort-style stay, should find it worth a visit.

About the Author
VIEW ALL POSTS
Martin F. Harris

Content Editor

Martin Harris is a gambling writer and editor with more than 20 years of experience covering the industry. Much of his early work focused on live poker, reporting from major tournaments across the United States and abroad, including stops in Europe, South America, and Macau, as well as many summers spent covering the World Series of Poker in Las Vegas. Martin holds a Ph.D. in English and has published a range of academic articles and books, including the award-winning "Poker & Pop Culture: Telling the Story of America’s Favorite Card Game." He lives with his family on a horse farm in North Carolina, where he enjoys sports, music, reading, and teaching part-time in the American Studies program at UNC Charlotte.

VIEW ALL POSTS