Updated by Ziv Chen
Writer
Fact Checked by Lee James Gwilliam
Senior Vice-President
MGM National Harbor Review for April 2026
MGM National Harbor is Washington D.C. 's casino, even if it sits technically across the Maryland state line in Oxon Hill, Prince George's County. When it opened on December 8, 2016, as the first casino resort in the D.C. metropolitan area, it brought a $1.4 billion MGM Resorts property to a market of five million people who had previously needed to travel to Atlantic City, West Virginia, or Delaware for a full casino resort experience.
Maryland authorized commercial casino gambling through a 2008 statewide referendum and built a framework that now governs six commercial casinos across the state under the Maryland Lottery and Gaming Control Agency.
Sports betting came later, approved by voters in 2020 and launched in December 2021, with MGM National Harbor hosting the very first legal sports bet in Maryland history. Governor Larry Hogan placed that bet at the BetMGM Sportsbook on December 9, 2021, a moment that felt appropriately ceremonial for a property that has positioned itself as the flagship of Maryland gaming from its first day of operation.
Let's take a much closer look at MGM National Harbor.
Getting There
Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is approximately seven miles away, making it one of the most airport-accessible casino resorts anywhere in the eastern United States. From central D.C. it's about 15 to 20 minutes by car heading south on the Beltway. From Baltimore it takes roughly 45 minutes. From Northern Virginia, crossing the Wilson Bridge into Maryland puts you at the property in minutes. Free self-parking is available on site and is plentiful.
The National Harbor entertainment complex surrounds the property with additional restaurants, shops, the Tanger Outlets, the Capital Wheel ferris wheel, and various waterfront attractions, all accessible on foot from the casino.
The National Harbor water taxi provides a scenic alternative from Alexandria, Virginia and other Potomac waterfront stops.
Casino Review
The casino is a big one at 125,000 square feet and it is open 24 hours, just as you’d expect. Quite a cool little quirk is that the casino's west entrance is marked by Bob Dylan's Portal, a 26-foot iron archway composed of found objects including farming tools, children's toys, wheels, and axes. It is a genuinely unusual piece of public art for a casino entrance. If this arty type stuff is your thing, you may also be interested to know that a permanent art collection inspired by the Washington metropolitan area and developed in collaboration with Prince George's County Arts and Humanities Council is woven through the resort's public spaces, featuring works by Alice Aycock, Sam Gilliam, Martha Jackson Jarvis, and others.
Meanwhile, the Race Book on the second level handles simulcast horse racing wagering in a 24-screen, 21-carrel dedicated facility in partnership with the Maryland Jockey Club. There is also a pretty impressive sportsbook to check out. More on that later.
Smoking is permitted on the casino floor, but the poker room and some lounge areas are smoke-free.
Table Games
With 140 table games and a 37-table poker room, MGM National Harbor arguably serves table players better than any casino on the East Coast outside Atlantic City. Games include:
The poker room runs 24/7 with No Limit Texas Hold'Em, Pot Limit Omaha, Limit Hold'Em, 5 Card Omaha, and 5 Card Omaha Hi-Lo. Daily tournaments are offered throughout the week too.
Slots
Over 3,300 slot machines populate the casino floor, with a dedicated High Limit room running 48 of them. As you’d expect, the range spans classic-style reels, video slots, and progressive jackpot titles from all major manufacturers.
The casino's scale means there is always something available at your preferred denomination regardless of the time of day or week, which is great. I certainly didn’t have any trouble at all finding something I wanted to play, but it goes without saying that MGM knows what they are doing here.
Sportsbook
The BetMGM Sportsbook and Lounge is an 8,000 square foot facility with a 110-foot wraparound screen, a 360-degree jumbotron, seven betting windows, 15 self-service kiosks, and a capacity of 350 guests.
It has stadium-style padded seating, a full food menu, and betting-themed cocktails including The Parlay and the Backdoor Cover. It’s as comfortable a sports wagering environment as you'll find at any retail sportsbook in the mid-Atlantic region.
While there are better sportsbooks in Las Vegas (yes, Circa, I am looking at you covetously as always), the MGM National Harbor one would not be out of place on the Strip.
Rewards Club
MGM Rewards operates here, which should be music to everyone’s ears. That means that play and spend here allows you to build up comps not only at MGM National Harbor, but the MGM Las Vegas properties too. That means Bellagio, MGM Grand, Aria, Cosmopolitan, and plenty others, as well as Beau Rivage in Biloxi, and all other MGM properties worldwide.
Tier levels run from Sapphire through Pearl, Gold, Platinum, and the invitation-only Noir tier.
The property also participates in Marriott Bonvoy, allowing hotel stays to earn Bonvoy points and contribute toward Bonvoy status alongside MGM Rewards credits, making it one of the few casino hotels in the region where both loyalty currencies accumulate simultaneously.
Hotel Review
The 308 rooms and suites occupy a 24-story tower, with rooms ranging from 400 to 3,210 square feet. The design draws on forest and water elements native to Maryland, with floor-to-ceiling windows, clean lines, and signature wood millwork. Views from upper floors span the Potomac River, the National Harbor waterfront, and on clear days the Washington D.C. skyline itself.
Rooms
The 74 suites represent the premium tier, ranging up to 3,210 square feet, with separate living areas, dining spaces, and in the largest configurations, dedicated entertainment rooms.
I didn’t go for that and got the standard deluxe room instead. At 400 square feet it was comfortably sized with the full floor-to-ceiling window. I love a floor-to-ceiling window.
Where to Eat
MGM National Harbor's dining line-up is one of the strongest of any casino in the mid-Atlantic, anchored by celebrity chefs with genuine regional connections.
| Restaurant | Type | General Price |
|---|---|---|
| Voltaggio Brothers Steak House | Bryan and Michael Voltaggio (Top Chef), Maryland-inspired contemporary steakhouse, USDA Prime and Wagyu, wood-fire steaks, iced shellfish, regional and Mediterranean flavors | $$$ |
| Ginger | Asian-Pacific cuisine, Vietnamese, Chinese, Thai, Korean, Japanese, soft-shell crab fried rice, live lobster, open kitchen | $$ |
| TAP Sports Bar | 70+ flat-screen TVs, signature burgers, local and seasonal craft beers, game-day atmosphere | $ |
| Diablo's Cantina | Mexican, margarita flights, handcrafted cocktails, live DJs, dancing, bottle service, high-energy | $$ |
| National Market | Modern food hall: Pappas Crabcakes, Zizi's Pizza, Bento Sushi Bar, Memphis Q BBQ, Saigon Street Vietnamese (24-hour) | $ |
| Shake Shack | Premium burgers, shakes, fries | $ |
| FELT Bar and Lounge | Casino floor, DJ sets, bar-top gaming, crafted cocktails, upscale club atmosphere | $ |
| Blossom Cocktail Lounge | Cherry blossom-inspired design, chic cocktail setting, gaming access | $ |
The Voltaggio Brothers Steak House is the big dining ticket. The Maryland inspiration running through the menu, from the iced shellfish to the regional flavor combinations alongside the USDA Prime and Wagyu wood-fire steaks, gives it a real sense of local identity too.
Pappas Crabcakes in the National Market food hall is worth singling out too I think: It is a Maryland institution serving the crab cakes Maryland does better than anywhere else in the world (or so I am told, I haven’t tried all the world’s crabcakes, obviously.)
Meanwhile, the 24-hour Saigon Street Vietnamese counter in the same hall fills the late-night sustenance requirement pretty well. I always think that a casino with a 24-hour food option is a casino you can trust.
Pool and Spa
The outdoor rooftop pool is seasonal and available to hotel guests, with the Potomac River setting giving it a view that most urban hotel pools would envy. Aside from that view, there is not really much to get excited about when discussing the MGM National Harbor pool. It’s nice to have in good weather, but not really an attraction.
However, the Spa at MGM National Harbor is a 27,000 square foot facility with 11 treatment rooms, a full-service salon, and an advanced fitness center. The treatment menu covers massages, facials, body wraps, and the full salon program. The spa's scale and finish quality are pretty reminiscent of MGM's Las Vegas properties which speaks for itself.
Entertainment
The Theater at MGM National Harbor is a 3,000-seat venue operated in partnership with Live Nation, with VIP suites on the second level and reconfigurable seating that can drop to 900 for more intimate shows. The line-up of acts spans rock, pop, comedy, UFC, and boxing events, and the proximity to D.C. gives it access to touring acts that might otherwise bypass the mid-Atlantic corridor.
The conservatory inside the resort features seasonally changing large-scale floral installations that have become a destination in their own right, drawing visitors who have no particular interest in gaming but want to see what the current display looks like. Think Bellagio conservatory, but not as grand (or busy).
The National Harbor complex immediately surrounding the property adds considerably to the entertainment picture too. It has the Capital Wheel ferris wheel, waterfront dining, The Awakening sculpture at National Plaza, and the Tanger Outlets, all within a short walk.
Verdict
MGM National Harbor is the D.C. metropolitan area's premier casino resort and makes that case easily given that it remains the only real option of its scale in the area.
The BetMGM Sportsbook is among the best retail sportsbook facilities in the eastern United States, and the dual MGM Rewards and Marriott Bonvoy loyalty earning makes every stay work harder for frequent travelers than a standalone casino loyalty program can.
The D.C. location and the seven-mile proximity to Reagan National Airport make it genuinely convenient for short visits around a business trip or a longer weekend stay. For anyone based in or visiting Washington D.C. who wants a proper casino resort experience without flying to Las Vegas, MGM National Harbor is where you go.
Meet The Author
Experience
Ziv Chen has been working in the online gambling industry for over two decades in senior marketing and business development roles. Ziv writes about a wide range of topics including slot and table games, casino and sportsbook reviews, American sports news, betting odds and game predictions. Leading a life full of conflict, Ziv constantly struggles between his two greatest loves: American football and US soccer.
Read Full BioDisclosure
Test Your Luck
Not Your Spam Filter
Sign up to receive emails and promotions from Casinos.com
