Meskwaki Casino at a glance
About Meskwaki Casino
Meskwaki Casino is a tribal gaming facility in Tama, Iowa, owned and operated by the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa (the Meskwaki Nation). The casino opened in 1992 — one of Iowa’s earliest Native American gaming operations — and runs approximately 235 slot machines, 9 table games — including American Roulette, Blackjack, and Stud Poker — Bingo, and Video Poker on a 24-hour schedule. A Players Club loyalty program with a diamond tier serves regular guests. The minimum gambling age is 21, regulated by the Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission. Phone: (800) 728-4263; website: meskwaki.com.
Tama is in Tama County in central Iowa, approximately 55 miles east of Ames and 60 miles northeast of Des Moines via US-30 and IA-63. The Meskwaki Settlement — the tribal land on which the casino operates — has a distinctive legal history. In 1857, the Meskwaki people purchased 80 acres in Tama County with their own funds, creating one of the very few Native American communities in the United States where tribal members bought and own their land independently rather than receiving a reservation from the federal government. This purchase has since grown to approximately 8,000 acres, and the Meskwaki Settlement is recognized as tribal trust land.
Detected amenities for Meskwaki Casino include a hotel, sportsbook, Bingo hall, nightclub, and buffet — a more complete resort footprint than the primary gaming data alone suggests. Confirm current amenities at meskwaki.com.
Games at Meskwaki Casino
Venue photo
Meskwaki Casino
Tama, Iowa
Players Club Loyalty
Meskwaki Casino operates a Players Club loyalty program with a diamond tier. Members earn points through gaming activity. Current enrollment details and promotions are at meskwaki.com and on the Meskwaki Casino Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter), and YouTube channels.
- diamond
- players club
- players' club
Specific earn rates, tier requirements, and benefits change frequently — confirm with the property's player services desk before your visit.
Tribal Context: Meskwaki Nation and the 1857 Land Purchase
Meskwaki Casino is owned by the Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa — known as the Meskwaki Nation — a federally recognized tribe with trust land in Tama County, Iowa. The Meskwaki (meaning “People of the Red Earth” in their Algonquian language) are historically connected to the Sac (Sauk) people and share a tribe status designation. In 1857, the Meskwaki people purchased their own land in Tama County with money earned through annuity payments — an act of self-determination that created one of the only tribal communities in the US where the land was purchased independently rather than allocated by federal treaty or executive order. This Meskwaki Settlement has grown to approximately 8,000 acres and remains the tribe’s primary homeland today.
Ownership & Operation
- Owner
- Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa
- Operator
- Sac and Fox Tribe of the Mississippi in Iowa
- Opened
- 1992
Contact
- Phone
- (800) 728-4263
- Website
- meskwaki.com
- Address
- Tama, Iowa
What the directory data shows
Strengths and gaps inferred from games, features, and directory data.
Strengths
3- Meskwaki Settlement's unique 1857 land purchase — one of US history's most significant tribal self-determination acts
- 24/7 operation with Players Club diamond tier; detected hotel, sportsbook, Bingo, nightclub, buffet
- Community-scale gaming facility with 30+ years of tribal gaming since 1992
Watch-outs
2- 235 machines — small gaming floor; GPS in our data was incorrect (Namibia coordinates) — use address for navigation
- No poker room in primary directory data — confirm at meskwaki.com
Meskwaki Nation's 1992 casino on the historically unique 1857 self-purchased tribal settlement in Tama
Meskwaki Casino's cultural context is as significant as its gaming floor: the Meskwaki Nation purchased their own land in Tama County in 1857 — one of the most remarkable acts of Native American self-determination in US history. The casino has operated since 1992 with a Players Club diamond tier and detected hotel, Bingo, and sportsbook amenities that suggest a more complete resort profile than the primary data reflects. Note: the GPS coordinates in our data source were incorrect (pointing to Namibia) — use the Tama address for navigation. Confirm current amenities at meskwaki.com.
Licensing & Rules
- Regulator
- Iowa Racing and Gaming Commission
- Age Requirement
- 21+
- Sportsbook
- Legal
