There were a variety of machines and no smoke so it could have been a more positive experience had the machines been more fun….or generous. And this will cost money, players’ money. They are building their own hotel and it won’t be long until they imitate others that think customers want things like unknown country bands wailing in the background as they play slots and upscale décor akin to what might find at Versailles. We had hope that the payouts and play time would be more generous in a less elaborate facility. But that seemed like a good thing as patrons are the ones paying for marble floors and over the top finishes and amenities. One of only two in the state of Maine, this casino is modest and without the frills one finds at Mohegan Sun and Foxwoods, and is more comparable to Massachusetts’ only open casino, Plainridge Park. All hotels in the immediate vicinity were booked for a busy Saturday night with beaches nearby and $6.99 lobsters plentiful so we stayed 12 miles away and commuted to the casino. The ride was worth it with spectacular scenery along the nearby Maine coast.

Friends decided to do something different for my 70th birthday by taking me to the Oxford Casino in Oxford, Maine, a four hour trip from my home.

Oxford casino hotel opening date