It's not the most exciting casino I've been to ... In fact, it's probably the least exciting casino I've been to, with the least action on the craps tables (which are what I go for) that I've seen. But the employees are friendly, and it's a good place for people-watching that feels more homey to me, as a native Altonian, than the other places you can go to in StL and ESL.
Review Source:Not a fan,My first trip to Argosy was a little disappointing, I remember many years ago when the boat actually took river cruises. I was too young to actually get on to gamble back then but really wish that they would bring this back. Overall the casino was small, which is to be expected, however I couldn't really shake the feeling that something was off. On the 3rd floor while playing some slots I felt like I was being watched by an employee who was just watching the floor, he was standing behind me and it made me feel a little uncomfortable. What really surprised me was the free soda, it wasn't a soda fountain but it was one of the nozzle type dispensers used in a bar. Table games are very limited no more than 10 so odds are you will be playing slots. Overall I wouldn't say that this was an awful experience, however there are better options in St.Louis.
Review Source:I don't gamble, but I do frequent rundown non-Vegas casinos for their fantastic selection of 80s acts. Â I've been to the Alton Belle twice now, but I only made the mistake of eating at their buffet once. Â It was...less than acceptable. Â
If you like to people-watch, you'll be pleased with the odd array of folks that hang out here. Â It's NOTHING like a Vegas casino. Â We're talking disabled people who don't appear to have moved from a single slot machine in years, retirees blowing their Social Security checks on the penny slots, gap-toothed cocktail waitresses, and good ole boys from the nearby farming communities acting like they're in Ocean's 11 or something as they puzzle their way through the basics of blackjack. Â There are exceptions, of course, but overall, this place is kind of a freakshow. Â
Anyway, I've been twice now because they do occasionally have really good concerts. Â I saw Air Supply here in 2007, along with Loverboy a bit later. Â It's an extremely small venue, and if you get there early, you can usually snag a decent seat (but be warned, the front seats are typically reserved for people who have some kind of special relationship with the casino.
Acoustically, it's an imperfect venue. Â For seating, it's even worse (all of the seats are level, so if someone tall is front of you...too bad). Â Still, the acts they bring in are worthwhile and the venue feels very intimate. Â
I should also mention that thanks to wonderful new regulation in Illinois, smokers are not welcome inside the casino. Â You'll still get the occasional whiff of it from someone whose clothing is tainted, but the bigger concern these days is body odor. Â Now if they could just outlaw that one...
Boat.
Casio.
Penny slots.
WE HAVE THE LOOSEST SLOTS IN TOWN.
I love this place. I come in, with a 20$. Me and grandma get to spend quality time hopping around the penny slots. We have a ton of fun and twenty bucks usually lasts all day. I am the one in the family that normally ends up walking out with more money than I walked in with, last time it was eight dollars. A great, smoke-free cheap way to spend an afternoon or evening, catching up with family or friends. And there's free soda!
The tables were a bit poorly ran in my opinion.
On a really busy (January 1st) weekend day, they had only one table of craps, roulette, etc open. Â They were $5 minimum though, that was good. Â But the tables were crowded at times.
The roulette table was initially so crowded that I and another person at the table had to "trade" spots constantly... literally I'd put chips down, get out of the way and stand behind someone while someone else got in towards the table to put their chips down, every single spin we'd trade each other. Â I didn't mind, but I've never heard of anything so crazy. Â The real problem is the lazy f'kers who have to sit in a chair to play roulette, had they not been there sitting it would've been fine. Â If there are 18 people playing one roulette table, you could probably open another wheel up? Â ...Then what's crazy is the dealers (and thus pit boss) were allowing two people at the table to share chips between them and they were on opposite ends of the table. Â I've never heard of a casino allowing this, and it slowed play. Â They would literally tell the dealer "give it to her" or "give it to him" when they were getting their payout each time. Â Not to mention it was already too busy as it was for the dealer to allow such silliness.
Get electronic roulette or do something more useful.
Later at the craps table, the pit boss Nate was a class A jerk. Â And the craps dealers were pretty boring and lame. Â And a waitress interrupted our game for several minutes to give a drink to the shooter, who didn't have tip money so he had to run to the cage and wait in line to cash a chip. Â
The crowd here is pretty typical of any casino I've ever been outside of Vegas... a mix of people who are vastly overweight, carrying oxygen tanks, people on welfare, people borrowing money from their credit card to gamble, and then a few young people sprinkled in.
The only redeeming thing about the Argosy was that it's in Illinois so it's smoke free. Â Which is fantastic when you're dealing with such a low brow crowd who would otherwise be sitting at the slot machine with a cigarette carelessly blowing in your face. Â I'd go back here over smoking casinos just because of this.
That said, they do have a very nice smoking deck... it's outside on the top of the boat. Â There's a semi-enclosed area you can smoke in with a heater and a nice plasma. Â I wandered out to the smoking deck just to take in the great view of the mighty Mississippi... no-smoking indoors has its perks!
Oh....Alton Belle....you are...well....you're a casino on a boat in Alton....
I usually find myself at the Alton Belle after I have stuffed myself with junk food and cheap beer at Fast Eddie's across the street. Â It just seems like the logical way to end the evening for some reason. Â Maybe it's because we feel as though we really need to "make the most out of our drive." Â I have no idea....but I do know that when we decide it's a great night to go the casinos, no one ever says, "HEY, how about the Alton Belle, it's my favorite!"
I mean, it's not that the Alton Belle is bad. Â It's not bad. Â It doesn't have all the "glam" (if you can call it that) of Ameristar or Harrah's, and yes, it tends to cater to the geriatrics among us...but it has some upsides to it as well. Â Because it's in Illinois, it's non-smoking. Â I personally love this since most casinos are gigantic smoke boxes. Â Also, you don't have to have one of those ridiculous cards to get into the casino here. Â I always lose my card and then I have to stand in line to get a new one while my group goes in and starts their gambling. Â Usually by the time I get inside, everyone is in a bad mood because they have lost all their money and want to go home. Â See, no card necessary, no problem...I do like that about the Alton Belle.
Otherwise, it's your run of the mill riverboat casino...slots, tables, cheap watered down drinks...the whole nine yards. Â I don't think I need to explain much more...
I would really give Argosy 3.5 stars. I like to think of this little riverboat as the Casino that . . . almost could. If you have made the long trek to Alton to check out another establishment, stopping by the Argosy is not a bad idea. However unless you live North of Florissant I would not suggest making the trip for this casino. Formerly the Alton Belle Casino.
I know that all of us who have been to Vegas, grumble about the casino's in St. Louis and St. Charles. But those look like the real deal next to this little baby version. The riverboat is kind of quaint, they have tried to keep it clean and updated and with the Illinois smoking ban there is no smoking.
But it is a little tattered and torn however they do have $5 blackjack tables and plenty of penny machines, some new some old. All in all you shouldn't have a problem losing your money here. Although my friend did leave the blackjack table with enough winnings to go shoe shopping.
So I was contemplating why nobody had reviewed this place yet.
It's been around approximately a decade. Â It's big. Â It has flashy lights. People gamble and drink here. Â I mean, come on, its the freakin' Midwest. Â In the middle of nowhere. Â You can't miss this place. Â And it's generally packed.
Then it dawned on me.
It is generally packed...
WITH OLD PEOPLE.
I mean like carry your walker around old.
And old people don't Yelp.
Problem solved.
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