Plainridge Park Casino
Plainridge Park holds two firsts in Massachusetts -- the state's only Category 2 slots-parlor license and its only live harness racing track. The floor itself runs on the usual link-game family: Lightning Link, Ultimate Fire Link, Buffalo Ascension, Dragon Link.
Plainridge Park Casino sits in Plainville, Massachusetts, and holds two firsts in the state: it's Massachusetts' only Category 2 slots-parlor license, and its harness racing track is the state's only one still running live races. The gaming floor is capped by law at 1,250 slot, video poker, and video blackjack machines. It's a smaller operation than the resort casinos elsewhere in New England, and it was Massachusetts' first casino of any kind -- open to the public since June 2015, years before the state's larger resort licenses were built out. Here's what's on the floor, what the room feels like, and what to know before you go.
Slot Machines
The floor runs on the link-game family common to smaller Northeast casinos: Lightning Link, Ultimate Fire Link, Dragon Link, and Buffalo Ascension are all confirmed staples here. Beyond those, a casino profile names four more machines specifically: Jackpot Inferno, Mr. Cashman, Buffalo Grand, and Crazy Money Double Deluxe. That's a shorter, more focused lineup than you'll find at the bigger tribal and commercial casinos in neighboring states -- a function of the 1,250-machine cap that comes with Plainridge's Category 2 license, not a sign of a thin operation. If you're used to hunting through thousands of titles at a resort casino, Plainridge is a smaller, more walkable floor by design.
Layout, Decor, and Atmosphere
Reviewers consistently describe Plainridge as a cozy, clean 'very nice small casino' with friendly staff -- and consistently recommend a weekday visit, since weekends draw noticeably bigger crowds at a property this size. Some reviews flag rougher edges too, including inconsistent air conditioning and the occasional out-of-service machine, worth knowing before a summer visit in particular. On weekend nights, the casino brings in live entertainment, including tribute acts -- a 1980s cover band has been among them.
History and Location
The harness racing that gives the property its name predates the casino by nearly two decades. When Massachusetts' only harness track, Foxboro Park, closed in 1997 after a dispute, developer Gary Piontkowski built a replacement track in Plainville, receiving a conditional license that November. Simulcast wagering began March 17, 1999, with live racing following exactly a month later. The casino came much later: after Massachusetts legislators authorized up to three resort casinos and one slots-only facility in 2011, Plainridge was the state's first applicant, submitting its $400,000 application fee as soon as the process opened. Penn National Gaming took over operational control in 2013 and was awarded the Category 2 slots license in February 2014. The slots parlor held a soft opening for invited guests on June 22, 2015, then opened to the public two days later, becoming Massachusetts' first operating casino. Penn later sold the real estate to Gaming and Leisure Properties for $250 million in October 2018, leasing it back for $25 million a year; the Massachusetts Gaming Commission most recently renewed the operating license on August 7, 2025.
What to Know Before You Play
A few practical notes: Plainridge's game list is smaller by design, capped at 1,250 machines under its state license, so don't expect a resort-scale floor. Weekdays are noticeably quieter than weekends if you'd rather avoid a crowd, and it's worth checking that your preferred machine is working before you settle in, since a handful of reviewers have flagged out-of-service units. If you're at the track for the harness racing rather than the slots, note that it's the only live harness racing in Massachusetts. And if you're trying to match a machine you played here to a photo, 6-lab's Advisor can help you confirm it.
Notable games on the floor
- Lightning Link
- Ultimate Fire Link
- Buffalo Ascension
- Dragon Link
- Jackpot Inferno
- Mr. Cashman
- Buffalo Grand
- Crazy Money Double Deluxe
Good to know
- It is Massachusetts' only Category 2 slots-parlor gaming facility.
- It features the state's only live harness racing track.
- The Category 2 slots-parlor license allows up to 1,250 slot machines, video poker, and video blackjack machines on the floor.
- The Massachusetts Gaming Commission most recently renewed the casino's license on August 7, 2025.
- Reviewers describe it as a cozy, clean 'very nice small casino' with friendly staff, and recommend visiting on weekdays for a less crowded experience; some also flag inconsistent air conditioning and occasional out-of-service machines as things to watch for.
- The venue hosts live entertainment on weekend nights, including tribute bands such as a 1980s tribute act.
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