Mississippi's Gulf Coast Casino Getaway Is A Chic Twin Resort Overlooking Breathtaking Ocean Sights

When one thinks of casinos, the states and cities that most often come to mind are Nevada (Las Vegas and Reno) and New Jersey (Atlantic City). However, there's another state vying for your attention. It's the Southern state with a coastline of luxury resorts, shops, and restaurants called 'Secret Coast': Mississippi, where you'll discover 12 Gulf Coast casinos across four cities.

One of the biggest gambling cities is Biloxi (called the "Vegas Of The South"), which sits just next door to Gulfport, a prime waterfront location with beaches and accommodations aplenty. Gulfport also boasts a unique twin casino, Island View Casino Resort, a vibrant resort with unobstructed views of the area's beaches. Island View Casino Resort is called a twin casino because it has two separate towers. One is the Island View tower, which offers guests smoking rooms, and the other is the newer smoke-free Beach View Casino Resort, which, as you might expect, looks out on the beach, with expansive windows in the hotel rooms delivering stunning views of the ocean.

The city of Gulfport and Island View Casino Resort are served by Gulfport-Biloxi International Airport, the second-largest airport in Mississippi, a short 10-minute drive from the city's center and 11 minutes from the resort itself. The resort offers airport shuttle services. For geographical perspective, Mobile, Alabama is just over an hour away. New Orleans is less than an hour and a half away, and Pensacola, Florida, is a two-hour drive, so the area is readily accessible by car from other Gulf Coast locations.

With its 800,000-square-foot area and 974 rooms, there's plenty of space to explore between Island View Casino Resort's two towers, with the separate Beach View tower and casino for non-smokers being a major draw. The casino covers over 126,000 square feet, featuring a plethora of slot and table games as well as sports betting and self-serve kiosks, its chic accommodations being a key part of why Gulfport earned the "Riviera of the South" nickname. Island View Casino Resort also has the most food and beverage options of any resort on Mississippi's coast. The 18 smoke-free options range from The Buffet (dubbed "The Coast's Best Buffet") serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner to premium steakhouses like Carter Green Steakhouse and Prime Cut, a great place to dine while looking out on a stunning seascape. Plus, you'll find specialty restaurants like Dockside Deli, Beach Blvd Steamer, and The Diner. A couple of coffee shops operate 24 hours, and you can satisfy your sweet tooth at the Beignet Café, Sweet Stop, or Coast Candymakers. Resort chefs also often appear on WLOX-TV to showcase their recipes.

Island View Casino Resort has numerous offerings beyond its casinos. For golfers, there's the Windance Golf & Country Club, which received The Quality Business Awards' "Best Golf Course in Gulfport, MS for 2025" designation and is consistently recognized by Golfweek magazine as one of Mississippi's top courses. If you want to relax, go and get a facial, massage, or manicure at the Blue Shell Spa, or take in live entertainment at one of the resort's five bars. Or, just hang out at one of the two pools (one at each tower), with walk-up and swim-up bars where you can bask in the sun or take in a beautiful sunset.