Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel has earned the #1 “best” title in three USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards categories: Best Casino Outside of Las Vegas, Best Casino Hotel, and Best Casino Restaurant for The Pines Modern Steakhouse. Palms Casino Resort, the sister property of Yaamava’ Resort & Casino, was named Best Casino in Las Vegas.

Yaamava’ and Palms have maintained their top positions for three and two years respectively, with Yaamava’, the only AAA Five Diamond casino resort, moving into the Best Casino Hotel spot for the first time this year. Yaamava’ clinched all three of its nominated categories.

The dynamic “California to Vegas Connection,” Yaamava’ and Palms offer the best of both casino experiences in the region through membership in the Club Serrano loyalty rewards program.

“Winning the title of best casino in the US is a tremendous honor for everyone at Yaamava’ Resort & Casino. This recognition is a testament to the hard work and dedication of our team and a tribute to Yuhaaviatam of San Manuel Nation’s enduring vision of hospitality. We are incredibly grateful for this award and will continue to strive for excellence in everything we do,” said Kenji Hall, General Manager of Yaamava’ Resort & Casino.

Yaamava’ offers unparalleled experiences with luxury casino gaming, world-class live entertainment, award-winning dining, opulent resort accommodations, and a Forbes Travel Guide 5-Star spa. Yaamava’ Resort & Casino’s gaming floor has more than 7400 slots – the most in the West – and hosts several world-premieres each year, debuting the newest and most exciting slots. Players also have access to five high-limit gaming areas and 150 table games.

Guests of Yaamava’ also enjoy amazing, one-of-a-kind promotions where they can win coveted prizes, including rare, collectible items like Action Comics #1, the 2025 Mustang GT 60th anniversary edition and custom and vintage luxury watches.

The Pines Modern Steakhouse offers an exquisite dining experience from start to finish, including Collection 86, a world-class cache of the world’s rarest wines, spirits, beers, and cigars. One of only a handful of Kobe-certified restaurants in the US, guests of The Pines can indulge in both Kobe and rare Japanese Wagyu beef.

Palms Casino Resort, is the first and only Las Vegas resort fully owned and operated by a Native American Tribe, offering guests a vibrant gaming floor, two resort towers with 766 rooms and suites, a dynamic mix of dining options and the popular Ghostbar rooftop lounge.

“We are honored to be named ‘Best Casino in Las Vegas’ for the second year, and proud to continue setting the standard for quality gaming and exceptional service. We are grateful to our team members for embracing our Tribe’s culture of hospitality to deliver an extraordinary experience to every Palms guest,” said Latisha Prieto, Chairperson of the San Manuel Gaming & Hospitality Authority.

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Not only does the Club Serrano loyalty program unlock exclusive experiences to stay and play at both Yaamava’ and Palms, but members can also enjoy discounts and earned rewards at Monarch Beach Golf Links, one of only a few oceanfront golf courses in California.

Yaamava’ Resort & Casino and Palms Casino Resort were nominated by a panel of experts, including editors from USA TODAY, editors from 10Best.com, relevant expert contributors, and sources from both media and other Gannett properties before being voted on by the public.

Renowned integrated entertainment destination, Mohegan Sun, has been recognized across multiple categories in this year’s USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards, including being named #1 in the inaugural “Best Casino for Slots” category. Mohegan Sun was also ranked #2 for “Best Casino Hotel,” and “Best Casino Outside of Las Vegas,” and Momentum, Mohegan Sun’s rewards program, placed #2 for “Best Players Club”.

Nominees for all categories in the USA TODAY 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards are selected by a panel of subject matter experts including editors from USA TODAY, editors from 10Best.com, and contributors across Gannett properties, before being opened to public voting. Readers then cast their votes over a four-week period on 10Best.com, which attracts more than 5 million visitors per month.

“Over the past two years, Mohegan Sun has invested $15 million in the slot floor to ensure we’re offering the newest and most exciting games across both Casino of the Sky and Casino of the Earth. Being named Best Casino Slots by the USA Today 10Best Readers’ Choice Awards is a true testament to that commitment, as well as the exceptional service delivered by our gaming team. We’re equally proud to be recognized as runner-up in three additional major casino resort categories, an achievement that reflects the passion and excellence of our more than 5000 team members at Mohegan Sun,” said Jeff Hamilton, President & General Manager of Mohegan Sun.

This year has been an abundant award season for Mohegan Sun. The resort earned accolades for its dining, with Michael Jordan’s Steak House named “Best Casino Fine Dining” and TAO Asian Bistro & Lounge winning “Best Casino Casual Dining” in the Best of Connecticut 2025 awards, while Beauty & Essex was honored by Yankee Magazine as Connecticut’s “Best Immersive Dining Experience”. On the entertainment side, the 10,000-seat Mohegan Sun Arena was voted “Best Casino Performance Venue” in the Best of Connecticut 2025 awards and was spotlighted by Yankee Magazine as one of the “10 Best Things to Do in Connecticut This Summer,” further solidifying its reputation as one of the premier entertainment destinations in the region.

The “Best Casino for Slots” honor arrives during a year in which Mohegan Sun has awarded various major jackpots, including $1,374,307 won by a lucky guest on the popular IGT game, Jumanji Next Level. A $5 bet on a Monopoly Cash Wheel game by Aristocrat Gaming also netted $412,607 for a Connecticut native visiting Mohegan Sun in early August. Mohegan Sun recently rolled out the Sky Slot Tournament Zone located near The Cabaret Theatre, featuring games like Wheel of Fortune, Hex Breaker, and Cleopatra, all of which seamlessly switch between tournament mode and regular play.

The National Council on Problem Gambling (NCPG) has announced the recipients of the 2025 National Awards. Each year, NCPG honors individuals and organizations from around the world for their work on problem gambling and responsible gambling. The awards ceremony, exclusively sponsored by Scientific Games, took place on Friday, July 18, in Columbus, Ohio, during the National Conference on Gambling Addiction & Responsible Gambling 2025.

The 2025 NCPG National Awards Recipients include:

• Lifetime Award for Research: Dr. Michael Wohl, Carleton University

• Corporate Social Responsibility Award: Oregon Lottery

• Jeffrey M. Beck Recovery Ambassador Award: Peggy Brown

• Service Award: Susan Diamond, Responsible Gambling Program Manager with the Ohio Lottery

• Joanna Franklin Award for Direct Service: Jeremy Eberle, Co-Owner and Therapist, Alternative Avenues

• Jim Wuelfing Award for Prevention: Claire Spada, Director of Workforce Development, Problem Gambling Network of Ohio

• Don Feeney Award for Responsible Gambling Excellence: Stacy Shaw, Vice President of Product & Program Marketing, Oregon Lottery

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• Don Hulen Award for Advocacy & Awareness: Megan Poliquin, LPCC-S, LICDC-GAMB, Zepf Center3

• Dr. Durand Jacobs Dissertation Award: Dr. Jackie Stanmyre, Rutgers University for Gambling Studies

• Denise Phillips Community Outreach and Multicultural Wellness Award: Shandra Parks, PhD, LMSW, CFSW, CCGSO, Maryland Council on Problem Gambling

• Media Award: The Ohio Newsroom for their story on the Ohio Gambling Telehealth Network, reported by Erin Gottsacker

• Affiliate Public Awareness Award: The Problem Gambling Coalition of Colorado

• Corporate Public Awareness Award: Oregon Lottery for their “Safer Play” PSA Campaign

• Affiliate Multicultural Communications Award: Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling for “It Takes Community to Overcome Problem Gambling”

• Corporate Multicultural Communications Award: Oregon Lottery for “Multi-cultural Digital/Print Media Marketing Campaign”

• Affiliate Awareness Campaign Impact Award: The Evergreen Council on Problem Gambling for the “ECPG Gift Responsibly Winter Campaign”

• Corporate Awareness Campaign Impact Award: The Virginia Lottery for “Scratchers for Kids? Scratch That Idea”

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• Affiliate People’s Choice Award: Illinois Council on Problem Gambling for “Are You Really Winning?”

• Corporate People’s Choice Award: Ohio for Responsible Gambling for their “More Than A Bet” Campaign

NCPG has congratulated this year’s award recipients and thanked them for their dedication to advancing prevention, treatment, research, recovery, and responsible gambling.