Charlestown Races and Slots Hotel Guide: Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races

Editor's Comment

Charles Town is one of those American racino stories that is genuinely interesting to read about, even if you will never set foot in West Virginia. The track opened in December 1933 as the first horse track in the state after parimutuel wagering was legalised, and it became America's first winter race meet. Almost a century later it is a 511,249 sq ft gaming and entertainment complex with a 153-room hotel, nearly 5,000 slots and over 100 table games, according to the venue's own Tripadvisor listing and Wikipedia's property profile.

The name confusion is worth clearing up early. The property was known as Charles Town Races & Slots before it adopted the Hollywood brand, and that older name is why searches for 'Charlestown Races and Slots Hotel' still appear. The current official name is Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races, operated by PENN Entertainment and owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties.

For Irish readers, the practical point is simple: this is a US land-based venue in Jefferson County, West Virginia, roughly 60 miles northwest of Washington, D.C. It is not an online casino you can sign up to from Ireland, and nothing here should be read as an invitation to gamble remotely. If you are researching it for travel, the sections below cover the hotel, the gaming floor, the racing and the practical visitor details.

What We Liked

• A genuinely long history: the track has been operating since 1933 and was the first winter race meet in the United States.
• A clear split between the racing side and the casino side, so visitors can plan around either.
• An on-site hotel, The Inn at Charles Town, which makes it a stay-and-play destination rather than a day trip.
• An official operator page with hotel booking, dining and entertainment information in one place.
• Named restaurants including Final Cut Steakhouse and 9 Dragons, which give the property a fuller resort feel.

What is Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races?

Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races is a casino, hotel and thoroughbred horse racing complex in Charles Town, West Virginia. Wikipedia describes it as a racino, a race track with casino gaming attached, located about 60 miles (97 km) northwest of Washington, D.C. It is owned by Gaming and Leisure Properties and operated by PENN Entertainment.

The property has three main sides. First, the racing side: a thoroughbred track that has been running since 1933 and hosts events including the Charles Town Classic and the West Virginia Breeders' Classics. Second, the gaming side: a large casino floor with slots, table games, live poker and a sportsbook. Third, the hospitality side: a 153-room hotel, multiple restaurants and an event centre for live music and shows.

The venue's own site markets it under the Hollywood brand, with the tagline 'Hollywood Has it All', and lists gaming, entertainment and the sportsbook as its main pillars. The Tripadvisor listing summarises the offer as 'nearly 5,000 slots, over 100 tables, live thoroughbred racing and 7 delicious dining options'.

Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races At A Glance

The table below summarises the verified facts about the property. Where a figure is not confirmed by the sources used here, it is left out rather than guessed.

Two slot counts appear in the sources: the operator page says 'over 1,900 of the hottest slots', while the Tripadvisor listing says 'nearly 5,000 slots'. These figures differ, and the sources do not explain why. Both are shown here so readers can see the discrepancy.

History and Background

The track opened in December 1933, according to Wikipedia, following the legalisation of parimutuel wagering in West Virginia earlier that year. It was developed by the Shenandoah Valley Jockey Club, led by Joseph Boyle, and became America's first winter race meet. The facility was built in two months at a cost of $160,000 on the former grounds of the Charles Town Horse Show.

Over the following decades the property changed hands several times. Shenandoah Corporation bought the track in 1971 for $6 million, and after the closure of Shenandoah Downs in 1975, year-round racing moved to Charles Town. Kenton Corporation acquired Shenandoah in 1977, merged with Rapid-American Corporation in 1981, and in 1983 Rapid-American sold the track to a group of local businesspersons for approximately $12 million.

The 1990s were difficult, with falling purses and dwindling attendance. In the autumn of 1996, voters approved video lottery machines at Charles Town, and in early 1997 the track was sold to a joint venture of Penn National Gaming (now Penn Entertainment) and Bryant Development Company for $16.5 million. The new owners began a $175-million upgrade that included simulcast racing, more dining options and 3,500 slot machines.

Table games were authorised by West Virginia legislators in 2007, subject to local referendums. Jefferson County voters rejected them later that year, then approved them in a second referendum in 2009. Table games were added in 2010, and the property adopted the Hollywood brand, becoming Hollywood Casino at Charles Town Races. A hotel with 153 rooms had been added in 2008.

The Hotel: The Inn at Charles Town

The on-site hotel is called The Inn at Charles Town. The operator page describes it as combining 'modern comfort with easy access to gaming, dining, and live entertainment', and it is positioned as a stay-and-play option for visitors who want the casino and racing on the doorstep.

The hotel has 153 rooms, according to Wikipedia's property profile. The operator's booking widget advertises free 48-hour cancellation, no booking fees, exclusive member pricing and a best rate guarantee, though those terms are set by the operator and can change; always check the current booking conditions on the official site before committing.

For Irish visitors planning a trip, the hotel is the practical base if you want to attend racing or a show at the Event Center without driving back to Washington, D.C. or Baltimore the same night.

Gaming Floor: Slots, Tables and Sportsbook

The casino floor is the largest part of the property. The operator page says there are 'over 1,900 of the hottest slots, action-packed table games, live poker & sports betting'. The Tripadvisor listing gives a broader figure of 'nearly 5,000 slots, over 100 tables'. As noted above, the two figures differ and the sources do not explain why, so treat both as indicative rather than exact.

The sportsbook is listed among the notable venues on the property. Wikipedia's restaurant list includes Barstool Sportsbook, while the operator page promotes theScore Bet as PENN Play's official sportsbook. The current branding may have changed, so check the official site for the latest information.

For Irish readers, the important distinction is that this is a US land-based casino floor. It is regulated under West Virginia law, not Irish or EU gambling law, and the games, stakes and rules are set for that market. Nothing on this page should be taken as advice on playing online slots from Ireland.

Horse Racing at Charles Town

Racing is the original reason the property exists, and it remains a significant part of the offer. The track hosts the Charles Town Classic, which Wikipedia notes was inaugurated in 2009 for older horses over one and one-eighth miles. In 2013 the purse was increased to $1,500,000, with the winner receiving $1,000,000, making it one of the richest thoroughbred races in the United States at the time.

The West Virginia Breeders' Classics were first organised in 1987 by NFL Hall of Fame member Sam Huff. The biggest race of that day is the $300,000 West Virginia Breeders' Classic, and total purses for the day combine for $1,000,000.

The track also hosts The Sprint Festival, inaugurated in 2008, which Wikipedia describes as four open stakes worth a total of $500,000, including the Charles Town Invitational Dash, the Lady Charles Town, the West Virginia Sprint Derby and the Red Legend Stakes.

Dining and Entertainment

The property lists several dining venues. Wikipedia names Final Cut Steakhouse, 9 Dragons, Barstool Sportsbook and The Eatery as notable restaurants. The Tripadvisor listing mentions '7 delicious dining options' in total, and its nearby-restaurant data shows Final Cut Steakhouse and 9 Dragons as on-site or immediately adjacent options.

The Event Center at Hollywood Casino is the main live entertainment venue, hosting concerts, comedians and stage shows. The operator page promotes a line-up of 'some of the most popular live music acts, comedians & stage shows', and the venue was voted a Bronze Award winner for Best Live Music Venue in the Best of West Virginia 2025 awards, according to its own site.

Those awards are self-reported by the operator, so they should be read as marketing rather than independent verification. The Tripadvisor rating of 3.3 out of 5 from 1,375 reviews gives a broader visitor perspective, though review scores are subjective and can change over time.

Where to Find It and Practical Notes

The address is 750 Hollywood Drive, Charles Town, WV 25414, in Jefferson County, West Virginia. The venue is about 60 miles (97 km) northwest of Washington, D.C., which makes it reachable from the DC and Baltimore metropolitan areas by car.

The official website is hollywoodcasinocharlestown.com, and the operator's parent page is at pennentertainment.com/hollywood-charles-town. The Tripadvisor listing gives a contact number of +1 800-795-7001 and an email address of hcctrcontactus@pennentertainment.com.

Opening hours listed on Tripadvisor show the casino as open 12:00 AM to 11:59 PM daily, effectively 24 hours. That is a third-party listing, so confirm current hours on the official site before travelling.

For Irish readers, the key practical point is that this is a US property. It is not an online casino, and any gambling there is governed by West Virginia law. If you are looking for regulated online slots available in Ireland, see our Irish casino reviews and Irish gambling law guide instead.

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