Mazatzal is the Tonto Apache Tribe's hotel and casino in Payson, a mountain town about ninety minutes north-east of Phoenix on Highway 87 — the Beeline Highway. It rates 4.0 from around 3,600 Google reviewers.
What makes it worth knowing about is range rather than size. This is a small property that offers more distinct kinds of gambling than casinos several times its scale.
What's on the floor
More than 400 slot and video poker machines, plus blackjack, bingo, poker and on-site sports wagering.
That combination is the point. Plenty of Arizona floors this size are slots-only; Mazatzal runs a table, a bingo session, a card game and a betting counter. If you want variety in Rim Country, there is no alternative within an hour and a half.
Check the venue's site for the current bingo, poker and table schedules — at a property this size all three run on set times rather than continuously.
The hotel
The hotel is 40 suites, all-suite rather than a mix, with an indoor pool and Jacuzzi and a 24-hour fitness centre.
Forty rooms is small, and Payson is a popular summer escape from the Phoenix heat, so the hotel books out in season. Reserve well ahead for June through August.
Dining
Two restaurants plus a coffee shop and a lounge.
Cedar Ridge Restaurant is the sit-down room, serving breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week year-round. The Coffee Corner carries Starbucks coffee alongside pastries baked on site — cinnamon rolls, muffins and fruit pies — which has a local following independent of the casino.
Tips before you go
You must be 21 to gamble. That comes from Arizona's tribal-state gaming compacts and applies at every tribal casino in the state.
The casino is not open around the clock on weekdays. It runs 7am to midnight Monday through Friday, and 24 hours on Saturday and Sunday. A midnight close catches out visitors who have driven up from the valley after work.
Payson sits at about 5,000 feet under the Mogollon Rim, which makes it fifteen to twenty degrees cooler than Phoenix in summer. That temperature difference, more than the casino, is why the town fills between June and September.
Nearby alternatives
North on I-17 and I-40, Twin Arrows Navajo Casino Resort east of Flagstaff has 1,000 slots and the area's only Four Diamond hotel. West at Camp Verde, Cliff Castle Casino Hotel has a 20-lane bowling centre and a 24-hour arcade. South-east at Winkelman, Apache Sky Casino is the San Carlos Apache Tribe's smaller property.
For the full picture, see all Arizona in-person casinos.
FAQ
What are Mazatzal Hotel & Casino's hours?
7am to midnight Monday through Friday, and 24 hours on Saturday and Sunday. It is not a 24-hour property during the week.
How old do you have to be to gamble at Mazatzal Hotel & Casino?
You must be 21. That comes from Arizona's tribal-state gaming compacts and applies at every tribal casino in the state.
What games are available at Mazatzal Hotel & Casino?
More than 400 slot and video poker machines, plus blackjack, bingo, poker and on-site sports wagering. Check the venue's site for current schedules, as all three run at set times.
Does Mazatzal Hotel & Casino have a hotel?
Yes — 40 suites with an indoor pool and Jacuzzi and a 24-hour fitness centre. It books out in summer.
What restaurants are at Mazatzal?
Cedar Ridge Restaurant serves breakfast, lunch and dinner seven days a week, and the Coffee Corner carries Starbucks coffee and pastries baked on site. There is also a lounge.
How far is Mazatzal from Phoenix?
About ninety minutes north-east on Highway 87, the Beeline Highway, in Payson at roughly 5,000 feet.
Rather play from your couch tonight? See our Arizona sweepstakes rankings.
Updated August 2026 · Details verified against Arizona Department of Gaming records and the venue's official site. Hours and offerings change — confirm before you go.
