Gambling establishments first appeared in Venice in 1638, and since those humble beginnings, they have grown to become a truly global phenomenon. After storming the rest of the European continent, casino culture spread to North America, where scruffy old miners enjoyed killing time and making some money playing poker in saloons.
Today, lavish casino resorts can be seen in almost every country in the world (at least in those in which they are legal). Not only have casinos become popular, but they’ve also become landmarks in certain cities and the main engine of their economy, as is the case with places like Las Vegas, Macau, and Atlantic City, to name a few.
In this article, we are going to talk a little bit about the most famous casinos around the world. In reality, there are too many great casinos to count, so forgive us if we leave out your favorite one.
1. Bellagio (Las Vegas, USA)
When talking about the most popular casinos in the world, Bellagio in Las Vegas simply cannot be excluded from the conversation. This luxury hotel and casino was first opened in 1998, and it soon became a landmark of Sin City.
With a total gaming space of 116,000 square feet, Bellagio is one of the biggest land-based gambling facilities in the world. It also has around 4,000 rooms, some of which are luxury suites where a single night can cost tens of thousands of dollars. The casino also has one of the most popular poker rooms called The Office, which attracts some of the best poker pros in the world.
While the interior of Bellagio is rather impressive, one of its most famous characteristics is the huge fountain placed outside of the hotel. It attracts many tourists due to its choreographed performances accompanied by music and lights.
2. Casino de Monte-Carlo (Monte Carlo, Monaco) EU
Monte Carlo Casino is the second oldest casino on this list, as it was first opened in 1863. Apart from being a casino, this establishment is also home to Monte Carlo opera and ballet. A public company owns the complex, but Monaco’s ruling royal family holds a majority interest.
Monte Carlo Casino is also known for its gorgeous Beaux-Arts and Napoleon III style architecture. The casino was featured in many popular movies, most notably three James Bond movies — GoldenEye, Never Say Never Again, and Casino Royale.
While it’s not even close to being the largest casino in the world, Monte Carlo features a wide variety of games such as roulette, blackjack, poker, baccarat, craps, slot machines, and more.
3. Taj Mahal Casino Resort (Atlantic City, USA)
Although it’s now officially called Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, many people still call it the Taj Mahal, as that was the casino’s name from 1990 to 2016. The establishment was opened by the current president of the United States Donald Trump, and it became famous even before it started working due to massive investments it took to build the complex. Some estimates say that the cost of building the casino reached nearly a billion dollars.
Taj Mahal wasn’t exactly flourishing from the start, but it eventually caught on and established itself as a landmark of AC. The casino was closed in 2016, and after a complete renovation, it was reopened and changed its name to Hard Rock Hotel & Casino.
The casino’s massive space of over 167,000 square feet features thousands of slot machines and gaming tables, together with luxury restaurants, theaters, and hotel rooms.
4. Casino Baden-Baden (Baden-Baden, Germany) EU
Baden-Baden is a German spa town and a popular tourist location. The town is also known for its lavish casino built inside the Kurhaus of Baden-Baden, which was originally constructed in 1824. As gambling was banned in France in the 1830s, many rich people from France chose Baden-Baden casino due to its proximity to the border.
The venue is also known for hosting many important events like chess masters’ tournaments, Olympic congresses, and NATO summits. Another notable fact about the casino is that it inspired Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky to write his famous novel, The Gambler, when he visited the establishment.
Casino Baden-Baden is more of a luxury experience than anything else, and it’s not really a place for the common gambler. Players are required to follow dress codes and pay expensive admission fees. The games in the casino include slot machines, roulette, blackjack, Texas Hold’em no limit, and Ultimate Poker. If you fancy playing online instead, find the list of top quality minimum deposit casinos where you can make small deposits of € 1 Deposit, € 5 Deposit, € 10 Deposit or € 20 Deposit and still collect a generous Welcome Bonus.
5. The Venetian (Macau)
The administrative region of Macau is not particularly large, but it is home to some of the biggest casinos in the world. The largest among them is The Venetian, located at Cotai Strip. The casino was opened in 2007, and it is owned by an American corporation called Las Vegas Sands.
The Venetian’s total gaming space is 550,000 square feet, which is topped only by the WinStar World Casino in Oklahoma with its 600,000 square feet. As the name suggests, the casino is themed around the Italian town of Venice, but its real inspiration comes from the casino with the same name located in Las Vegas. As a matter of fact, the two casinos are owned by the same company; only the Las Vegas one is much smaller in size.
The Venetian in Macau has close to 3,000 hotel suites and several dining outlets and restaurants. The gaming area is divided into several rooms in which the players can test their luck on roulette, blackjack, poker, craps, and, of course, video slots.
Inside the complex, you will find the Cotai Arena, an indoor hall with a capacity of 15,000 that hosts sporting events, concerts, and other forms of entertainment.
Conclusion
So, there you go, folks! These are five of the most popular land-based casinos in the world. If you’re planning on visiting any of them, we are sure that you’re going to have a grand time. Just remember to always gamble responsibly, and may luck be on your side!