Since the days of ancient Greece, people have loved to play games of chance. Roll the dice. Raise the stakes on possibility and prospect…
Forget the innuendo and implication; we mean gambling. And today, we’re considering the opportunities to do so in Europe, since it was on this continent that many milestones in the history of casino gaming were met. Indeed, France was the place where Blaise Pascal invented the roulette wheel, while Italy’s famous city of Venice is home to the world’s first modern casino.
Whether you’re a gambler or simply a voyeur to the spectacle, read on for some of the most popular casino destinations in Europe.
Monaco
The city-state of Monaco is famous for several things; its annual Formula 1 Grand Prix attracts the world’s attention for one weekend a year, as does the Monte Carlo Rally, the Monte Carlo Open, and the Monte Carlo Masters. However, it’s arguably most famous for its casino – Casino de Monte Carlo, an iconic building that first opened its doors back in 1865.
Interestingly, the casino is run by a state-owned company and uses its profits to contribute to the principality’s budget. More interestingly, Monaco’s citizens aren’t allowed to gamble in the famous casino and by law, aren’t allowed in the gaming rooms.
Alongside its world class gaming rooms, the Casino de Monte-Carlo offers a wide range of other facilities, including restaurants and bars. Make sure you check out the iconic Café de Paris while you’re visiting, which has a glorious terrace seemingly always catching the sun. The casino also regularly hosts prestigious classical concerts, should you be wanting a side order of culture with your french fries.
Malta
The Mediterranean island of Malta has emerged as one of Europe’s premier gaming destinations, with the Dragonara Casino in St. Julian’s leading the charge. Housed in a stunning 19th-century palace perched on its own peninsula, this elegant venue offers breathtaking sea views from almost every gaming table. The casino seamlessly blends old-world charm with modern gaming facilities, featuring everything from classic table games to the latest slot machines.
What makes Malta particularly appealing is its year-round sunshine and the fact that the gaming scene extends well beyond the casino floor. The nearby Portomaso Marina offers world-class dining and nightlife, while the historic streets of Valletta are just a short drive away. The casino itself hosts regular poker tournaments that attract players from across Europe, and its outdoor terrace bar is the perfect spot to celebrate a win – or console yourself after a loss – with a cocktail overlooking the Mediterranean.
Read: Where to find Malta’s real character
Vienna
Austria’s capital Vienna offers a uniquely refined gambling experience at the Casino Wien, located in the magnificent Esterházy Palace. This baroque masterpiece provides an atmosphere of imperial grandeur that’s hard to match anywhere else in Europe. The casino’s gaming rooms are adorned with crystal chandeliers, gilt mirrors, and frescoed ceilings that make you feel like you’re gambling in a museum.
Beyond the traditional gaming tables and modern slot machines, Casino Wien is famous for its poker room, which regularly hosts international tournaments. The venue also houses the excellent Cuisino restaurant, where you can enjoy modern Austrian cuisine between gaming sessions.
What sets Vienna apart is how seamlessly the casino experience integrates with the city’s legendary coffeehouse culture and classical music scene – you can easily combine an evening at the tables with a performance at the nearby State Opera House or a late-night slice of Sachertorte at a traditional Viennese café.
London
London has a long history of casino gaming. In fact, back in the 19th century, King Charles II employed a man named Sir Thomas Neale to organise card games for him and his court. Neale also began acting as a de facto gaming regulator, ensuring only sanctioned games took place in the city.
Today, London is home to many casinos of different shapes and sizes, including small slot parlours that only offer electronic games to larger venues that have large gaming floors with dozens of tables.
The Hippodrome Casino, just off Leicester Square, is the biggest casino in Central London, with an 180-seat theatre with jazz and cabaret performances if the tables don’t tickle your fancy. Big names like Charlie Chaplin, Stevie Wonder, and Michael Jackson have all graced the stage here. It also has its own dedicated virtual platform, too, where players can enjoy everything from digital versions of table games to newer hybrid formats like video poker and slingo online games.
However, people don’t only come here for the gaming and the high stakes. Instead, they come for the steak house, the Heliot. The restaurant has even previously been awarded the title of Best Steak Restaurant in London. This place serves some serious product; USDA prime steaks, aged for up to 6 weeks to allow tenderness and flavour to ripen. Aside from massive hunks of meat, the restaurant is also famous for decadent sides including the legendary Millionaire’s Mac & Cheese (topped with a poached duck egg and black truffle). There’s also Chop Chop, a Chinese restaurant doing all the good stuff well.
But it’s not just in the Hippodrome that you can have a feast and a flutter. On one of London’s most exclusive streets, you’ll find one of the capital’s most prestigious casinos housing one of the city’s best cocktail bars; The Palm Beach Casino on Mayfair’s Berkeley Street boasts one of London’s largest and most luxurious gaming floors. We’re fans of the bar here, which serves exquisitely crafted signature cocktails.
Venice
The ancient city of Venice is home to the world’s oldest casino, making it a must-visit venue for those wanting to experience gambling’s rich history.
The Casino di Venezia is this important landmark. Built in the 15th and 16th centuries, you feel the presence of its history the second you step foot through the door. In addition to the range of different games on offer, you will also find two restaurants – check out our article on Venetian specialities, by the way – and a regular programme of events to keep you entertained.
That isn’t the only casino in Venice, though. The city also has a more modern option that’s modelled after Vegas-style facilities, albeit on a slightly smaller scale. But, no matter which one you choose, there’s nothing like turning up in style on a gondola – something you can’t do anywhere else.
Lisbon
Casino Lisboa is the tenth biggest casino in the world and easily the largest in Europe, covering a not too shabby 165’000 square feet of the city’s Theatre District, Parque Mayer. The casino boasts over 1’000 slot machines and 26 table games, but if you’re keen to escape the action for something a little more laid back, then just a half hour bus ride on the 728 is Pink Street. Here, revellers drink on the streets ‘till dawn, and some of Lisbon’s best dining options are walking distance away.
When on Pink Street, be sure to visit Sol E Pesca and sample a few snacks of conserva – tinned sardines, horse mackerel or octopus (to name but a few) on bread – paired with a beer and a spot of people watching. Also, enjoy a drink or two at Pensao Amor which is full of both locals and visitors alike, with its colourful decor and reliably noisy atmosphere. Aaah, that’s better.
Baden-Baden
Or, perhaps the Kurhaus of Baden-Baden in Germany could be for you? This is actually a casino and spa resort set in Germany’s Black Forest, and that sense of seclusion brings something completely different to the gaming experience than all the bright lights and noise of some of our previous offerings. The architecture itself is worth the visit alone, with Corinthian columns lining the entrance to welcome you in.
It’s certainly an elegant, sophisticated place to play. Film star Marlene Dietrich described it as the most beautiful casino she had ever seen, and she may well have been right. On offer within the hallowed walls are poker, blackjack and roulette, and if you do suffer a big loss, a trip to the spa may soothe your sins.
