The oldest casinos around the world
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Online casinos come from a long-line of land-based counterparts, that have paved the way for players to enjoy all types of classic casino games at the click of a button. Brick-and-mortar casinos are still popular today, and are more elaborate and luxurious than ever, with some being established many, many years ago.
If you’re an avid fan of online casino, then you may well have tried live casino, to enjoy the immersive experience and some of that atmosphere you’d expect in a land-based casino. But if you’ve ever dreamt of travelling the world, and adding some of the oldest establishments to your casino bucket list, then look no further, as we’ve put together the older casinos from around the globe to entice your wanderlust.
1. Casinò di Venezia – Venice
We start our list with the oldest known land-based casino, which is located on the Grand Canal in Venice. Opened way back in 1638, the Casinò di Venezia(Casino of Venice) was originally a theatre that had a certain area for gaming and gambling, which visitors would use to entertain themselves during the interval of the play.
It’s believed that it was in fact this casino which began the whole concept of having full-fledged establishments dedicated to gambling. Over the years the Casinò di Veneziahas developed and been refurbished, but it was in 1946 that the building was bought by the city of Venice, and was renovated to become an official casino. It was reopened a decade later, and is the perfect combination of modern casino games with traditional architecture.
If you decide to visit, you can experience all the classics such as Blackjack, Roulette and Poker, as well as 600 slot machines to choose from. This casino is the ultimate luxurious destination, as dealers dressed in tuxedos are ready to host you, and you can access the casino by gondola or water taxi.
2. The Golden Gate Casino – Las Vegas
Next on our list is the oldest operational gaming house, that started life as a fully-fledged casino, and is located in none other than the bright-lights city itself, Las Vegas. The Golden Gate Casino opened in 1906 (although named Hotel Nevada at the time), despite the fact that it was then illegal to gamble in the United States from 1909.
The casino survived by offering games that were permitted to be played, including those that included small wagers and non-cash prizes, as well as non-cash tournaments. This all changed when gambling of this kind was made legal in the state of Nevada, and as a result the Hotel Nevada had a re-brand. After some unsuccessful name brainstorming, the Hotel Nevada became the Golden Gate Casino in 1955. With ongoing refurbishment and expansion over the years, and an infamously cheapshrimp cocktail to its name, the casino remains a popular destination today.
3. Casino de Monte Carlo – Monaco
Another location famous for its luxury and gambling, Monaco is also home to one of the oldest land-based casinos. The Casino de Monte Carlo was envisioned by Princess Caroline of the House of Grimaldi, in the 1800s, supposedly to save them from bankruptcy.
Originally opened in 1856, the location of the establishment moved several times, before it took roots in Les Spelugues(The Caves) in 1863, where it was designedby the Parisian architect Gobineau de la Bretonnerie.
Over the years, the casino was refurbished and expanded upon, and even recruited the renowned François Blanc, who was a French entrepreneur and operator of the Bad Homburg casino, at the time. He was also the influence behind the change in name of the area where the casino was located, from Les Spelugues to Monte Carlo, to make it more attractive to visitors — a name which has remained until today.
