The Best Land Based Casinos in Europe

Casino de Monte Carlo

The Monte Carlo Casino is officially known as Casino de Monte Carlo. The complex is located at Pl. du Casino, 98000 Monaco and was officially opened in July 1856, meaning the casino has had operations in place for over 150 years. The complex is home to one of the most popular casinos in the world, the Opéra de Monte Carlo and office of Les Ballets de Monte Carlo.

Casino de Monte Carlo is owned and operated by a public company called the Société des bains de mer de Monaco. The company’s main shareholders are the Monaco government and the ruling royal family. Monégasques, also known as Monaco citizens, are forbidden from playing in Casino de Monte Carlo or any other land-based casino in Monaco.

In the 19th century, the House of Grimaldi were the ruling royal family in Monaco. The family had many financial problems and they were facing bankruptcy. Princess Caroline, the spouse of Prince Florestan, suggested the construction of a casino resort that could attract foreign aristocrats to Monaco. Over the course of many years, the princess’ vision proved to be true. Casino de Monte Carlo developed to become one of the leading casino resorts in the world and saved the royal family from going bankrupt. In addition, she ensured that no Monaco citizens could gamble their money in casinos of the state. Rather, the casinos were there purely to cater to the need of foreign enthusiasts. This law is still in place today.

At Casino de Monte Carlo, players can enjoy a variety of games in a luxurious environment. Charles Garnier, an architect in the 19th century, drew up the casino’s elegant design. The interior design of Casino de Monte Carlo has many beautiful arches, windows, floors and dome-shaped ceilings. To enter, all guests must wear formal and classy attire. They can then enjoy the different slot machines and table games located within. In popular culture, Casino de Monte Carlo has been used to film the James Bond movies Never Say Never Again and GoldenEye.

Casino Estoril

One of the biggest operating casinos in Europe is Casino Estoril, located in Cascais, Portugal. Construction of the casino located 18 kilometres from the capital Lisbon started in 1916. Throughout the 20th century, the casino site was expanded on to become bigger and to adopt a modern architectural style.

Casino Estoril is a leading gambling house in Europe. The complex is also home to facilities to boost arts and entertainment. At Casino Estoril, Salão Preto e Prata is a show and dining room. The room has the capacity to seat 1,000 people and is equipped with state-of-the-art technology. It is known to host major international conferences.

The complex also includes a modern auditorium that can hold up to 350 people and host congresses, jazz renditions, theatres and classical music or pop concerts. Casino Estoril is home to one of the most fantastic art galleries in Portugal and has many permanent painting and sculpture exhibitions.

In addition, Chinese food enthusiasts can enjoy the many tastes and delicacies at the Chinese restaurant, Estoril Mandarin. This is one of the most elegant in Europe. It imports products from the region of Guangdong and follows the style of cooking that originates in the region.

Inside Casino Estoril, the lights and interior design looks cosy and modern for guests to enjoy. There is not as strict a dress code as there is at the Casino de Monte Carlo. Guests can even enter wearing a casual T-shirt. The casino hosts a variety of casino games such as poker, roulette, blackjack, Caribbean stud poker, baccarat, French bank and slot machines. Casino Estoril has more than 700 slot machines, including 200 separate games with high-definition graphics and sound.

Empire Casino

The Empire Casino is located at the heart of Leicester Square, London’s West End. It dates back to the Victorian era and the venue was completed in 1884. Nowadays, the Empire Casino still has an elegant Victorian style to it but has changed massively and is under the ownership of Caesars Entertainment.

Empire Casino covers 55,000 square feet and is home to over 150 table games and slots. Unlike many other land-based casinos, the London based casino is open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. At Empire Casino, both new players and experienced professionals have the chance to join the excitement.

The land-based casino has over 100 different slot machines to play. In addition, there are several table game lounges that house the likes of American roulette, blackjack, punto banco, three card poker, electronic roulette, the Dragon Lounge and more.

To enter the Empire Casino, players do not have to follow any strict dress code. The official site of the casino even says trainers are okay so long as they are not scruffy. However, to enter the Dragon Lounge, players must take a little more care with their attire.

The Dragon Lounge is known as the ‘club within a club’ as it offers the ultimate gaming experience to guests. The Lounge is open exclusively to high rollers who are able to enjoy a gaming area that has a private entrance, deluxe tables and exceptional service in a luxurious surrounding. Unfortunately, the Dragon Lounge does not have any slot machines. VIP players will find American Roulette, Blackjack, Punto Banco, Three Card Poker and Electronic Roulette games instead. There is also a dining area, private bar and lounge for eating, drinking and relaxing.

Casino di Venezia

Casino di Venezia is officially the oldest casino in Europe and it is located in Venice, Italy. According to historical documents, the casino first opened its doors to the public in 1638. It hosted many events and casino games. Today, the casino still features the same renaissance architectural style and it is located on one of Venice’s world-famous canals.

Casino di Venezia is a section of the Ca’ Vendramin Calergi palace. It is located on the Grand Canal and was originally constructed in 1481. Nowadays, the palace is home to the casino and to the Wagner Museum. Traditionally, to enter the casino, guests had to be taken to the site via the canal by gondola or water taxi.  The Casino di Venezia opened its doors to only the richest aristocrats in Europe.

To enter the Casino di Venezia, guests are required to wear formal attire. It is stated on the official page that after 3:30 pm, all men must wear a jacket. The Casino di Venezia follows the same principles as it did in the 17th century. The target audience for the casino site is high rollers. The lavish casino has over 600 slot machines but also gives guests the chance to play classic card and table games. This includes variants of blackjack, roulette and poker.

If you plan to visit the Casino di Venezia, you must be prepared to follow the strict dress code and to have a big bankroll. Nowadays, the casino can be entered through the canal or through the main entrance on the street. Although the casino décor has not changed since its conception, modern facilities and technology has put the Casino di Venezia up at the top of the pile as one of the best land-based casinos in Europe.

Casino Baden-Baden

The Kurhaus of Baden-Baden is a spa resort, casino and conference complex located in Baden-Baden, Germany. Casino Baden-Baden is part of the complex and has been open since the mid-1820s. The casino is around 200 years old and has a mix of French and Germanic style as it is located close to the French border. One of the main reasons why Casino Baden-Baden grew in stature over the course of the 19th century was the ban on gambling in France. Many French citizens would travel across the border into Germany so that they could gamble in Casino Baden-Baden.

Casino Baden-Baden is not as elegant or lavish as the Casino de Monte Carlo or Casino di Venezia. However, the neoclassical architectural style is still spectacular and guests can enjoy the classy décor and chandeliers. In addition to the casino, Karhaus of Baden-Baden also has spa facilities that have been in use in some form ever since the Roman Empire occupied the territory.

Casino Baden-Baden does not require players to dress as elegantly as other historic casinos in Monaco and Venice. On the casino floor, guests will find classic casino games such as blackjack, roulette and poker with many variants for each of these games. In addition, there are over 140 different slot machines at the casino. For slot enthusiasts, Casino Baden-Baden also has a selection of games that feature one of two jackpots: Mystery Jackpot and Progressive Jackpots. The mystery jackpots can be won completely at random on any single spin. As for progressive jackpots, they require the player to complete a combination or spin a wheel for success. Progressive jackpots can have enormous prizes as they keep on increasing until they are won.

Skip the Travel and Gamble Online

Unfortunately, not everyone has the capacity or capability to visit the best land-based casinos in Europe. However, that does not mean they cannot enjoy the same games and environment.
Thanks to the latest advanced technology, playing at online casinos is just as enjoyable – if not more – than at land-based casinos. The iGaming industry has been growing for over two decades now and the choice available to players is astounding. The range of slot games available online is amazing and they feature state of the art graphics, exciting bonus features, and engaging sound effects. As for card and table games, players can choose to play electronic versions of these games or live dealer versions. As an online casino has no physical space constraints, players will find more choice than at even the largest land casino.

Live Casino has become of the most popular gaming experiences as players can see their dealer and the casino through an HD camera streaming service. This gives players the human touch of playing table games whilst also not having to make any trips or journeys to get to a land-based casino.

Don’t forget, playing at an online casino is more convenient. There is no need to worry about dress codes, they are open around the clock, and you don’t have to travel anywhere, so it is even better for the environment!