It is definitely not a usual sight to see a casino in an airport, as there are many countries that still have strong stances on legalising land casinos, or may feel that airports are not the right place to offer gambling venues.
Despite this, there are some airports where flyers can enjoy playing casino games, and just as there are duty free shops in the waiting terminals, the casinos have no taxation. This means that all winnings can be taken without having to pay anything back.
For many, this is a great alternative to shopping at the duty free. When shopping, many people will buy things that they may find interesting but may not necessarily buy if they were not stuck waiting. The money spent in the duty free can be played with in the casinos, and with some luck travellers may board their next flight with more money than they had when they arrived.
Reno-Tahoe International Airport, Nevada
It may not come as a surprise that the state in which Las Vegas is located has airport casinos. Located in the Eastern part of the state of Nevada, the Reno-Tahoe airport is located 3 miles southeast of downtown Reno, in Washoe County. The airport is the second largest airport in Nevada after the Harry Reid International Airport in Las Vegas. Most of the air traffic coming in and out of the airport are domestic flights, with some flights travelling to Mexico. Flights that transit here, or arrive in this destination may be cheaper than those that land at the Harry Reid International Airport, meaning that this airport has its fair share of travellers who pass through the airport each day.
The Reno-Tahoe International Airport has a big area that is approximately 4,100 square feet, dedicated to gambling and entertainment. There are over 200 slot machines sitting on the floor space, waiting to be played by passers-by who have time to kill. The casino does have a small bar and there are some dining options that include various American dishes, so visitors can enjoy a meal at the casino as well.
Currently the casino only features slots machines, of which the majority are fruit machines with their classic symbols and chimes. Despite this, the casino is quite large and is a great distraction from the airport, it is just big enough for visitors to immerse themselves in the games they try out. After sitting down to play some slots, visitors can start spinning and try to pick up some sweet winnings, and the time will fly by until the announcement of which gate they need to go is made.
Elko Regional Airport, Nevada
The Elko Regional Airport in Nevada is one of the smaller airports on this list. This airport is also located in Nevada, this airport is a mile west of downtown Elko, in Elko County, one of the northernmost parts of the state of Nevada. This airport only connects domestic flights and is one of the smaller airports in Nevada. It does get quite busy as flights to and out of the airport may be much cheaper than flying through some of the bigger airports such as the Harry Reid International Airport or the Reno-Tahoe International Airport. This airport does not actually contain a casino in the airport terminal, although travellers may be able to go to the Ramada Hotel and Casino to play some games. The Ramada is located 1 km away from the airport, approximately 30 minutes on foot or a 5 minute drive. To make life easier, the airport has its own shuttle service that takes people directly to the casino, and brings them back in time to catch their outgoing flight. The Ramada casino is a preferred destination for flyers stuck in transit in the Elko Regional Airport, and comes highly recommended. This casino has all the features to keep gamers satisfied, with a lot of classic slots games as well as latest slots that gamers cannot resist.
Pittsburgh International Airport, Pennsylvania
The Pittsburgh International Airport offers flyers waiting in the terminal a range of slot machines to play. This airport is located about 10 miles west of downtown Pittsburgh and is the main international airport for the Greater Pittsburgh Region, as well as the neighbouring areas in West Virginia and Ohio. The Pittsburgh International Airport has its fair share of travellers who fly to and from the airport every day.
Flyers who are stuck in transit in the Pittsburgh Airport International may choose to spend their time spinning the reels on these machines to make time pass quicker. Whilst the designated gambling area only features slots machines, these offer plenty of thrills and definitely beat waiting out the time by browsing through shops for souvenirs that travellers may not necessarily need.
For those who have longer transit periods, and find that the casino in the airport is getting a bit tedious, can consider travelling to the Rivers Casino in Pittsburgh. The casino is a 30 minute drive from the airport and the journey takes travellers into the city of Pittsburgh, over the Ohio river and then into the gambling venue. The Rivers casino is one of the top attractions in Pittsburgh, offering over 2,900 slots, 100 table games and 30 poker tables. The casino is open 24/7 meaning that flyers who come in at any time during the day or night will be able to give it a try and enjoy some highly entertaining games. Pennsylvania is one of the few states in the United States where gambling is legal.
Heathrow Airport, London
Heathrow Airport is the largest airport in London. There are connecting flights to most of the major European cities as well as a number of long distance flights that go to different continents such as the US. Heathrow is one of the preferred places for flyers to spend time in transit as there are many facilities and the terminals are rather large. Located 23 km west of central London, this airport is definitely the busiest in the UK. Whilst there are a lot of shops and restaurants in the terminals, flyers may want to try spending their time with more exciting activities.
Whilst there is no dedicated area for flyers to head to for gaming, there are plenty of slot machines that are scattered around the terminals. The waiting halls, around the gates, near the food courts and many other places will have individual slot machines that may catch the attention of bored travellers. These machines are usually classic fruit machines, with the traditional 3 reel format and iconic symbols. Despite their simplicity, they are quite fun to get into and even provide gamers with more specific tastes the chance to kill some time playing.
Schiphol Airport, Amsterdam
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport is one of the busiest airports in Europe. As well as being the main airport for tourists who want to travel to Amsterdam, one of the most fun and trendy centres in Europe, there are many connecting flights that crossover in Schiphol Airport. Travellers who find themselves with hours to spare in the airport may get bored of walking around the airport, and in the past they could try out the casino in Schiphol. Unfortunately the casino was closed in 2018 by the authorities, but the Amsterdam West Casino was opened to replace the in house airport casino. The Amsterdam West is one of the biggest casinos in the country and is only a 12 minute drive or 20 minute bus trip away from the airport. It is the perfect place for travellers who want to look for an alternative way to spend their time, rather than look through the souvenir and duty free shops.
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