The Oldest Casinos in the World

Casino di Venezia

The oldest operational casino in the world is in Venice, Italy. Casino di Venezia first opened its doors to the public in 1638, hosting many events and games of chance. It is still a historic and stylish casino that is located on Venice’s world-famous canals.

The renaissance style architecture is a fine addition to the city and the casino can be reached by gondola or water taxi. Initially, the casino was known as Ca’ Vendramin Calergi and it served as a home to many of Europe’s richest people.

Casino di Venezia is one of those lavish casinos that is full of high-rollers and history. Today, it houses roughly 600 slot machines and it also offers classic casino games such as blackjack, roulette, baccarat and poker. The extravagant décor alone is, for many, enough of a reasons to visit the casino. Those who are also interested in gaming will be able to enjoy the combination of the renaissance architecture, the luxury décor, and thoroughly modern gaming facilities.

Casino de Monte-Carlo

Another one of the oldest casinos in the world is the Casino de Monte-Carlo. The Monaco based casino first opened its doors in 1856 when Princess Caroline was still in power. In fact, the princess enacted a law that made it illegal for Monaco citizens to gamble in Casino de Monte-Carlo, stating that the casino will only accept foreigners. The idea was to provide a source of income for the city-state. Today, the law is still intact but Monégasque citizens do not pay any taxes.

Casino de Monte-Carlo is the pinnacle of luxury. You may have seen the casino in blockbuster Hollywood movies. Many films have scenes that were shot in the Casino de Monte-Carlo, such as Ocean’s Twelve, Golden Eye and Casino Royale.

Casino de Monte-Carlo was named after Prince Charles III, Monte Carlo meaning Mount Charles in Ligurian. In addition to luxury cars, exclusive bars, many concert events, a theatre and expensive restaurants, Casino de Monte-Carlo hosts a variety of shows. They truly know how to do the works for any guests. Players must be over 18 years old to enter and verify this with a passport. Plus, the dress code is black tie.

Kurhaus Casino of Baden-Baden

Casino Baden-Baden is in Germany and was opened sometime in the mid-1820s. It is located on the outskirts of the Black Forest, very near the German-France border. The casino itself developed in stature as France had a ban on gambling, meaning many French citizens would cross the border to gamble in Baden-Baden Casino.

Unlike the Casino de Monte-Carlo, Baden-Baden Casino is certainly not as lavish and luxurious. The elegant design of neoclassical architecture is still quite spectacular, and the casino features lavish décor and chandeliers. Baden-Baden is known for being a historic spa town that dates back to the Roman Empire. Therefore, if you decide to visit the old casino, you could enhance your trip with a tour of Roman Empire sculptures and use your free time to visit the various spas. 

Crockford’s Club

In the UK, the oldest casino is the Crockford’s Club, which opened in 1823. When it opened, the Crockford’s Club was a gentleman’s club which attracted many politicians and the upper class. The history of Crockford’s Club is quite bumpy, as the gentleman’s club has closed and re-opened several times. Specifically, after opening in 1823, the club closed in 1845 before re-opening. In 1970, the London-based club closed its doors for the last time. Thus, it was the oldest casino in the UK but sadly is not active anymore.

The Crockford’s Club legacy still lives on though. There is a luxurious casino nearby that goes by the same name. Although there is no real connection to the original casino, it is a way of remembering a piece of London’s history while enjoying a top gambling experience. In fact, the casino has attracted some truly big name players, such as Phil Ivey.

Casino de Spa

Casino de Spa was built in 1763 and has quite a rich history. It is a casino resort located in Belgium that was burned down beyond repair during the First World War. After the war, the venue was rebuilt in 1918, before it eventually underwent a complete renovation in the 1980s.

When playing at Casino de Spa, players can enjoy all the features that they would expect to find in a modern gambling house. This includes table games, slot machines and more. In addition, the modern casino also hosts the occasional event and is located only 20-minutes away from the famous Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps Formula One racetrack.

The Golden Gate Casino

The Golden Gate Casino is the oldest casino in Nevada, having opened in 1906. It is still in operation and was originally called Hotel Nevada. At the time, gambling in Nevada was not legal, however, the casino would invite players to go to backrooms and play games of chance. In 1931, this all changed when gambling was made legal in Nevada. There was a period between 1931 and 1955 when the casino was called Sal Sagev Casino (Las Vegas backwards). However, the name did not really catch on and it was eventually renamed Golden Gate Casino in 1955.

If you want to play at the Golden Gate Casino, you can find it on Fremont Street. It was renovated in 2017 and is a popular choice on the Las Vegas Strip. It will not necessarily be one of the mega-resorts you find in Las Vegas, but it is still a popular location and is full of history.

Playing Online

In case you do not have the time or budget to experience these older casino locations, you can always try your luck playing online casino games. Thanks to modern technology, you can enjoy a far larger range of games, and often you will find online versions of your favourite land casino slots. In addition, table game players are likely to find many more variants and far wider betting ranges online.

Nowadays, you can also enjoy Live Casino games online. Essentially, these are games such as Roulette, Blackjack, and Baccarat, among others, that are streamed using HD cameras. The quality and professionalism of a real casino is kept, ensuring that you have a full casino-like experience while playing from your home.

Playing online may not give you a sense of history, but with some huge progressive jackpots up for grabs, there is every chance that you could make history.