What’s the Oldest Casino in the World? Classic Casino Locations Explored

The world’s best casino sites and brands are now synonymous with online gambling, although some continue to operate at offshore locations. Think of brands like MGM and Caesars, for example, which line the strips of Las Vegas and Atlantic City but now offer gambling verticals through their respective websites.

Of course, the history of brick-and-mortar casinos predates the online industry, which only launched in earnest during the mid-1990s. Incredibly, the oldest casino in the world can trace its own heritage back to the 17th century, when several of today’s much-loved games became popular in Europe. What’s more, a number of rival establishments also opened their doors around this time.

• The Oldest Casinos – A Brief History of Offline Gambling
• Old and Historic Casinos – Blazing a Trail for Today’s Establishments
• Casino di Venezia – Introducing the World’s Oldest Casino
• Casino de Spa – Belgium’s Very Own Pheonix from the Flames
• Kurhaus Casino of Baden-Baden – An Internationally Renowned Casino That Offers High-Stakes Gambling
• Casino de Monte Carlo – Introducing the Most Affluent and Exclusive Casino in the World
• Golden Gate Casino – The Oldest Casino Location in Nevada
• The Last Word – Are There any Other Longstanding Casinos of Note?

The Oldest Casinos – A Brief History of Offline Gambling

Before we take a closer look at the world’s oldest casino, it’s important to understand the history of offline gambling. This can actually be traced back to ancient times, with archaeologists having previously discovered rudimentary dice created prior to the birth of Christ. Although these items may have been used ritualistically and for the purpose of fortune telling before becoming gambling tools, they also helped to run simplistic games of chance.

In ancient Roman times, authorities created a Circus during the sixth century BC. This made a provision for visitors to play games and make money from betting. Around the same time period, Roman pottery artefacts have revealed that betting on various animal fights was commonplace, with citizens often breeding creatures solely for the purpose of gambling.

Other archaeological findings suggests that humans first played card games in China during the 9th century. The cards used during these games would have been decorative and had little in common with the decks available in modern times, with images such as Kings and Queens not emerging until gambling reached Europe in the early 17th century.

It was at this time that gambling began to experience widespread popularity. What’s more, the 17th century heralded the dawn of modern offline gambling and casino games, such as blackjack, dice and roulette. It’s therefore no surprise that the world’s oldest casinos began to pop up on the continent as a way of catering to rising demand.

Old and Historic Casinos – Blazing a Trail for Today’s Establishments

There are some historic casino locations dotted throughout Europe, alongside a number of slightly newer (but still trail-blazing) entities in the United States. But what are the oldest casinos in the world, and how are these establishments continuing to fare today? Let’s get into it!

Casino di Venezia – Introducing the World’s Oldest Casino

The first formal gambling establishment appeared in Italy during the 17th century. The Casino di Venezia opened its doors in 1638, combining stunning renaissance style architecture with the surrounding natural beauty of Venice’s picturesque Grand Canal. This wasn’t far from the ground-breaking Ridotto gambling location, but this venue didn’t meet the modern casino definition and was closed by the Great Council of Venice in 1774.

The Casino di Venezia has the formal distinction of being the oldest casino in the world, although it was originally known as the Ca’ Vendramin Calergi. When it opened, the casino catered to a number of Europe’s elite, offering rudimentary forms of dice and blackjack games. The latter is thought to have originated in French casinos in 1700, and is mentioned in Cervantes’s classic novel Don Quixote.

In 1946, the city of Venice purchased the land that the Casino di Venezia is built on. They then subjected the venue to significant renovation, before reopening its doors around a decade later. Nowadays, the casino offers a stunning meld of classic architecture and modern gaming facilities, while you’ll still have to make your approach by gondola or water taxi.

The oldest casino in the world is home to 600 slot machines at the time of writing, including traditional reels and video poker terminals. You’ll also find a diverse selection of low and high-stakes tables here, offering games such as Chemin De Fer, Punto Banco and so-called “Fair Roulette”, the latter of which boasts more dynamic gameplay and betting rounds.

Casino de Spa – Belgium’s Very Own Pheonix from the Flames

More than 100 years after the Casino di Venezia opened its doors, the Casino de Spa was built in Rue Royale, Belgium. However, despite being originally constructed in 1763, it actually has quite a tenuous claim to being among the oldest and longest standing casinos in the world.

The reason for this is simple, as the original venue was all-but destroyed during the First World War. Due to extensive fires and the ravages of war, the majority of the casino’s external walls were damaged beyond repair. Ultimately, it was rebuilt after the war in 1918, before undergoing an extensive and almost complete renovation in the 1980s.

So, it hardly boasts the same structure or architecture as it did all those years ago. However, developers have at least taken the opportunity to update and refurbish the casino floor, with the site now offering a number of modern amenities and games. In total, there are 152 gaming machines and nine table games located on-site, creating plenty of choice and variety whenever you attend.

The venue is open between the hours of 11:00 and 04:00 each day, while it has the distinction of being located just 20 minutes away from the iconic Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps. This hosts the Formula One Belgian Grand Prix every year, so we’d recommend visiting the casino if you’re an F1 fan and ever attend the Circuit de Spa-Francorchamps.

Kurhaus Casino of Baden-Baden – An Internationally Renowned Casino That Offers High-Stakes Gambling

Next up is the Kurhaus Casino of Baden-Baden in Germany, which can trace its own heritage back to the mid-1820s. It’s also located on the outskirts of the picturesque Black Forest, with its towering vertical columns part of a striking neo-classical design by German architect Friedrich Weinbrenner. To this day, the design and layout of the venue continues to be lauded in architectural circles.

Interestingly, the casino is located close to Germany’s border with France. It also earned international repute shortly after its doors opened in the 1830s, when the French authorities imposed a ban on all gambling and casino activities. This enabled the casino to build a cult following of players both domestically and throughout Europe.

Inside the modern casino, you’ll find more than 140 corporeal slot machines. These include popular online games like the ‘Book of Rah’ by Novomatic, while you can also climb the much riskier prize ladder offered by the Merkur devices. The latter use ‘Wave Boosts’ and ‘Wave Respins’ as part of a genuinely creative jackpot system.

If you’re a high-stakes gambler, you may like playing in the beautiful Bénazet Hall or Pavillion. These rooms feature high-limit roulette, blackjack and poker tables, while you can also explore these areas of the casino during daily public guided tours. There’s also a diverse selection of bars and restaurants available to help you make the most of your visit!

Casino de Monte Carlo – Introducing the Most Affluent and Exclusive Casino in the World

If we were rating these casinos by their reputation, the Casino de Monte Carlo would undoubtedly come in first. This exclusive venue is located in the affluent principality of Monaco, where it opened its doors as long ago as 1856. The casino was the brainchild of Princess Caroline of the House Grimaldi, who thought that constructing a casino would help to avoid the state going bankrupt.

The casino moved to a new location in 1863, while it has welcome Europe’s wealthiest and most eligible gamblers ever since its inception. Combining architectural beauty with thrilling, high-stakes gambling, the venue has also served as the inspiration for several blockbusting Hollywood movies. These include GoldenEye and Casino Royale from the James Bond franchise, while it also hosted the casino scenes in the excellent Ocean’s Twelve.

The casino remains open to this day, while it continues to cater to high-rollers and an enduringly affluent clientele. Accessible 24-hours-a-day and seven days each week, the casino floor is home to 140 gaming machines. You’ll also find 56 table and poker games available, many of which continue to deploy high betting limits.

As you’d expect, the Casino de Monte Carlo is also part of a much wider entertainment complex. This features three restaurants complete with à la carte menus, alongside live entertainment every single night. Interestingly, this venue was the first to incorporating fine dining and live entertainment into its casino offering, with this trend now commonplace throughout the industry.

Golden Gate Casino – The Oldest Casino Location in Nevada

While the Golden Gate Casino may not be the oldest casino in the world, it is the longest standing such venue in Las Vegas. This casino first opened its doors in 1906, originally under the guise of the Hotel Nevada. Located on Freemont Street, it’s set away from the bright lights of the Las Vegas strip and offers a more laid-back gambling experience if you’re visiting Nevada.

The early history of the Golden Gate Casino was contentious, with gambling outlawed in the US just three years after the venue launched. So, until gambling was once again made legal in the state of Nevada in 1931, the operator survived by offering small-stakes table games and competitive, non-cash tournaments.

After relaunching, the venue was rebranded as the Sal Sagev Casino, and the eagle-eyed among you will note that this depicts Las Vegas spelled backwards. However, this was largely unsuccessful and the brand was subject to further changes in 1955, when the Golden Gate Casino was born and introduced to the world.

After the location’s most recent renovation in 2017, the site boasts a 16,507 square foot gaming space that’s home to around 400 slots and gaming machines. There’s also space for 22 table games, while visitors can access traditional blackjack, roulette and craps tables too. You’ll also uncover more contemporary games and tournament formats here, such as ‘Let it Ride’ and ‘3-Card Poker’.

Across the whole of the Golden Gate Casino resort, there are three restaurants that offer an enjoyable fine dining experience. There’s also a bar, while the hotel remains open to guests and boasts 122 rooms. It certainly remains an enduringly popular casino, and one that offers a viable alternative for anyone who wants to avoid the hustle and bustle of the Vegas strip.

The Last Word – Are There any Other Longstanding Casinos of Note?

Despite the fact that blackjack is thought to have originated in France around 1700 (and the presence of the Casino de Monte Carlo in the independent principality of Monaco), the oldest French casino wasn’t inaugurated until June 1912. This was the Trouville-sur-Mer Casino in Normandy, which opened just a few days ahead of the neighboring Deauville location.

Both casinos remain open today and just missed out on our list, with the Trouville-sur-Mer casino combining distinct, Louisiana-inspired colonial design with a huge selection of games. These include 200 slot machines and various high-stakes tables, which are dominated by blackjack and roulette iterations.

All of the casinos featured in this article remain open to this day, although some have undergone significant restructuring and remodeling. However, they all remain true to their roots and unique origins, enabling them to offer a start contrast with contemporary online casinos and poker rooms!