List of the Top 5 Must-Visit Casinos in Europe
No two casinos are the same. Many are alike, particularly those owned and operated in a chain. The landscape was not always so dull. The world’s oldest casino opened in 1638. Sat on Venice’s Grand Canal, nothing compares to it. Dozens of other unique European casinos still give visitors an unforgettable experience.
Your chances of winning do not change, but there is something about playing in a classy casino. © Getty Images
Looking for a Charming Casino With Character?
Figures collated in November 2024 suggest that there are 172,539 gambling properties worldwide. 128,077 are in Europe – a figure that includes traditional betting shops – making it the world’s most densely populated gambling region. The number is four times that of the United States.
Estimates vary wildly, but globally, it is believed there are between 6,500 and 8,000 casinos in the world. Of these, only 1,000 are in Europe. The figures are confusing, as gambling laws and regulations differ from country to country, meaning the classification of a “casino” is blurred.
For example, in the Czech Republic, a bingo hall is officially classified as a casino. For the benefit of this ‘Top-5 of Must Visit European Casinos’, our criteria include all casinos having live table games as their core business. Ratings are based on personal visits and experiences, with charm, ambience and friendliness being the highest-scoring factors.
5. Macau Casino, Cork, Ireland
This venue may only be 20 years old and, from the outside, will not win a beauty contest, but, like most of Cork City, it has an ageless, unhurried vibe about it. The Macau’s single floor is split into three elements: table games and roulette terminals, a busy poker room and an excellent oriental restaurant.
Sat on the banks of River Lee, this small, family-owned, friendly casino is just a stone’s throw from shops, famous sights, and Cork’s renowned English Market. Experience tells us that its management can arrange hospitality at local bars and discounts at nearby hotels, making a visit an enjoyable experience – win or lose!
4. Seefeld, Austria
Seefeld, a 20-minute drive from Innsbruck, was once an old farming village. It is now an exclusive ski resort described as a “winter palace”. At the beating heart of its pedestrianized town centre is Casino Seefeld. Like all casinos in Austria, it is operated by Casinos Austria. Unlike sister venues in Austrian cities, a dinner jacket is not required to enter this casino.
The Casino at Seefeld in Tirol, Austria (1969 and 2020) pic.twitter.com/G9L0re4AsA
— Sports & Betting History by BestBettingSites (@CDCHistory) January 20, 2020
The standards are high in this chic venue with wooden beams and panelled walls. It only features a handful of gaming tables, and its relatively few slot machines are housed on a second floor away from them. Seefeld Casino’s size gives all visitors an intimate experience, and all the action can be viewed from its plush but friendly bar.
3. Casino di Venezia, Venice, Italy
Opened in 1638, this casino was originally a theatre called the Theatre Saint Moses. It had a wing for gambling during play intermissions. The building, a Renaissance palace on Venice’s Grand Canal, was later home to Italian royalty. German composer Richard Wagner lived and died here (in 1883).
A boat shuttle service now ferries guests to the French-designed front doors of the casino, which is adorned with Murano glass mirrors and classical Italian decor. The venue is not small; the casino is spread across 5,500 square meters, allowing space for 43 gaming tables and 600-plus slot machines.
2. Wiesbaden Casino, Germany
Wiesbaden is far less well-known than Berlin, Cologne, Munich or Hamburg. That is unsurprising given that its 283,000 inhabitants make it Germany’s 23rd largest city. However, if you are looking for a remarkable casino experience in Germany, the city’s casino in the Kurhaus tops the country-wide list.
The Kurhaus is a spa house that serves as Wiesbaden’s convention and social centre. It first featured a casino in 1810, and although the subsequent years were ‘stop-start’, it has been in continuous operation since the late 1940s.
Imposing from the outside, inside this casino’s main floor is a breathtaking wooden marvel fit for filming any 1920s period drama where chandeliers and an art-deco bar are mandatory. Tastefully, Wiesbaden Casino is split into two sections, meaning slot machines are housed far away from the gaming floor.
Roulette, many blackjack variants and poker are available. Those who prefer to play from a touchscreen are catered for by cabinet-like machines coated in oak. Like the best online casinos, the bet limits at this venue are extremely diverse.
1. Casino Peralada, Spain
North of Girona and south of Perpignan, Peralada sits on the Spanish side of the French border. At the last count, the city’s population was less than 2,000. Nevertheless, in 1285, the town needed a castle, and when it burned down, it was rebuilt in the 14th century. Further revamps periodically took place.
Now, in the mid-2020s, it is surrounded by beautiful gardens alongside a golf course, spa, 5-star hotel, and wine museum. The castle’s medieval fortress, flanked by two imposing towers, contains two restaurants – one boasting a Michelin star – and the pièce de résistance, a casino.
Like everything around, Casino Peralada’s gaming floor exudes history, elegance, and sophistication. The games offered may be restricted to American Roulette, French Roulette, blackjack and poker – plus a wide range of slots – and customers are unlikely to be addressed on a first-name basis, but the setting is incredible.
Playing in Casino Peralada could send even the most level-headed of characters into a state of delirium and believing they are part of a classic Bond movie. It is the one casino that enthusiasts should place on the top of their bucket list.
A Top-5 That Was Top Secret
Ultimately, all of our ‘Top-5 Must Visit Casinos’ feature table game favourites such as Blackjack and Roulette. Unlike the UK’s best online casinos, there are few games to set them apart.
However, each of these five venues – all considered something of a well-kept secret by our experts – will give visitors an unforgettable memory. They provide a glimpse of a different time when the term ‘casino’ meant opulence, glamour and romance.
