Europe

Gibraltar

Situated next to the Rock Hotel with easy access from any part of Gibraltar, the Gibraltar Casino boasts a luxurious gaming room, a dedicated slots room, a top restaurant with an open terrace and a bingo hall.

Get over to Gibraltar and enjoying your stay on the Rock.

Monte Carlo

In the tiny principality of Monaco, the Casino de Monte Carlo bears itself as regally as if it were a castle. Slots at Sea. Glamour and Gambling in Monte Carlo Europe's more established gambling capitals offer old-world cachet—especially Monte Carlo, the renowned casino resort in the tiny principality of Monaco on the French Riviera. The elegant casino holds slot machines, roulette, blackjack and craps in the American Room, as well as a private casino where a select number of gamblers may wager minimum bets of $5,000. Monte Carlo is the wealthiest of Monaco's 4 quarters, sometimes erroneously believed to be the country's capital, even though there formally is none. Monte Carlo is known for its casinos, gambling, glamour, and for sightings of famous people. Monte Carlo is one of Europe's leading tourist resorts. Within the casino complex is the Grand Théâtre de Monte Carlo, an opera and ballet house, and the headquarters of the Ballets de Monte Carlo. The citizens of Monaco are exempt from taxes, and they are forbidden to enter the gaming rooms. In 1873, Joseph Jagger gained the casino great publicity by "breaking the bank at Monte Carlo" by discovering and capitalizing on a bias in one of the casino's roulette wheels. Technically, the bank in this sense was the money held on the table by the croupier. According to an article in The Times in the late 19th century, it was thus possible to break the bank several times. The 1892 song The Man that Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo, made famous by Charles Coburns, was probably inspired by the exploits of Charles Wells, who broke the bank on many occasions on the first two of his three trips. The real Monte Carlo and its casino provided one of the glamorous locations for the 1995 James Bond Film, GoldenEye.

San Remo

Sanremo began to come into its own during the mid 1700s and royalty, including the Russian Empress Maria Alexandrovna, from across Europe flocked to Sanremo for the mild weather and coastal location. Sanremo is also known as the "Town of Flowers" as the climate is remarkably steading and nurturing to flora.  As a result, Sanremo boasts a spectacular assortment of rare plants and flowers, rightfully earning its nickname. In addition to gaming, the Art Nouveau San Remo Casinò has a restaurant, a nightclub, and a theater that hosts concerts and the annual San Remo Music Festival. If you want to try our luck at the gaming tables, there's a EUR7.50 cover charge on weekends. OPEN: Slot machines Sun.-Fri. 10 AM-2:30 AM, Sat. 10 AM-3:30 AM; tables Sun.-Fri. 2:30 PM-2:30 AM, Sat. 2:30 PM-3:30 AM.

Australia

Melbourne

Crown Casino

On the other end of the spectrum are newer, flashy resorts that closely mimic their American counterparts. The Crown Entertainment Complex in Melbourne, Australia, combines both European refinement and Las Vegas glitz, but there are as many visitors staying there for the destination itself as for the gambling. The Crown, facing the banks of the Yarra River, has all of the exclusive shopping, fine dining, and big-casino-glamour found in American casino resorts. Its five-story atrium inspires visitors with black Italian marble and ceiling of crystals and fiber optics that choreographs water and clouds to music with dramatic results. The casino is the largest in the Southern Hemisphere, with 350 table games and 2,500 slots. From clubs, bars, fine dining, cafes, top fashion boutiques, luxury cinema, light, fire and water spectacles, and of course the casino itself, that is the Crown Casino. The complex is great - with wonderful restaurants, clubs and shops. It's the best and biggest and most spectacular place to gamble in Melbourne, if that's what tickles your fancy. It is the fifth biggest Casino in the world. The laser and light show at the main entrance is certainly worth a look. The only place Under 18s cannot go is on the actual gaming floor.

Australia's largest casino is a plush affair that's open 24 hours. You'll find all the usual roulette and blackjack tables and so on, as well as an array of gaming machines. Believe me, you can lose big here. There are some 25 restaurants and 40 bars on the premises. A good choice for lunch is the Red Emperor. Its Cantonese yum cha is superb, as is the service. There's a great view of the Yarra River. It's open Monday through Saturday from noon to 3pm, Sunday 11am to 4pm.

North America

Casino vacations may not be kid stuff exactly—in gambling capitals throughout the world, plenty of adult razzle-dazzle upholds that hard-edge, high-stakes, life-in-the-fast-lane image. But as gambling vacations explode into popularity, gaming destinations attract not just gamblers and night owls—but golfers, spa-goers, skiers, sightseers, sun-worshippers, and, yes, families.

Las Vegas

Las Vegas, the birthplace of the American casino scene, has certainly set the standard for gambling destinations in the United States. The Nevada desert oasis was the only place for commercial casino gaming from 1931 until 1976, when New Jersey introduced casinos to Atlantic City. Other states followed, as did river gambling and legalized regulation of Native American casinos. Casino vacations draw non-gambling fans with theme-park thrills In the beginning, casinos lured visitors with cheap meals, inexpensive entertainment, and affordable accommodations. Today, gambling resorts strive to outdo each other with sprawling theme park attractions, more amenities, and the biggest in big-name entertainment. And they seem to be succeeding—industry surveys indicate that more and more travelers are scheduling casino vacations. Folks are still flocking to Vegas to gamble. But they also come for conventions. They book honeymoon suites and schedule kitschy weddings in any number of turnstile chapels. Families come for its theme-park high energy—and everyone seems to be dazzled by the excess of glitz, glitter, and gilt of over-the-top treasures around every corner. Where besides Las Vegas can you ride a roller coaster around New York's skyline, travel up the Eiffel Tower, float down a canal on a gondola, or sleep in a giant pyramid, all during a single evening? Bellagio, one of the most impressive of Las Vegas's newer casino resorts, is set on a lake filled with more than 1,000 fountains. At night, they greet visitors with towering jets of water synchronized with color, light, and the music of classical composers and vocal greats. Bellagio, together with the Mirage and MGM Grand, is the guest star of the hollywood blockbuster Ocean's eleven.

Reno

Reno's grand hotel casinos are famous around the world. The Biggest Little City in the World isn't little any more. Reno is the regional capital of an enormous area of western Nevada and the eastern Sierra. Reno's heart is downtown. The city was was born at Lake's Crossing where Myron Lake's bridge brought the Virginia City road across the Truckee River, and from there the changes wrought since the opening of the MGM Grand are easily visible to the naked eye. The Riverside, once the grandest hotel in the state, has been half-demolished and converted to artists' studios. The Mapes, built in 1948 as Nevada's tallest building, and the Harolds Club that Pappy Smith built into the biggest and best-known casino in the world, are gone. To the north, Virginia Street between the river and the railroad track is brilliant with casino facades. Newcomers have added to the city's downtown dimensions and moved its center north: the Eldorado, the Sundowner, the Flamingo Hilton, Circus Circus and the mighty Silver Legacy. Two of the city's most popular casino hotels, the Peppermill and the Atlantis, are well south on Virginia Street near the Convention Center.

Atlantic City

From the neon lights of Las Vegas to the sun-kissed shores of Mississippi's Gulf Coast, along Atlantic City's famed Boardwalk and at many points in between, casino destinations meet the needs of both the gambler—and the vacationer who wants to gamble on fun: Golf and Gambling: The New Green Vacation. Each casino capital has its own "something special." Skiers find their way to Lake Tahoe's snow-packed trails. Atlantic City draws beach-lovers with its Boardwalk.

Atlantic City is a city in Atlantic County, New Jersey, USA. It is famous for its gambling casinos and boardwalk. The Chafonte-Haddon Hall became Resorts International and was the first legal casino in the eastern United States when it opened on May 26, 1978. Other casinos were soon added along the boardwalk and later in the marina district for a total of thirteen today. The introduction of gambling did not, however, quickly eliminate many of the urban problems that plagued Atlantic City. Many have argued that it only served to magnify those problems, as evidenced in the stark contrast between tourism-intensive areas and the adjacent impoverished working-class neighborhoods. In addition, Atlantic City has played second-fiddle to Las Vegas, Nevada, as a gambling mecca in the United States, although in the late 1970s and 1980s, when Las Vegas was experiencing a massive drop in tourism due to crime, particularly the Mafia's role, and other economic factors, Atlantic City was favored over Las Vegas. On July 3, 2003, Atlantic City's newest casino, The Borgata, opened with much success.

Biloxi

Isle of Capri Casino Resort in Biloxi, Miss. Provocatively dressed cocktail waitresses were milling around against a backdrop of slot machines with flashing lights. The clanging noise of coins threatened to drown out the piped-in music of Donovan singing "Sunshine came softly through my window today." The land stretching along Mississippi's Gulf Coast has evolved in numerous ways since the French settled here back in 1699. Today, glimpses of the area's storied past are evident in the weathered faces of the local fishermen and sprawling mansions surrounded by towering moss-draped oaks. Modernity, too, is represented with 12 glittering casinos bringing millions of tourists each year to wine, dine and put their money on the line. Once a row of thriving fishing communities, the Gulf Coast is now a prime vacation destination, with activities and attractions to suit all tastes. Mississippi’s Gulf Coast offers a newer destination for gaming enthusiasts, where casinos compete with golf. There are 20-some championship golf courses in the Biloxi area, and the sprawling Beau Rivage resort offers proximity to the greens as well as the sparkling gulf waters, rich with deep-sea fishing opportunities. Beau Rivage attracts guests with luxury and comfort in 1,780 guestrooms and suites holding water views. The resort offers a 32-slip marina, 12 restaurants, a spa, salon, and shops.Browse for antiques in historic Ocean Springs, dine on fabulous seafood and po' boy sandwiches in Gulfport, learn about art and history at one of several top-notch museums, go shrimping in the Gulf, lounge on the shimmering 26-mile beach and enjoy sparkling nightlife in Biloxi – all in one weekend! Thanks to the seamless combination of yesterday's gentility and today's dazzle, the Gulf Coast is now a diverse, dynamic destination that has not forgotten its roots..

Tampa

Seminole Gaming Palace - This place has been massively expanded in the past year and is still under construction. Its a truly nice place now, you wouldnt be ashamed to bring a date on saturday night. The one major drawback is no blackjack or roulette ( women seem to like roulette ). The card room is fairly large and has texas holdem, 7 card stud, and Omaha hi/lo. The other major drawback is that the card room allows smoking.

Montreal

Cute cobbled streets of Old Montreal, lakes and parks, a vibrant gay scene, and the Latin quarter. Major events: the summertime Festival Internationale de Jazz and the film festival. Casino de Montreal. Impressing the set up of the slots (lots of hot machines and very good on the payouts), the different types of entertainment. If you sign up for their program by mail you receive some really great incentives. Try the internet offers too, especially if you live in the States. I say if you can't get to Vegas, try Montreal. You'll love it!

Palm Springs

Palm Springs is a famed Riverside County, California, desert resort city, approximately 110 miles east of Los Angeles. Palm Springs contains some of the world's most famous golf courses. Swimming, tennis, horseback riding, and hiking in the nearby desert and mountain areas are other major forms of recreation in Palm Springs. It is one of nine adjacent cities that make up the Coachella Valley (Palm Springs area).

Contributing to Palm Springs' economic revival has been the arrival of Indian gaming. In addition to the creation of a broad employment base and the development of a new type of local tourism (gambling), the tribe contributes a percentage of its profits to philanthropic causes and local infrastructure, such as the Palm Springs Fire Department, Palm Springs Public Library, and Boys and Girls Club of the Coachella Valley.

Palm Springs has also become a popular travel destination for gay men and lesbian women. Restaurants, nightclubs, resorts, hotels, retailers, and other businesses cater to the gay community, similarly adding to the city's recent economic boom, infrastructure, and to its diversification.

The Spa Resort Casino combines relaxing places at spa and gambling. The casino has tons of slot machines, Pai-gow, BlackJack, 3 card poker, 4 card poker, Bacarat, Indian casino craps (with cards instead of dice). Table minimums range from $10-$100. Drinks are free while you are gambling. Dealers and staff seemed pretty friendly.

Miami

Cruising is another great option that packs in plenty of leisure options—including gambling. Ship casinos range in size and scope, depending on the dimensions of the ship. Although gambling is technically illegal in Miami, there are plenty of loopholes that allow all kinds of wagering. Gamblers can try their luck at offshore casinos or on shore at bingo, jai alai, card rooms, horse tracks, dog races, and Native-American reservations. The classiest and most legit gambling cruise still in business is the Casino Princesa, which docks behind the Hard Rock Cafe in Bayside Marketplace. This 200-foot $15 million yacht has more than 200 slot machines, 32 tables, a restaurant, and four lounges in 10,000 square feet of gaming space on two decks. It's also a major bargain (unless, of course, you lose) at $10 per person. Ships sail for 5 hours from 12:30 to 5:30pm and 7:30pm to 12:30am daily. They will also pick you up at your hotel. You must be 21 or older to sail. Especially popular is Miccosukee Indian Gaming, where a touch of Vegas meets west Miami. This tacky casino isn't Caesar's Palace, but you can play tab slots, high-speed bingo, and even poker. With more than 85,000 square feet of playing space, the complex even offers overnight accommodations for those who can't get enough of the thrill and don't want to make the approximately 1-hour trip back to downtown Miami. Recently, many of Miami's sketchier gambling-cruise operators have been shut down.

Don't forget, before leaving, to be up to date with the rules of the game!

GAMBLING TOURISM TOUR AND TRAVELS