Oldest Land Based Casinos

Oldest Land Based Casinos

I have always believed man has been gambling since day two of our existence, with the thrill of chance being less risky than the thrill of chase (chasing a woolly Mammoth that is). Day one was probably spent being amazed by fingers or losing our eyesight staring at the sun.

So after a couple of centuries of the shell game with actual shells, man became much more civilised and made some respectable establishments in which to chance their luck.

With the first known official casino being the Ridotto in Venice, Italy, opening its doors in 1638, is it any wonder the oldest still active casino is also located in Venice and was it opened just after the Ridotto? These kinds of establishments slowly evolved over the last 400 plus years to what we now know as the modern casino – Vegas style!

But here is a list of the oldest and still active casinos in the world, it is an impressive list and some of these casinos are must sees if you are in that particular region of the world.

Third Oldest Casino: Crockford’s Club

This gentleman’s club opened its doors officially in 1828, to members only! This club is the stuff James Bond movies are made of, elite and exclusive the club is for the rich and even richer members of upper British society.

The interior is sophisticated and well above luxurious, which is to suits the tastes of the upper crust clientele it caters for.

There is a mixture of private gaming rooms and high stakes rooms to choose from offering some classic and western table games, but only if you are a member! Your average Joe Tourist will not be attending this casino; but we can always stop and stare at the façade or opt for online pokies instead.

Second Oldest Casino: Casino Weisbaden

This casino was built in 1810 is currently the oldest still active casino in Germany.  Rumour would have it that there was a gaming establishment in this spot since the days of the Romans.

This casino has over 180 slot machines and some great classic table game options like Blackjack and Roulette. And is a local favourite in Germany as well as for international high rollers.

The classic and timeless interior is still an attraction over 200 hundred years after this wonderful old casino first opened its doors.

The Undisputed Oldest Casino in the World

Casino Di Venezia

This casino building was built in 1509, and was the residence of some very wealth nobles for over a hundred years, until it was converted into a gambling house on 1638.

This grandfather of casinos has been a constant in Venice since then and has been a well known tourist and gaming attraction since its start.

The building is classically designed, with columns on the facade and an opulent over the top interior, with some ceilings painted by Mattia Bortoloni a baroque master painter.

This affluent casino still attracts heavy rollers to its gaming hall, and offers traditional table games like Roulette and Trente et Quarante and more westernised table games like Blackjack and Texas Holdem. It also has over 600 modern slot machines, so the casino; though old is still functional and an exciting gaming hall.