In most cities around the world there are casinos. Their growth has combined with a general growth in the gambling industry but walking past them as part of everyday life dulls their sheen a little, especially if they are seedy looking joints.
But, there are casinos, both online and offline and there are casinos.
The best are in some of the world’s most interesting cities. Glitz, glamour and popular culture; visiting them is like entering a Hollywood film set which is no surprise since many of them have been used as Hollywood film sets.
So let’s visit the three best casinos in the world.
Casino De Monte Carlo – Monaco
Casino De Monte Carlo
Quite possibly, the most iconic of all casinos. Fame came to Monte Carlo through pop culture, referred to in books, records and films. Used as a setting for several James Bond films: Never Say Never Again and GoldenEye, as well as Ocean’s Twelve.
Ian Fleming based his casino in ‘Royale-Les-Eaux’ on Monte Carlo in his first Bond Novel, Casino Royale.
Of course, many know the story of ‘The Man Who Broke the Bank at Monte Carlo”, reported by The Times and turned into a song by Charles Coborn but it has also served as an Olympic venue, hosting the 1921 Women’s Olympiad.
Opened in 1863, the casino doesn’t allow entry to residents of Monaco; it’s for visitors only and identity documents are checked at the door. The revenues are the main source of the royal family’s income.
Bellagio – Las Vegas
Bellagio
Las Vegas, the spiritual home of the casino. The lax laws of Nevada encouraged the casinos to settle and become big business.
Bellagio is more than just a casino; the complex includes its own art gallery as well as the Fountains of Bellagio whose towers of water are choreographed to a musical background. It’s a historic site where the famed Dunes Casino and Hotel, used as a backdrop in the outstanding James Bond film, Diamonds Are Forever.
Owned by MGM, little wonder that this casino has also featured in the movies. Ocean’s 11 and Ocean’s Thirteen were shot there.
The poker room in this magnificent complex is ‘The Office’ where The Big Game takes place in ‘Bobby’s Room’, where the pots frequently exceed $1m.
On the floor, the gaming machines with their colours, sounds and payouts are the basis for the mobile slots and their bonuses polled from the convenience of your phone.
Caesars Palace – Paradise, Nevada
Caesars Palace
Caesar’s Palace, famed as much for its casino as the musical and sporting events it hosts.
Among those who have performed in The Colosseum at Caesars are Gloria Estefan, Elton John, Bette Midler, Cher and Celine Dion, all following in the footsteps of Sinatra, Dean Martin and Sammy Davis, Jr. Anybody who is anybody has hailed their fame at this prestigious venue. Even Matt Goss.
Dubbed “the Home of Champions after hosting decades of events like boxing matches”, according to the New Yorker, Caesars has seen some of boxing’s iconic bouts: Ali v Holmes in 1980, Sugar Ray Leonard v Marvin Hagler in 1987, both Holyfield v Bowe bouts in 1992/93.
It is the casino to see things and be seen at. Others may be glitzier but for glamour and history, Caesars Palace is unrivalled.
Photo Credits
Casino De Monte Carlo – by spencer77 on flickr – Some Rights Reserved
Bellagio – by bbchu on flickr – Some Rights Reserved
Caesars Palace – by Kaloozer on flickr – Some Rights Reserved
Guest Author Bio
Stuart Stratford
Stuart is a freelance writer and blogger, the driving force behind A Cultured Left Foot and Dad’s Jukebox.
After a lifetime of working for the man, he branched out on his own writing initially concentrating on his first loves, football and music. Or if his long-suffering wife Maggie is reading this, his second and third loves, football and music.
His first book has been on the drawing board for some time which is a pity because if it had used a PC, it might have been finished by now.
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