Gambling has taken many forms over the years, from dicing in the streets of Ancient Rome and Greece, to underground gambling houses, horse-racing venues, and these days, online casinos. 

Though no matter how much sites like Royal Panda New Zealand lure us on our devices, there are still plenty of reasons to love traveling for a land based casino.

You don’t have to be a gambler to enjoy real casinos, many of them are spectacular attractions for sightseeing (Monte Carlo), ordering a cocktail (Venice), or catching some live entertainment (Vegas).

And in many countries like Australia, they are full entertainment complexes, that attract more tourism because of their fine dining restaurants, accommodation, and celebrity life, than iconic attractions like the Opera House or Harbour Bridge.

Whether you gamble, or are strictly off the dice, the following are reasons to love visiting an overseas casino.

Reasons to Love Overseas Casinos

A Grand Experience

Casinos overseas often offer a far grander experience than you have access to at home, and many are housed in beautiful buildings, the architecture of which is a stunning masterpiece of it’s own. 

Heading to Venice and casino hopping through the strip allows you to walk into completely different worlds, from the luxury of the world famous Bellagio, to the canals of the Venetian (also a Venetian in Macau).

If you want the real thing, Casinò di Venezia is the oldest gambling establishment in the world, and sits in a beautiful historic theatre which has been used for many Hollywood sets, and is often home to Venice Film Festival events.

And if it’s glamor and celebrity spotting you’re after, the Monte Carlo Casino is one of the the finest in Europe, a gambling icon overlooking Monaco, where you can slip into character as James Bond.

All of Your Entertainment

Image credit: Lady Gaga by TJ Sengel (CC BY 2.0) via Flickr

Land-based casinos these days are far more than gambling houses, and on top of the casino halls, also offer shopping malls, restaurants, hotels, gardens, and even swimming pools.  

High-rollers prefer to play in land-based casinos because they can stay overnight, and are often put up in complimentary suites on the house(as a perk of their spending amounts!). But the accommodation for everyday travelers is usually very affordable.

You’ll find restaurants that range from 5 star fine dining, and Michelin star chefs, to celebrity run food trucks, and more casual dining which simply offers a quite bite. There are fancy bars, nightclubs, and casual jazz lounges.

Theatres and shows are a big part of the casino experience now, and even if the casino itself is not based in a former theatre (like Casinò di Venezia!), they will often have small intimate concert rooms, right up to ballrooms and grand statdium style seating.

Places like Vegas pull big celebrity names for extended residencies (ie Adele and Miranda Lambert to Katy Perry and Usher), which is a big part of their marketing strategy to get you to stay at the casino. But who says you have to gamble!

Rub Shoulders

Land based casinos offer socialization which you’ll never get from an online experience, even though there are now hybrid ‘live casinos’ which allow you to digitally join real games being streamed in real time. 

At land based casinos you literally rub shoulders, and can meet meet new friends, perhaps even share a drink with a celebrity since certain places are big celeb draws. 

You may not always get the chance to work a land based casino into your travels, but whether you’re looking to play at a luxury venue, stay in luxury accommodation, or grab some great food before a show, there are plenty of reasons to love them!