European Casinos

The fact that the world’s very first to sixth casinos opened in unprecedented European territories – Casinò di Venezia (1638 as Il Rodotto in Venice, Italy), Spielbank Wiesbaden (1810 in Wiesbaden, Germany), Spielbank Baden-Baden (1823 in Baden-Baden, Germany), Crockfords (1828 as Crockford’s St James’s Club or Crockford’s Club in London, United Kingdom), Le Casino de Monte-Carlo (1856 in Monte-Carlo, Monaco), and Casino Le Lyon Vert (1882 in La Tour-de-Salvagny, France), makes the continent even more appealing to gamblers. Interestingly, these casinos still welcome a great number of gamblers to their rooms today.
Historically, gambling has been more active in Europe than in any other continent. From the ancient Greeks and Romans’ love for gambling during the Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Middle Ages to the British, Italian, French, and Spanish peoples’ rapid and mouth-watering love for all forms of gambling since the Middle Ages. (The only two non-European countries with an impressive gambling history are Egypt and China.) But it’s even more than these countries for the greater percentage of European countries offer at least one world-class gambling facility.

In addition, Europe played a salient part in the creation and advancement of many games that are popular today. For one, in 1440, Johannes Gutenberg, a German printer, and publisher, printed the very first full deck of cards. Second, the French people created the roulette (“Little Wheel”) and blackjack, though the latter is controversial. Baccarat first appeared in the 1400s when it was transported to France by the Italians.

Some historians and gambling enthusiasts believe poker was inspired by Pogue, a locally popular French game. Also, Isle of Man-based Microgaming, one of the most popular software companies, developed the very first gambling software which led to a collaboration with Ireland-based CryptoLogic, one of first application service providers, and the creation of the very first online casino in 1994.

Besides history, one word succinctly describes the profitability of gambling in Europe, massive. According to WorldAtlas.com, six out of the 10 countries that gamble the most are in Europe. The first European country is ranked third with $588 spent on gambling averagely while the last country is ranked tenth with $418 spent on gambling averagely. Although the figure is practically impossible to pin down, it is estimated that there are more than 1,700 casinos, 120,000 gaming machines, and 9,000 table games in Europe.

One of the major reasons why these figures are so high is the increasing number of illegal gambling activities and facilities in Europe. In places like Finland, Ireland, and Italy, there are unlicensed outlets on virtually every street. In Italy, for instance, the Mafia operates hundreds of slot parlors and reportedly profit more than the government and other private entities.

Furthermore, online gambling is huge in Europe especially with the prominence of the UK Gambling Commission, Malta Gaming Authority (MGA), and Gibraltar Gambling Commissioner. Actually, online gambling is larger in Europe than in any other continent. According to Statista, overall gambling is biggest in Italy, then the United Kingdom followed by Germany, France, and Spain respectively. The first two countries individually generate approximately €20 billion per year while the remaining three generate close to €10 billion each. However, the list consists of France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands-respectively-according to the European Casino Association.

And as stated earlier, Europe is a fascinating continent that welcomes a lot of immigrants and tourists per year. European territories are generally beautiful and luxurious. These are words that can describe European casinos as well.

Most casinos have hundreds of diverse gaming machines and dozens of table games. Also, most are attached to exquisite four or five-star hotels or resorts that welcome thousands of tourists regularly. They offer appealing accommodations and lounges with as many restaurants and bars as possible.

Ultimately, Europe is the best place to enjoy a sophisticated gambling experience. And although casinos are not as massive as those in North America or Asia, European casinos are classic and players are elegant so they appeal to gamblers from anywhere in the world. Lastly, Euro is generally accepted though British Pound sterling, Russian ruble, and the Swiss franc is also popular.