Gambling is big business internationally. Almost every country in the world has casinos. With the exception of China, most of the countries without casinos are either predominantly Muslim or are remote island nations without the ability to attract many tourists. The United States has more casinos within its borders and on Indian reservations than the next ten countries combined.

Of the five most populated countries - China, India, United States, Indonesia, and Brazil - only the U.S. and India have licensed casinos, and there are only a few in India. Of course, China is a major feeder market for other Asian gambling jurisdictions including the special administrative region of Macau, the Philippines, and South Korea. Indians with discretionary income take to the internet to gamble, and many Indonesians travel to nearby casinos like Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore; Resorts World Genting in Malaysia, or to Entertainment City in Parañaque, Metro Manila where they will find a sort of mini-Macau.

The fifth most populated country in the world, Brazil, seems to be on the verge of passing casino legislation. If it does, expect to see big international players like Las Vegas Sands Corp, MGM Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, Wynn Resorts and even possibly a few big names from Macau throw their hats into the ring for integrated casino resort licenses there. Who wouldn't want to add world class casino gambling to their Rio de Janeiro vacation?

How many casinos are in the United States?

The World Casino Directory currently lists 2184 casinos which are open and accepting bets from the gambling public. Almost every state in the country offers casino gambling. With only a few exceptions, if the state doesn't regulate gambling you can be sure to find Native American casinos operating. Some states offer both. Nevada alone, home of Fabulous Las Vegas, has {360} casinos. The only states without any casinos are Utah, Hawaii, and Alaska. New Hampshire has card rooms and Washington D.C. residents don't have far to go to visit MGM National Harbor about 10 minutes away in Oxon Hill, MD.

Casinos in America directly employ over half a million people, host over 900,000 slot machines, and generate over $70 billion in revenue each year.

North America is also home to Canada and Mexico, #2 and #3 on the list of countries with the most gambling facilities. According to Statista, North America has more casinos than the next five regions combined: Western Europe, Eastern Europe, South America, Africa, and all Caribbean nations combined.

The Casinos of Canada

Canadians love to gamble just like their southern neighbors. Most Canadian casinos are owned and regulated by lottery corporations, sometimes in joint ventures with private entities like Great Canadian and Gateway. First Nation peoples also own and operate their own casinos and have gambling commissions under provincial jurisdiction. See our Canada casino guide for more information and reviews of casinos in the Land of the Maple Leaf.

The Casinos of Mexico

Casinos in Mexico run the gamut from what are essentially electronic bingo parlors with sports books to state-of-the-art gaming venues. One thing they all have in common is that none of the slot machines have a stand-alone RNG or program - they are all run from central servers. The industry in Mexico is dominated by a few major players like Codere, Big Bola, and Emotion. Many of the casinos have online counterparts. Whether you hop the border to play in Tijuana, play Las Vegas-style at Casino Life in Mexico City, or try one of the resort casinos in Riviera Maya - you will find over 2000 gambling facilities in Mexico.

The Magnificent Casinos of France

Jumping across the ocean from North America, we find France in a tight race for the #3 position in a list of countries with the most casinos. France presents a very different gambling environment than you would find in North America. Many of the casinos here are ancient and gilded not only in gold but historical importance.

The Casino Palais de le Mediterranee in Nice opened in 1929; Casino Partouche d’Evaux-les-Bains is an opulent venue and the only casino in the Limousin region, and Casino Barriere Deauville, which opened in 1912, is one of the most impressive casinos in the world.

Gambling Facilities in the United Kingdom

If every location to place a bet was counted as a "gambling facility" the United Kingdom would top the list. Brits, especially, love to gamble. There are over 1,000 sports betting shops in London alone, and over 2 million people in the UK gamble online. It's estimated that as many as 70% of the population over 18 plays the national lottery on a regular basis. But let's not forget the casinos of Mayfair and Piccadilly.

The Ritz Club at 150 Piccadilly is a luxurious private member club decked out in gold and red. Les Ambassadeurs Club is another exclusive luxury casino in London that has had its share of fame from James Bond movies to The Beatles' Hard Day's Night video. Everywhere you go in the UK - from Wales to Scotland to the Isle of Man you will find casinos.

Casinos in other Countries and Regions

Western Europe is the second most casino-populated continent or region after North America. In addition to French and UK casinos, there are over a hundred casinos between Germany, Spain, and Italy. And then there's Monaco with four iconic casinos in Monte Carlo. Although the Nordic countries don't have a great number of casinos, people in the region love to gamble on-land and online. There are casinos in Stockholm and Copenhagen, and Switzerland has about 20 casinos from Zürich to Geneva.

One of the most interesting developments in the region, whether you place Cyprus in Europe, Western Asia, or the Middle East, is construction underway in 2017 of Europe's first and largest integrated casino resort in Limassol. A consortium including Hard Rock International from the USA and Melco Entertainment of Macau won the exclusive license there. The resort is expected to open in phases beginning in 2020 - but temporary or satellite casinos could open before then.

The World Casino Directory attempts to list every casino on the planet. To read reviews and see pictures of some of the most opulent casinos in the world, visit our Macau casino pages. While Macau may not have anywhere near as many casinos as Las Vegas, the money that changes hands there is many orders of magnitude higher and has been since 2006. The largest casino in the world is located in Macau, and seven of the top earning casino firms in the world have properties there.

Macau is not the only place in Asia that you'll find amazing casinos. Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands in Singapore are two of the most breathtaking casino resorts anywhere. Annual gross gaming revenue, from just two casinos, has never been below $4 billion since they opened in 2010. If you travel to Malaysia, you'll find Resorts World Genting in the Genting Highlands - the only casino in the country. First World Hotel there is the largest hotel in the world by room count. The RWG casino has over 400 table games and more than 3,000 gaming machines on a 204,514 square foot gaming floor.

The Philippines has become a gambling haven as well. There are over 50 casinos outside of Entertainment City which includes Okada Manila, a $5 billion casino resort; City of Dreams Manila, and Solaire Resort and Casino. Resorts World (Genting) and Travellers International Hotel Group are opening a property there in 2020 that will include a casino, several luxury hotels, and a Grand Opera House to seat 3,000.

South Korea has a booming casino industry and Vietnam recently decided to let citizens play at casinos in the country. But the most significant development in Asia since Macau began welcoming mega-resorts is Japan's late 2016 decision to allow integrated casino resorts to operate there. As of late 2017, the exact landscape is still unknown, but Some have estimated the yearly revenue from casinos there could range from $5 billion a year to $25 billion. The low estimate assumes two resorts, and the high estimate is projected based on two integrated resorts in major metro areas and 10 regional casinos. The reality will probably fall somewhere in between.

Oceania Casinos

Big things are happening in Australasia and Oceania in general. Two massive casino-hotel developments are underway in Australia. Crown Sydney at Barangaroo South will cost about $1.5 billion to complete with VIP gaming facilities and six-star hotel accommodations. The Star Brisbane will be at Queen's Wharf on the river and feature five hotels; three will have six-star ratings. The Treasury Casino license will be used for gaming there, and the iconic building will be preserved.

For now, there are about 20 casinos in the country. The Crown Casino Melbourne is the largest with over 200,000 sq ft of gaming space.

Casinos in Africa and the Middle East

There's not much new happening in the Middle East or Africa, but some may be surprised to know there are about a dozen casinos in Cairo, Egypt, including a Caesars and a Crockford's.

Morocco offers beach resort casinos and many non-Muslim dominated countries like Botswana, Cameroon, Ghana, Namibia, and Zimbabwe offer casino gaming as well.

South Africa, home of Sun City, has the most and largest casinos on the continent. There are 42 casino licenses there. The newest casino there is Time Square Peoria, otherwise known as the Menlyn Maine casino which opened in 2017. The casino with the most gaming positions is  GrandWest Casino & Entertainment World in Cape Town. There are casinos spread throughout the country. See our South Africa casino map to learn more about the many casinos in the Land of Hope, or if you prefer, the Rainbow Nation.

There are casinos located throughout South and Central America, the Caribbean, and Eastern Europe. Russia is developing several gambling zones after earlier outlawing and shutting down all the casinos there. There are casino resorts in Sochi and near Vladivostok, with several more to come.