Estonia Casinos

Estonia is situated in Northern Europe, bordering the Baltic Sea and Gulf of Finland. Comprised of almost 1,500 islands, Estonia is a diverse and eclectic mix of cultures and history. Once part of the Soviet Union, Estonia is now its own jurisdiction and has essentially opened the flood gates when it comes to gambling.

By 1991, after the fall of the Soviet Union, gambling started to become more accepted, and by 1995, its lawmakers began creating regulation and rules to help create a stable gambling economy.

Estonia is on the up and up when it comes to gambling laws and regulation. All casinos located inside Estonian borders must follow a strict code of conduct that is monitored regularly. Almost no un-regulated gambling market is present in Estonia which speaks highly about its diligence in providing a safe and secure atmosphere for customers.

Country wide laws state that the legal age of gambling is 21 at all casinos. Lotteries can be played at the age of 16. Smoking is banned in all casinos, but a separate smoking area is permitted and used in many of the casinos.

A strong player protection program has also been implemented in Estonia. This includes self-protection and gambling addiction prevention. Players can opt in to a strict self-exclusion program that limits the amount one can bet. A portion of all proceeds from casinos is spent on addiction gambling as well. This is common among most countries that regulate casinos.

Safe play is also covered under the player protection act. This involves an extensive player database of known cheats and other problem gamblers.

Estonia Casino scene

Most casinos in Estonia have a very typical look with bright décor and upbeat crowd. The dealers and casino managers seem to be perpetually busy with the players giving them the best possible options or settling their queries.

Tables set for the card games are generally placed in the center of the gaming lobby; with slot machines and video terminals either fixed in different rooms or are at the corners. This scene can be witnessed in most of the casinos here. These are generally housed in neat buildings that have a very regal look to them. The bright colors used further energize the entire set up for a good play.

Casinos in Estonia

Brands like Videomat no longer exist in Estonia, and are now occupied by one of the major brands found throughout Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia – with Olympic being the major player. The majority of the casinos in Estonia can be classified as slot parlors located on main streets in the busy cities.

Almost all will have an area for relaxing such as the OlyBet sports bars in all Olympic Casinos. Some may have pool tables, and other entertainment outside of gambling as well.

Larger casinos will of course have table games, poker and other forms of gambling. Olympic Park Casino, located in Tallinn is one of the more popular, and largest casinos in Estonia. Other large casinos will be located in a hotel, or be part of a resort that offers more than just gambling.

Since the country has many cities, casinos are spread out in a very different proportion. Tallinn being the largest city, has 36 casinos, the most in any Estonian city. The majority of these casinos will be Olympic, or Casino Grand Prix, with a few other brands sprinkled in the mix.

Fenikss is another operator that can be found in Estonia with the majority of their locations being slot parlors. The Olympic brand is by far the most prevalent after buying out many of the casinos in Estonia.

Casino Games in Estonia

Slots make up the bulk of games in Estonia casinos. Larger casinos will offer table games, and even poker. Blackjack, Roulette, Craps and Baccarat are the most commonly found table games. Other games you may run into include Casino Hold Em, Russian Poker and a few other casino games.

Sports Betting in Estonia

Betting on sports is a part of the culture in Estonia. Almost every casino and slot parlor will offer betting on premise. Many of the nicer casinos will have special areas with multiple TV’s and other amenities that make sports betting a complete experience.

Poker in Estonia

Estonia is quickly becoming a hot bed for poker. Its scene is growing, and casinos are looking to take advantage of its popularity. The number of poker tables can fluctuate as some casinos offering poker will add or remove tables based on the demand at any given time. On average, you can find 27 poker tables, with the majority located in Tallinn.

Olympic Casino is the largest player in the poker market in Estonia. The largest poker room in Estonia is located in the Olympic Park Casino in Tallinn. As of 2016, 10 poker tables are in play daily.

Olympic Casinos in Tartu, Parnu, Narva, Jarve, Mustika and Rocca al Mare also have up to 4 tables at each location with most having only 2.

The Olympic Poker Club is the main hub for poker in Estonia. Each location has their own tournament schedule and cash game structures which offers a nice variety for players. There’s even an OlyBet Poker Series with guaranteed prize pools and larger buy ins each year.

No Limit Hold Em is the main game spread however. On occasion, you may luck into a PLO game being played, but it is quite rare. PLO can be played at Olympic Park Casino in a cash game format.

Estonia Casinos and Gambling Summary

For a young country, Estonia has an advanced gambling eco-system that is modernized and very well regulated. Realizing the potential earnings from casinos, they set out from almost their very beginnings of independence to regulate the market.

As of 2016, Estonia is a thriving gambling community. Although the total number of casinos has dropped slightly over the past few years, its overall revenue is stronger than ever. The decrease in number of casinos can be seen as a good thing since it rid the country of hole in the wall shops, and established a much stronger, safer brand that the people of Estonia can gamble at with ease.