Monaco has one gambling destination, as most people know, and that is Monte-Carlo. Casinos and gambling came about in in 1863 when Grimaldi Prince Charles III established Monaco as a center for tourism and gambling in response to an economic crisis.  This resulted in the development of a casino, hotels, an opera house, and a theater under the auspices of the Societe des Bains de Mer. It was patterned after the famous German Bad Homburg casino and became the foundation of present-day Monte Carlo, named after Charles III.

The lore of a fascinating history, with its Grimaldi royal traditions dating back 700 years, the invigorating and pleasant Mediterranean climate, the romantic and spectacular land and seascapes, the thrilling Monaco Grand Prix Formula One races annually, and the Monte-Carlo Casino and complex – all continue to attract visitors from around the world as an unrivaled recreation mecca and a most glamorous tourist and gambling destination.

How important has Monte-Carlo been to Monaco? Until recent years, it was the primary source of Monaco's economy, which began diversifying in the 1990's. The casino still enjoys its reputation as the most famous and the most prestigious in the world. To enter the casino is like taking a walk back into its legendary history, full of mystery and enchantment.

Newer casinos in Monte Carlo are also open.  In late 2005, the Monte Carlo Bay Hotel Casino was opened and there is the  Sun Casino at the Fairmont Monte-Carlo which also provides a modern feel. Sun casino also has an excellent poker room inside.  Finally, Casino at Cafe de Paris is not to be missed and has quite an exciting nightlife and shows for patrons.

Perhaps the most notorious gambler in Monte-Carlo history was Charles Wells. In 1891, he broke the house bank several times and walked away with a cool 1,000,000 gold francs. A song was written about him in England called “The Man who Broke the Bank in Monte-Carlo.” He later won another 3 million francs but was subsequently convicted of fraud and imprisoned. No one has ever deciphered his methodology and it remains a mystery to this day.

Over the next several decades, Le Grand Casino de Monte Carlo was expanded and transformed into a flourishing complex visited by many of the most notable names of European society. In 1869 alone, there were over 170,000 visitors, including such notables as Prince Napoleon, Baron de Rothschild, Jacques Offenbach, Alexandre Dumas, and Baron Haussmann. By 1873, Monte-Carlo prospered as the only European casino still in operation. As early as 1879, besides all the royalty of Europe, 2000 visitors arrived at Monte-Carlo every week.

 

The casinos of Monte Carlo

 

Casino de Monte-Carlo

The iconic Casino de Monte-Carlo first opened its doors over 150 years ago. While occasionally modifying the games on offer to keep up with demanding players, it still retains the atmosphere one would expect from such a legendary venue. 

This is the oldest and biggest casino in Monaco with gaming rooms throughout rather than one huge Las Vegas-style gambling floor. Those who enjoy slots play will find the Salle des Amériques and the Salle Renaissance to offer surroundings unlike any other machine offering in the world. Table players will find the Salle Europe dedicated to table gaming, including roulette, blackjack, punto banco, and poker, with a central bar for refreshments.

The Salle Blanche offers upscale table gaming and an airy terrace with gaming when the weather allows. Tables and slots are available in the Salle Médecin and Salles Touzet. There are also several gaming rooms that are only opened upon request for a more private and discrete gaming experience.

A dress code is in effect. €10 entry fee plus an extra €10 to enter private lounges. Minimum age is 18.

 

Sun Casino

Sun Casino offers an American-style gaming experience and a circus carnival theme with blackjack, craps, English Roulette, and Poker Texas Hold’em Ultimate daily from 2pm. There is no specific dress code here, but it is a trendy venue so you may wish to dress appropriately. There are 300 slot machines with play beginning at noon daily.

Casino Café de Paris

Casino Café de Paris is open 24 hours a day and appeals to slots enthusiasts and table players alike. There are two gaming terraces which allow smoking and offer Punto 2000 Dragon Bonus (side bet baccarat) roulette, blackjack, and house-banked poker along with over 100 slot machines. 
Electronic roulette, video slots, and classic slots are also available inside. There;s no specific dress code and admittance is free to those over the age of 18.

Monte-Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort

Casino Monte Carlo Bay is an ultra-modern casino with 145 slots and electronic baccarat machines and a low minimum bet of €0.10. The machines are “Ticket In / Ticket Out”. Casino Monte Carlo Bay is open daily 2pm to 2a. There is no dress code, and admission is free.

Monte-Carlo, Monaco has 4 casinos in which you'll find more than 985 slots and gaming machines. There are a total of 91 table games. Click a casino on the left for more information on a particular property.

There is poker in Monte-Carlo! You will find over 6 live poker tables to play at. You will find the following games in Monte-Carlo casinos: Texas Hold'em. Some Monte-Carlo casinos also offer convention centers and meeting spaces. Over the entire town, you will find a total of 35,560 conference sq/ft space in the various casino properties.

Largest Casinos in Monte-Carlo

The largest casino in Monte-Carlo, Monaco according to gaming machines and table games put together, is Casino Le Café de Paris. The Casino Le Café de Paris total casino square footage is 108,000 square feet. It has 400 gaming machines and 5 tables games. You will also find 5 restaurants.

You can contact the Casino Le Café de Paris at (+377) 98 06 21 21, + 377 98 06 41 51, + 377 98 06 20 00 . The Casino Le Café de Paris is located at Pl. du Casino, 98000 Monaco.

Visit the Casino Le Café de Paris information page for more details on this casino.

The second largest casino in Monte-Carlo would be Sun Casino - Monte Carlo with 330 gaming machines / table games. There is a hotel with 602 hotel rooms available. If you wish to make lodging accommodations at Sun Casino - Monte Carlo, please visit the Sun Casino - Monte Carlo information page for more details.

The largest casino in Monte-Carlo, Monaco according to square footage is the Casino de Monte-Carlo, with 108,000 square feet of casino gambling space.

For lodging accommodations Casino de Monte-Carlo has a total of 47 hotel rooms available.

Visit the Casino de Monte-Carlo information page for more details on this casino.