Italy, a country of romantic movie-like beauty, has more to offer than just beautiful sights and stylish fashion: it has gambling, the fever of which never vanishes in the hearts of hectic individuals. Among bothersome crowds and stunning views of monuments Italy’s ultra-luxurious casinos showcase a part of the world where luxury and adrenaline meet. These gambling locations are found in places like Venice and Sanremo with stunning buildings that have been built to great architectural design and style, with the benefit of history having been established for centuries while sporting sophisticated current day appearances. The guests are received in impressive receptions adorned with sophisticated furnishings and the finest of services to offer the ultimate luxury. Every venue has its own charm; starting from the ancient halls of Casino di Venezia located over the tranquil waters of Grand Canal all the way to the art deco charm of Casinò Municipale di Sanremo. In this lavishly furnished area, guests are invited to experience a line of entertaining games ranging from a formal table with professional dealers to modern and high-tech electronic tables for truly unforgettable experiences in the sphere of casino attractions in the heart of Italy.
1. Casino de la Vallee – St. Vincent
Surrounded by the scenic beauty of the Italian Alps, Casino de la Vallee in Saint Vincent is truly an epitome of luxury and enjoyment in the north-western Italy. This luxurious gambling resort is home to two full floors of gambling, open 24/7, and covers about 43,000 square feet. Players and rubbers find themselves overwhelmed with choices that include 600 slots and 90 gaming tables where they can play games like Roulette, Blackjack, Caribbean Stud Poker, Craps, Punto Banco etc. Apart from innumerable opportunities for gambling, the casino is equipped with an individual poker room that has always invited international tournaments, regarding Texas Hold ‘Em fans from all over the world.
One of the greatest modern architectural gems is the Grand Hotel Billia in Saint Vincent that is linked to the Casino de la Vallee through an underground passage. Its glass and steel structure, along with the giant staircase, gave a royal touch to the hotel and helped the guests to enjoy the glimpses of the snow capped mountains and the charming Aosta valley. Only a few kilometers from the Fénis Castle is now a historical museum and a few minutes’ drive away from the hotel for one to start exploring. Within, the hotel occupies 69 luxurious and modern rooms including hardwood floor, natural stone bathroom, free Wi-Fi, and mini bar nowadays on three superior floors. Gourmet cuisine is offered in two exceptional restaurants and rejuvenation is promised at the huge 1800 sq meters spa center with the initial fully equipped both for indoor as well as outdoor pool. For the events and the gatherings purpose, the versatile meeting area is provided with a seating capacity of up to 430. Luxury rooms are equipped with an ample sitting area with soft sofas and decorated balconies to capture beautiful views of nature. Offering easy, comfortable room service and accepting up to one pet per room, with the pet being a dog or a cat, the Grand Hotel Billia guarantees every of its guests’ comfortable royal-like stay.
2. Casinò Municipale di Sanremo
Casinò Municipale di Sanremo is located in the city center of Sanremo, Italy fully linked with the busy Piazza Colombo, this area is known for its coziness as well as being an area of business and shopping center of cultural, entertainment and business activities. This was established in 1905 as a casino, and this building boasts of the liberty deco style of architecture that has been well maintained for centuries. Although the casino shut its doors in 1940 due to the outbreak of the Second World War, it definitively documented the fact that Vesuvius had risen from the ashes like a phoenix to open its doors for business just seven months after the cessation of hostilities. Today, it hosts a wide range of gaming products in several gaming sections such as; private gaming rooms, slot gaming halls, and smoking sections. The Gio Ponti Room is designed for tournament lovers and the De Sanctis Room has special affinity to poker lovers with providing Texas Hold’em cash games from lower to higher stakes. The casino has one of the most beautiful theaters in Liguria which accommodates more than one hundred and fifty performances in a year to transform the environment into a more cultured one. Two restaurants with mouthwatering dishes prepared from Mediterranean and international dishes are provided by the casino in addition to quality bars that provide a variety of drinks. Casinò Municipale di Sanremo does not only offer diverse opportunities to engage in the gambling, but also enhance the cultural appeal of the area through reference to its historical and architectural merits.
3. Casinò di Venezia – Ca’ Vendramin Calergi
The Casino di Venezia – Ca ‘Vendramin Calergi has great historical meaning and has been representing one of the oldest casino houses in the world, which was established in 1638. It is located in the middle of Venice City in Italy and has a broad view of the Grand Canal which resembles a king’s palace. The gaming floor is a paradise for those interested in games of chance with 600 gaming machines as well as an aforementioned variety of table games such as Caribbean Poker, Chemin de Fer, Punto Banco, as well as French Roulette. Aside from the gaming features which attract most of the visitors, the casino is an accommodation that promises entertainment with guest facilities such as the Lounge bar that offers an exotic drinking lifestyle and Wagner restaurant where guests can enjoy their favorite meals. Casino di Venezia – Ca’ Vendramin Calergi incorporates history with the contemporary style and is a place that everybody will be eager to visit in the fantastic city of Venice.
4. Casinò Le Palme Civitanova
Casinò Le Palme Civitanova situated in the beautiful city of Civitanova Marche, Italy and part of the renowned Le Palme Group, is only a fifty kilometer drive from Marche airport. This casino has a modern outlook that boasts of a well-kept design which is proof of the hotel’s dedication to offering the best of the best through exquisite design and finish. It is opened 24 by 7 and welcomes guests into a professional friendly environment with a lot of entertainment options. The casino has an exquisite hotel with 50 rooms and 5 suites; a conference room, freshly styled Lounge Bar and a Mediterranean Restaurant. It provides various games to the visitors on the gaming floor such as one hundred slot machines, Electronic Keno, Bingo and Electronic Roulette. Since there are no live table games, the available options and the high return to players mean that everyone should have a great time.
5. Slottery Las Vegas Olgiate Olona
Currently, Slottery Las Vegas Olgiate Olona gaming center is located in the town of Olgiate Olona in the province of Varese gives a modern design mold. This contemporary built hall houses sixty-three fully integrated gaming machines, such as slots, electronic roulette, and video poker to improve the variety of games for the gambler. Sports lovers can take a risk on live and virtual betting which is available in the comfortable sportsbook while observing the latest games and events on mini LED maxi screens of Sky Sport and Mediaset Premium services. The casino has a bar in which professional bartenders make exquisite drinks that gives the guests a variety of delicious cocktails. Patrons can have a fine experience in the lavishing cocktail lounge or smoking lounge, thus providing the atmosphere of a total relaxation area among the dynamism of games and sports spectacles.
6. Slottery Las Vegas Parabiago Casino
One of the biggest Slottery Las Vegas Parabiago Casino is known for being one of the first casinos to be established in Italy. Being situated in the town of Parabiago it occupies a rather large hall with 30 gaming machines including VLT and AWP produced by the Spielo and Novomatic companies. They boast multiple levels of jackpot which include Mega, Super, and Easy Jackpots that within the highest bet limit can reach €500,000. Guests have some privileges such as free parking space for a large number of cars, a Snack Bar which serves various kinds of snacks and fast foods, Casino Bar & Lounge that will provide guests with cocktails and refreshments, a Smoking Area for guests who smoke and Bancomat services where guests can withdraw cash. This casino can be visited daily from 10 in the morning until 1 at night and offers a wide number of video slots where visitors can enjoy such games as Smash the Pig, Phoenix Fortune, and Book of Ra Deluxe.
What are the laws and regulations governing gambling in Italy?
Specific legislation that governs the gambling activities in Italy does not allow any form of gambling from the public and private places. The law allows and regulates some forms of gambling like lotteries and sports betting and empowers the State through the Autonomous Administration of State Monopolies (AAMS) to issue licenses on the legal framework for gaming. The violations trigger severe penalties with fines as well as imprisonment as possible consequences. In the past, Italy prohibited gambling but over the years, the government has been opening up the specific activities after putting into consideration some conditions. However, a significant breakthrough was achieved with the Finance Act of 2007 that allowed a restricted kind of card games such as, a game type – Texas Hold-em poker — to be played, but only in the form of tournaments where the stakes are the entry fees. Another step for the gambling sector was made in 2011 with the Comunitaria decree which set rules for the real money poker games and casinos, and the new tax system based on earnings. This included a 20 percent fixed tax on new games except for video lottery games and a requirement that operators have to pay back at least 90 percent of bets as winnings which created a much more formalized and regulated structure of gambling.
What is the current state of online casinos in Italy?
The term ‘casino’ originated from the Italian word ‘casa’, meaning house, to also show that Italy has had a long history of casinos. However, the regulation of online casino gaming remained in the shadows for many years and was only legalized in 2006 when the Agenzia delle Dogane & dei Monopoli otherwise known as the ADM, the Italian gambling commission issued an order to this effect. Since this legalization, the ADM has had the responsibility of approving, and issuing licenses to the online casinos, which have sought licenses to access the Italian market, obtaining more than 200 licenses. However, this openness has been discouraged by unfavorable taxation policies that have led many licensed online gambling firms to close from Italy. Different than online casino in the US, ongoing taxation impacts the state of the online casino industry in Italy, where operators must adapt to the regulatory challenges in order to sustain their business.
Contributing author to Weird Italy, , a site focused on exploring the distinctive and unconventional facets of Italian culture, history, and modern life.