The World's Largest Casinos

Normally, we only discuss casinos in the United States, but today we're going to cast a wider net and look at the world's largest casinos. Casinos and gambling in general have a long history dating back to the days of the ancient Greeks and Romans.

The majority of the early gambling establishments in our country were known as "saloons." Many of us know that the gambling industry has grown in the United States, but that growth has also happened in other places. The United States does not have the largest, most popular, or even the largest number of casinos. When it comes to large casinos, the United States is nowhere near the top.

We can ignore the size and number of casinos and concentrate on what matters: average gross revenues. When we look at the 2009 year's records, we can see that the Macau China area (with 33 casinos) produced nearly $15 billion in revenue, while Las Vegas finished second with only $10 billion. It's odd, given that Las Vegas has nearly four times the number of casinos (a staggering 42 in all). What's more, France had more casinos than Vegas (189), but only generated slightly less than $4 billion in revenue.

The global casino market is worth more than $50 billion per year. If the size of a casino is important to you, you should take note of this list of the world's largest casinos. This list includes the square footage of each facility, as well as the casino's overall features and attractions. However, this is not an exhaustive list. Otherwise, it would only be Chinese casinos.

Casino Estoril, Lisbon

• Square Feet: 26,900

• Bars & Restaurants: 10

• Games Total (Slot and 1Table): 1,235

• Rooms: 0 (not a hotel)

Starting with Europe's largest casino, we'll begin this list. The Casino Estoril is in Lisbon, Portugal. It is called the "Las Vegas" of Europe. Ian Fleming got the idea for his James Bond book Casino Royale from this huge casino with gambling on two floors. More information on this casino may be difficult to come by because their website is only in Portuguese, but it's clear that this is a full-fledged, legitimate casino with everything one might expect.

Many online reviews praise the casino's size and overall appeal. The gaming floor appears to have plenty of space, and it's a great place to grab a drink late on a weeknight because its main attractions are usually open until 3 a.m.

Casino Estoril is Europe's largest casino, but it isn't a hotel, so you'll need to book a room at one of the nearby hotels. Having said that, the Casino Estoril has all of the amenities you'd expect from a casino hotel, including music, dance/night clubs, restaurants, shows, shopping, and a wide variety of gambling options, with the exception of rooms.

MGM Grand, Las Vegas

• Square Feet: 171,500

• Slot and Table Games: 2,639

• Bars and Restaurants: 27

• Rooms: 5,044

The MGM Grand in Las Vegas is the country's largest casino hotel. The MGM is not only one of the largest casinos on the Las Vegas strip, but it is also one of the world's best hotels, with over 5,000 rooms. Your choice of amenities is enough to spend a whole week at this resort. You could easily have a full and satisfying Vegas vacation without ever leaving the MGM Grand if you ignored all the other hotel-casinos on the Las Vegas strip.

This massive hotel also has impressive restaurants (Emeril's, Wolfgang Puck, Pearl, Shibuya, Craftsteak, Joel Robuchon, Hakkasan, and more), signature entertainment attractions (David Copperfield, Jabbawockeez, Ka, and Brad Garrett's comedy club), and the largest gaming floor in Las Vegas.

Trilenium Casino, Argentina

• Square Feet: 180,000

• Slot and Table Games: 1,975

• Bars and Restaurants: 5

• Rooms: 0

Now we're going to talk about the Tigre Resort in Argentina, which has the largest casino in Latin America. The Trilenium has three floors of gambling action, with at least two bars or restaurants on each floor. The Trilenium Casino does not have any rooms, but there are several beautiful hotels nearby.

The casino itself operates from 11 a.m. to 6 a.m., Monday through Wednesday, and is then open 24 hours a day, seven days a week. One of the best aspects of this casino that you won't find in many other casinos in the United States is that it is completely smoke-free. On weekends, the casino is said to be packed with attractive locals and tourists from all over the world.

There are plenty of places to eat within the casino, and an occasional performance is held there. Despite the lack of an attached hotel, the Trilenium Casino is very impressive. The largest casino in Latin America is definitely worth a visit if you are staying in or near Tigre.

Crown Casino, Melbourne

• Square Feet: 220,000

• Slot and Table Games: 3,000

• Bars and Restaurants: Over 50

• Rooms: 1,604

The Crown Casino in Melbourne, Australia, is by far the largest in the Southern Hemisphere. The Crown is easily qualified as a mega resort and tourist destination. It meets all of the criteria for competing with other resorts around the world, including a hotel, spas, restaurants, entertainment, and, of course, gaming.

When compared to most other large casinos around the world, The Crown has one of the most diverse game selections. They have standard blackjack tables, craps, poker, pai gow, baccarat, and roulette, but they also have exciting new games such as "Rapid" Roulette and Baccarat, an electronic version of Vegas Star Roulette, and a "Big Wheel." Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that the entire basement is a massive poker room. If you enjoy gambling and can afford a trip to Australia, the Crown Casino is a must-see.

The Crown provides lodging in any of its three opulent hotels. The Crown Towers (a five-star luxury hotel overlooking the city center), the Crown Metropol (Australia's largest hotel by room count), and the Crown Promenade (23 floors of 4.5-star rooms) are all available. All of the hotels are in the same building as the casino, making it easy to get to the casino and other amenities.

Some of the most beautiful parts of the property are the water features, like the giant sea-inspired walls that span the hotel's towers. Fountains and other water features include the "Seasons of Fortune," the Southern Porte Cochere, Revelry, and Celebration.

If the pricey hotel rooms, water features, and more slots than you can play in a weekend aren't enough for you, The Crown also has a plethora of nightclubs, restaurants, and shops.

Rio Casino Resort, Klerksdorp

• Square Feet: 266,330

• Slot and Table Games: 285

• Bars and Restaurants: 3

• Rooms: 70

Another casino resort monster in the Southern Hemisphere is the Rio Casino Resort in Klerksdorp, South Africa. "It's Always Carnival Time at the Rio," according to their website. Rio themed hotels are typically themed in the carnival style of Rio de Janeiro. This sprawling resort has it all, including gaming, hotel rooms, entertainment, and plenty of conference space.

The Karamba Grillhouse is one of the Rio Casino Resort's distinguishing features. This is a restaurant geared toward meat eaters. In its "cow themed" restaurant, the Karamba Grill House serves prime beef cuts and modern South African dishes.

Gambling at the Rio Casino Resort in Klerksdorp is not a one-of-a-kind experience. When compared to the other casinos on our list, their selection of table games and slot machines is standard, but there's still plenty of action.

MGM Grand, Macau

• Square Feet: 267,000

• Slot and Table Games: 1,545

• Bars and Restaurants: 8

• Rooms: 600

The MGM Grand in Macau is another of the gleaming clean "smoke-free" casinos that appear to be rare in the United States. The events held at the MGM Grand are a distinctive feature. One of the most notable is an international invitational "Lion Dance Championship." The MGM Lion Dance is a sporting event in which teams called "troupes" perform stunts and acrobatics with a giant lion.

People often say that this beautiful hotel in China is just as nice as any comparable hotel in Las Vegas. It has a fantastic art gallery (butterfly garden), a fantastic Cantonese restaurant, and a well-managed casino. Flat-screen TVs, free WiFi, and floor-to-ceiling windows are standard in the rooms, and upgraded suites are always available.

Many people who go to the MGM Grand complain about the prices, and the casino hotel is also often called a letdown. Although it is larger than many casinos and hotels in the United States, true opulence and luxury appear to be lacking. Instead, they're soulless art pieces with exorbitant prices.

Casino Ponte 16, Macau

• Square Feet: 270,000

• Slot and Table Games: 470

• Bars and Restaurants: 9

• Rooms: 408

The Casino Ponte 16, located in Macau, China, is a French-themed resort among the want tobe Vegas resorts. It has the same entertainment, hotel, dining, and gambling options as any other world-class casino.

The unique location of Casino Ponte 16, Macau, is one of its main draws. This massive casino-hotel is located directly in Macau's Harbor, also known as "The Historic Centre of Macao," a UNESCO World Heritage site. The resort was built around the large clock tower on Pier 16 in the harbor. Many of the city's most famous architectural monuments are only a short walk away from the hotel.

The Casino Ponte 16 is a fantastic place to gamble, but it's even better for dining. Several world-class restaurants on-site serve top-tier Chinese and French cuisine. You can embark on a culinary journey that includes everything from homemade Asian noodles to the best of French and Mediterranean cuisine.

Foxwoods Resort & Casino, Connecticut

• Square Feet: 344,000

• Slot and Table Games: 7,788

• Bars and Restaurants: 40

• Rooms: 2,266

The Foxwoods Resort and Casino in Ledyard, Connecticut is a resort-style gaming complex with seven individual casinos totaling over 9,000 square feet. The Mashantucket Pequot Indian Tribe owns it, and it has been in operation since July of 1986.

This casino is enormous in size. Foxwoods is well-known for its poker room, which has hosted the World Poker Tour and was previously the World Poker Tour's headquarters.

There's still plenty of poker action at Foxwoods, which has over 100 poker tables. If poker isn't your thing, you can also play Baccarat, Bingo, slots, Soc Bo, Pai Gow, Keno, Roulette, and, of course, craps. Foxwoods truly has it all, and you're sure to find the action you're looking for.

Foxwoods is more "family friendly" than many resort casinos around the world. They have two floors of arcade games for kids as well as other family-friendly amenities. They have plenty of food on site, as do other casino hotels, including one of the most popular Hard Rock Cafes.

The Foxwoods complex was expanded for $700 million in 2005, with the addition of the 'Fox Tower,' which is a separate venture owned by MGM and MGM Mirage but is practically on the same property. There are 53 gaming tables, over 1,000 slot machines, 825 rooms, a 4,000-seat theater, and plenty of restaurants and shops in the tower itself.

There is also entertainment available in a number of venues located throughout the casino. Foxwoods has music, shows, and events that rival even the best casinos, but their primary focus appears to be on providing an impressive hotel and casino experience, rather than the resort/entertainment aspect of things.

City of Dreams Casino, Macau

• Square Feet: 448,000

• Slot and Table Games: 1,964

• Bars and Restaurants: 32

• Rooms: 1,400

The City of Dreams Casino in Macau China is widely recognized as Macau's premier leisure and gambling destination, and it truly is a sight to behold. With four towers, this massive casino resort was built in the style of a podium. The towers house the Hard Rock Hotel in one tower, the Crown Towers Hotel in another, and the Grand Hyatt Macau in the final two.

Just walking through the soaring architecture is reason enough to pay a visit. There are many attractions throughout the casino properties that guests can view, such as 'Vquarium' (a video aquarium scene displayed on 60 x 20 ft. video panels), 'The Bubble Fountain' (an 8-foot sphere-shaped fountain), or 'Dancing Water Theatre' (a show with water, fire, atmospheric, and lighting effects).

The City of Dreams is only slightly smaller than the Venetian Casino-Hotel, which is located directly across the street. Because this casino is one of the biggest in China, there are almost too many ways to have fun to list them all. There are over 30 restaurants located conveniently throughout the complex. When a gambler needs one, there will always be one available. If the entertainment, restaurants, and gaming at this mega-resort weren't enough, there's also a 2-story shopping area called 'The Boulevard.'

The Venetian, Macau

• Square Feet: 546,000

• Slot and Table Games: 4,200

• Bars and Restaurants: 53

• Rooms: 3,000

The Venetian Macau is the king of the mega-resort style hotel casinos on Macau's Cotai Strip. This casino was built to look like its sister casino, 'The Venetian Las Vegas,' and it is now the world's largest casino. The structure is so large that it is Asia's largest single structure hotel building. This is the big one, the most massive casino ever built.

The massive casino floor is divided into four sections: Golden Fish, Red Dragon, Phoenix, and the Imperial House. It turns out that the world's largest casino has accommodations for some of the world's biggest wallets. There is also a 'high roller' or 'premium guest' area with private gaming rooms. Each room is named after a favorite Asian city, such as "Hong Kong" or "Singapore," and provides both privacy and exclusivity from the rest of the casino's patrons.

The Cotai Arena (previously known as the Venetian Arena) within the Venetian has a total spectator seating capacity of 15,000 people. The Cotai Arena, like other resort-style casinos, hosts sporting events, concerts, and televised award shows.

The sheer size of the Venetian is its most distinguishing feature. Aside from that, it's just another vacation spot for the traveling gambler, complete with events, hotel rooms, restaurants, and gambling opportunities.

Summary

We've covered some of the world's largest casinos in our list, but there are plenty of other casinos that deserve a mention. Simply because a casino is larger, takes up more space, or has more tables does not imply that it is your ideal entertainment destination. When making plans to visit any casino or hotel resort area, use your discretion as to which amenities you prefer, and, as always, gamble responsibly.