Gambling with high (or even moderate) stakes is outlawed in many parts of the world. Some places that allow such gambling draw travellers from far away.
Gambling often takes place in a casino, at a gambling table in a restaurant, bar or nightlife venue, at a race-track, or at a bookmaker's shop. Bookmaking can be combined with watching a sport; horse racing and greyhound racing in particular are associated with gambling.
The splendour of the casinos' architecture should remind you the direction of the cashflow; the house always wins in the long run. Set a budget for how much you can lose; when you have spent that amount, go on with your itinerary.
Regulation has encouraged venues to use loopholes to provide gambling-like services. The Japanese arcade game pachinko allows the player to win food and other consumables, which can be redeemed for money across the street.
At the casino
| “ | Gambling: The sure way of getting nothing for something. | ” |
—Wilson Mizner | ||
Casinos typically make many efforts to maximize time and money spent by guests. Windows and clocks are usually absent, and exits can be hard to find.
They usually have special food, drink and entertainment offers, to keep guests in a good mood, and keep them at the premise. Some venues offer alcoholic beverages on the house. However, drunkenness impairs judgement, and all good gamblers know the importance of staying sober.
A typical offer gives a discount, or free service, for a guest who buys chips, with some waiting time. A disciplined traveller can take advantage of these offers.
Depending on the game, knowledge in maths can maximize your chances, but in the only game where it is possible to win against the bank in the long run (blackjack when counting cards) card-counting is explicitly forbidden by most casinos and grounds for ejection. In card games such as poker, a solid grounding in maths increases your likelihood of winning against other players.
Destinations
Africa
Asia
- 2 Genting Highlands, Malaysia — the only integrated casino resort in the country
- 3 Goa, India — the only place in the country where gambling is legal
- 4 Hong Kong, China — the only legal gambling is on horse racing
- 5 Macau, China — now the world's highest-volume gambling venue
- Singapore — has horse racing, lotteries and football (soccer) betting, as well as two casinos
Australia
The Crown Casino in Melbourne is Australia's largest and most popular, although casinos can also be found in Sydney, Brisbane, Perth, Adelaide, Cairns, the Gold Coast, Darwin, Hobart, Launceston, Townsville and Alice Springs.
In addition, horse racing and greyhound racing can also be found in all of Australia's major cities.
Caribbean
Europe
- Baltic Sea ferries
- London, England
- Baden-Baden, Germany
- Monaco
- Northern Cyprus
- Sweden: Casinos in Stockholm, Gothenburg, Malmö, as well as tables and machines at nightclubs around the country, and several horse-race tracks
- Most cities in the Balkans
- Norway: Gambling is strictly regulated and mostly boils down to lotteries and sports (including horse race) betting. Gambling online on foreign sites is illegal.
South America
United States of America
- Foxwoods, Connecticut
- Mohegan Sun, Connecticut
- Shreveport, Louisiana
- Biloxi, Mississippi
- Tunica, Mississippi
- 6 Las Vegas One of the biggest gambling hubs in the world.
- Reno, Nevada
- Niagara Falls, New York
- Atlantic City, New Jersey
- Deadwood, South Dakota
- Council Bluffs, Iowa
Due to their special status many Native American Nations may legally run casinos in states where they are otherwise prohibited.
Stay safe
| “ | Play poker with old friends and new cards, not the other way around. | ” |
—American proverb | ||
Reputable casinos in well-known destinations (e.g. Las Vegas, Monaco or Macau) take security very seriously, with cameras covering virtually every square inch of the property, so one is unlikely to be a victim of crime in these venues. Outside the casino may be a different story. As gamblers bring much money to town, gambling venues attract scams and other dubious businesses. Think twice before visiting a pawn shop, a loan provider, or another service near a gambling venue.
Some unauthorized games might be scams themselves; stick to casinos, and other well-reputed venues. Even legal gambling is sometimes associated with organized crime. Normal gamblers who pay their stakes upfront won't usually be affected by that, however.
Some countries, such as South Korea, have laws that allow them to prosecute their own citizens for gambling while overseas.
Respect
Photography and mobile phone use are usually prohibited, or very restricted, inside venues — partly to keep other guests' privacy, partly since they could potentially be used for cheating.