When “Venetian” and “casino” appear in the same sentence, you likely think of the all-suite Las Vegas hotel with world-class restaurants and a luxury spa. But forget theme park dupes of canals and replicas of Venetian art, and swoon over the real Renaissance luxury of Casino di Venezia, housed in Palazzo Vendramin-Calergi, one of the most magnificent gems of Italian architectural splendor on the Grand Canal. Outside, soaring Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns frame rows of lancet windows with rounded arches, a signature flourish of Venetian facades. Inside, opulent interiors rich with historic charm display centuries-old works and frescoes by Italian masters such as Mattia Bortoloni, Palma il Giovane, and Gian Battista Crosato. In gaming salons resplendent with Murano glass chandeliers, damask, and art, tuxedoed dealers deal hundreds of ways to play classic games like roulette, Texas Hold ’em, blackjack, and baccarat, and 600 state-of-the-art slot machines await. The casino is also a popular venue for professional tournaments like the World Poker Tour.
More than just a casino, stepping through the French wooden portice of this Venetian Gothic masterpiece offers an intriguing immersion into the history of Venetian nobility and social life. In 1481, aristocrat Andrea Loredan commissioned the design of his family palace from Mauro Codussi, an acclaimed local architect known for the Clock Tower in St. Mark’s Square and important churches like San Giovanni Crisostomo. This was a time when Venice was all the rage across Europe for its exuberant parties from cafés to Carnival celebrations, and the gentility hosted private rendezvous with poetry, music, and libertine pleasures in casinos (“small houses”) like the Vendramin-Calergi. Gambling was illegal yet most rampant at these events, and in 1638, was finally legalized only at the Theatre Saint Moses, the first incarnation of Casino di Venezia, making it the world’s oldest gambling house.
Casino di Venezia dealing hundreds of classic games is the world’s oldest casino
Playing at Casino di Venezia is not for rookies, with its smart casual dress code (pants are required for men) and €50 (about $58) entrance, although it comes with €20 (roughly $23) in chips, a beverage, parking, and coat check. By contrats, Casino Estoril, one of Europe’s largest casinos in a glamorous beach town outside Lisbon, offers free entry. With this higher-than-average upfront ante, you should come ready and able to play your choice of classic games, and expect table bets starting at $12, from roulette to blackjack, and $23 for baccarat.
Players have mixed reactions on Tripadvisor, ranging from one user appreciating that the entry fee “makes perfect sense if you don’t want it packed with drunken louts,” and called the setting “as close to Casino Royals I have ever seen,” to another complaining that “50 euro entry is an absolute joke given the service (non existent).” One visitor said that they were “was pleasantly surprised by the layout of the casino. A few roulette tables, lots of space at each table for lots of players,” and noted they enjoyed the friendly dealers, so much so that they even visited on three consecutive nights. However, one casino aficionado declared they had never “witnessed such desperate, embarrassing, rude, and begging behavior” from the roulette staff who were “aggressive” in asking for tips. A safe approach would be secure complimentary entry using brochures handed out at hotels or on the streets, by asking your hotel for written accreditation for entry on or before 6 p.m., or by trying your luck at the door. If successful, it could spark off a streak of fortune at the tables!
An Italian gem plush with historic charm
