TOP-10 of famous casinos of the world and their history
1) Casino de Monte-Carlo (Monaco) - the standard of secular excitement
Era: second half of the 19th century.
Why legend: set the European standard "casino + opera + gardens + dress code."
The key idea: not just a hall, but the theater of the evening - music, balls, dinner, then a game.
Legacy: still a benchmark for Belle Époque service discipline and architecture.
2) Il Ridotto/Casino di Venezia (Venice) - the origins of the public "game house"
Era: 1638 - state-sanctioned site in Venice; later the tradition took hold in palaces on the Grand Canal.
Why legend: The first formalisation of entry rules, etiquette and control.
The key idea: to "channel" carnival excitement under state supervision.
Legacy: The European model of casinos as a public institution.
3) Kurhaus Baden-Baden (Germany) - resort and salon of Europe
Era: 19th century.
Why legend: turned a resort trip "on the waters" into a secular program with halls, concerts and a library.
Key idea: resort ecosystem: orchestra, balls, readings, restaurants - and roulette halls.
Legacy: Exporting the curhouse format across Europe.
4) Bellagio (Las Vegas, USA) - symphony of luxury and show
Era: late 1990s.
Why legend: linked casino, gastronomy and stage in a luxury "megacourt"; fountains became a symbol of the Strip.
The key idea: the emotion of the city through architecture, art and residences of stars.
Legacy: Raised the bar for design and non-gaming revenue.
5) Caesars Palace (Las Vegas, USA) - a Roman dream among neon
Era: since the 1960s.
Why legend: he made thematization a serious architecture, introduced the Colosseum of residences and open-air boxing evenings.
Key idea: guest - "at Caesar's reception": ceremonial, fountains, "forums" - galleries.
Legacy: School of Space Drama and Event Calendar.
6) The Mirage (Las Vegas, USA) - inventor of the mega-resort
Era: 1989.
Why legend: showed how "everything under one roof" (atrium, attractions, shows) keeps the guest all day.
Key idea: a family event city inside one complex.
Legacy: Relaunched the Strip and spawned a wave of themed giants.
7) The Venetian Macao (Macau, PRC) - Asian scale and VIP tradition
Era: 2000s.
Why legend: connected giant game floors, exhibitions, shopping channels and rooms; became a symbol of the "Macau-like-world-hub."
Key idea: scale + privacy: mass halls and carefully choreographed VIP spaces.
Legacy: Cemented Macau as the capital of Asia's integrated resorts.
8) Marina Bay Sands (Singapore) - resort city with a compass of responsibility
Era: 2010s.
Why legend: Iconic "three towers and a sky bridge," where casinos are just part of the MICE suite, museums, gastronomy and family zones.
The key idea: a controlled game within the cultural and business scenario of the city.
Legacy: A model of how urbanism and compliance get along with premium leisure.
9) Atlantis Paradise Island (Bahamas) - Caribbean "evening by the sea" look
Era: late 20th century.
Why the legend: "aquarium hotel" with aqua installations, beach paradise and casino; winter tourism icon from North America.
Key idea: sunny resort + evening hall in one brand.
Legacy: Cemented the Caribbean beach-show-game formula.
10) Sun City (South Africa) - African breakthrough in entertainment mega-complex
Era: from the late 1970s.
Why Legend: Bold architecture, world-class golf championships and scenes; has long been the "window" of a big show in the region.
Key idea: resort cluster: from aqua parks and concerts to halls with high limits.
Legacy: showed the potential of entertainment areas outside of "classic" destinations.
What made them famous: common features
An ecosystem, not just a hall. Music, gastronomy, shopping, art, sports, conferences.
Emotion architecture. Fountains, galleries, atriums, iconic facades, panoramas.
Dramaturgy of the evening. The route "show → dinner → game → night bar" instead of a monotonous session.
Responsible play. Modern tools of limits, pauses and transparent rules are part of the class, not a "formality."
Mini timeline of evolution
XVII-XVIII centuries Europe: public "houses of play" under the supervision of the authorities.
XIX century Europe: resort courhouses and ethos Belle Époque.
XX century USA/Caribbean: theatricalization, "casino hotels," the birth of megacourts.
21st century Asia: integrated resorts, MICE, family anchors, record scale.
How to read the legend "on the shelves"
Location: Brand city (Venice, Monaco, Vegas, Macau, Singapore)
Form: Salon, Kurhaus, Megakurort, Resort City.
Anchors: shows/sports/gastronomy/art/conferences.
Service code: dress code, discipline croupier, navigation, acoustics, light.
Responsibility: transparent rules, limits and social mechanics.
Conclusion: why exactly these ten
Because each of them has reinvented the format itself - from the Venetian control of the carnival to the Singapore resort city and Vegas drama. In sum, they explain how the game has become an experience industry, where the main product is not a bet, but a script for the evening.
FAQ (Brief)
And where is "only about the game"? Hardly. All legends survive due to non-player anchors.
Can others be added? Yes: Foxwoods (US), Wynn/City of Dreams (Macau), Casino de Spa (Belgium), Crown (Melbourne) are worthy additions to the list.
Why is there no strict rating? The influence is different: architecture, shows, economics, cultural code - you cannot reduce them to the same scale.