Moving at the end of the 1930s the casino owners found a quaint and luxurious riverside location that is perfectly fitted to the ethos and spirit of the original venue. The original building was in Ridotto of San Moise, but today you will find the Casino di Venezia in Lido. As an essential stopping point on the Grand Tour, rich young men mainly from the Kingdom of Great Britain frequented the coastal city and fuelled the evolution of its gambling and leisure culture.Īs the official oldest casino in the world, the Casino di Venezia opened its doors to the city of Venice in 1638. Back in the 17th century, under the control of conservative politicians and religious leaders, there was widespread tolerance of social vices such as gambling and tourism was encouraged. The original stomping ground of famous Italian adventurer Giacomo Casanova, the Casino di Venezia emerged as the city was becoming the true pleasure capital of the world. So without further ado, here are the 5 oldest casinos in the world… Casino di Venezia (1638) Nowadays, it is easy to forget the humble origins of gambling when looking at the glitz and glamour of Las Vegas and Macau, the world’s oldest casinos originated in much more inconspicuous places. Playing card games with similarities to poker have origins in the 16th Persian societies, with the playing cards themselves descending from Monk monasteries in 9th century China. In those early days of wagering, dice were a popular tool for oddsmakers and punters, as the first games such as craps were invented. Published on: 29 March 2020 Looking Back at the Oldest Casinos in the WorldĪs we begin this journey across the world of gambling origins, it is worth recognizing the fact that the first casino in the world is over 380 years old.

World's oldest casino