The Spanish Gaming Scene

A Tour Of The Three Best Casinos In Spain

Spain is a nation of gamblers and bet a higher portion of their income than almost any other country. According to an article on Just Landed, the Spanish people gamble over €1.9 billion a year equal to around €480 per person or some 15 percent of the average net household income.

For most of the last 150 years, gaming in Spain was limited to basic lotteries and all legal gaming was strictly regionally-regulated. It wasn’t until 1977 that the Spanish government legalised other forms of gaming. Slot machines and other casino games were not legalised until 1981. Nowadays, Spain is one of the most prolific gambling nations in the world, spending twice as much on gaming each year as the UK.

A few years ago, there weren’t any specific laws that controlled online gaming on Spanish soil. Thanks to the inventions of Microgaming and CryptoLogic Ltd, Spanish people can still play online casinos on foreign gaming websites. In 1994, Microgaming developed the internet’s very first gambling software, while CryptoLogic, developer of online gaming site Inter Casino, invented encrypted communication protocols to ensure safe and secure financial transactions online. Then in 2002, the Spanish government began moving towards the legalisation and regulation of online gaming locally.

Despite the sudden resurgence of online gaming’s popularity in the country, some locals and tourists still love visiting Spain’s elegant casinos. According to Gaming Zion, there are now over 60 casinos across Spain; here are three of the most noteworthy ones: 

Casino Marbella

Image credit: Casino Marbella

A visit to Casino Marbella is an absolute must when you travel to the Costa del Sol. It offers a chance to relax in an exclusive atmosphere where you can enjoy an art exhibition, have a drink or sample a scrumptious selection of gastronomical delights. Located in Puerto Banús, Casino Marbella has more than 100 of the most modern slot machines, an exhibition hall, restaurant, 2 bars, 3 gaming rooms and a poker room. It also hosts the World Poker Tour event in Spain.

Casino Gran Madrid

Image credit: World Poker Tour Blog

For those staying in the Spanish capital, the Casino Gran Madrid is a blend of every Spanish casino. Having a huge gaming area of over 100,000 square feet, the Gran Madrid is roomy enough to house the thousands of guests who pass by its doors daily. There are 170 slot machines and twenty table games such as roulette flash and blackjack that entertain gamblers all day long.

Casino de Barcelona

Image credit: http://www.shbarcelona.com

Possibly the premium casino in Spain, the Casino de Barcelona is a must see not only for casino players but tourists as well. Those who stop over the casino can eat in any of the four diverse restaurants such as La Terrazza and Le Gourmand. There are over fifty gaming tables that let sightseers to take a seat, rest, and also play a hand of poker or blackjack.