Updated by Lynsey Thompson
Casino Expert
Fact Checked by Michael Graham
Content Editor
Italy's four casinos could hardly be more different from one another. They share a regulatory framework and a municipal ownership model, but in terms of setting, scale and character each is its own world. Between them they cover a Renaissance palace on the Grand Canal, an Art Nouveau landmark on the Italian Riviera, an alpine resort in the Valle d'Aosta and a modernist landmark in an Italian exclave surrounded entirely by Switzerland.
Casino di Venezia is the oldest casino in the world, tracing its origins to the Ridotto, a state-sanctioned gambling house opened by the Great Council of Venice in 1638. The casino now occupies Ca' Vendramin Calergi, a 15th-century Renaissance palazzo on the Grand Canal completed in 1509 and considered one of the finest examples of Venetian Renaissance architecture in existence. Richard Wagner lived and died here in 1883, and a museum dedicated to the composer occupies the mezzanine floor of the building's white wing.
The gaming floor is intimate by international standards, spread across the piano nobile of the palazzo and offering table games including French roulette, chemin de fer, trente et quarante, blackjack, punto banco and Caribbean poker, alongside a selection of slot machines. Entry is €50, which includes a gaming voucher and a drink. Formal attire is required. Table games open from 4pm daily with slots from 11am. The Wagner Restaurant occupies the richly decorated rooms of the palazzo and overlooks the Grand Canal.
Casino di Sanremo is Italy's oldest surviving casino building, inaugurated on 12 January 1905 on the Ligurian coast of the Italian Riviera. The Liberty-style building, designed by French architect Eugenio Ferret, was restored to its original yellow facade in a major renovation and remains one of the most photographed casino exteriors in Europe. The casino's De Sanctis Room is credited as the birthplace of Telesina, a poker variant unique to Sanremo that spread through Italian card rooms for much of the 20th century.
The casino spreads across multiple floors and themed rooms offering over 450 gaming machines and 50 table games including French roulette, blackjack, chemin de fer, punto banco and poker. A dedicated poker room hosts Texas Hold'em cash games and tournament series. The property includes a restaurant, bar, roof garden with Riviera views and an elegant theatre. Smart dress is required in the table games area. Slots open from 10am and table games from 2:30pm daily.
Casino de la Vallée is Italy's largest casino by gaming floor, spreading across approximately 43,000 square feet on two levels in the heart of the Italian Alps. Located in Saint-Vincent in the semi-autonomous Valle d'Aosta region, the casino opened in 1947 and is directly connected by underground tunnel to the Grand Hotel Billia, a luxury property with panoramic views of the surrounding peaks.
The gaming floor offers around 400 slot machines and 90 table games, one of the widest selections of any casino in southern Europe, including roulette, blackjack, chemin de fer, craps, punto banco, Caribbean stud poker, trente et quarante and a proprietary game called Saint-Vincent Poker found nowhere else in the world. A dedicated poker room hosts international tournament series. The casino is open from 10am daily with free admission.
Casinò di Campione sits in one of the most peculiar locations of any casino on earth. Campione d'Italia is an Italian exclave of just over 1.6 square kilometres, completely surrounded by the Swiss canton of Ticino on the western shore of Lake Lugano. The town has no border controls, uses Swiss emergency services and until recently operated largely on Swiss francs, yet it is legally and politically part of Italy. The casino was founded in 1917, originally as an intelligence-gathering site for Italian agents during the First World War, and moved into its striking modernist building in 2007.
The casino closed in 2018 following bankruptcy and reopened in January 2022 under new management. It has since recovered strongly, reporting gaming revenue of €53 million in 2024, up 5.8% year on year. A PokerStars poker room opened in late 2024 and immediately attracted major international tournament traffic. The casino offers 56 table games and around 500 gaming machines. Admission is free and the property operates seven days a week.
| Casino | Table Games | Slots | Poker Room | Entry Fee | Tables Open |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Casino di Venezia | 28+ | 100+ | Yes | €50 | 4pm |
| Casino di Sanremo | 50+ | 450+ | Yes | Free | 2:30pm |
| Casino de la Vallée | 90 | 400+ | Yes | Free | 10am |
| Casinò di Campione | 56 | 500+ | Yes | Free | 2:15pm |
Gambling is intended as a form of entertainment. If gambling is causing harm, free support is available in Italy through Gioca Responsabile, the national responsible gambling programme administered by the ADM. The freephone helpline for gambling-related support is 800 558 822, available free of charge across Italy.
Each of Italy's four licensed casinos operates its own responsible gambling programme including self-exclusion, spending limits and trained staff support. Before you play, set a budget and a time limit. Only gamble with money you can afford to lose and never chase losses.
The information on this page is provided for general informational purposes only and does not constitute legal or financial advice. Casino details, licensing conditions and regulatory decisions in Italy are subject to change. The online gambling market in particular is undergoing significant reform following the ADM's 2025 licensing overhaul.
We recommend verifying current information directly with individual properties or the ADM before visiting. The minimum age to enter a casino in Italy is 18. Players are responsible for ensuring they comply with all applicable laws and regulations.
Lynsey is a regular Las Vegas visitor and a keen slots and roulette player. As well as significant experience as a writer in the iGaming and gambling industries as an expert reviewer and journalist, Lynsey is one half of the popular Las Vegas YouTube Channel and Podcast 'Begas Vaby’. When she is not in Las Vegas or wishing she was in Las Vegas, Lynsey can usually be found pursuing her other two main interests of sports and theatre.
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