It’s easy to get lost in travel planning, looking at a wide world of things to do and see… all just a plane ticket away. Once you settle on a destination, though, the task doesn’t get much easier: with a whole host of attractions to choose from, you’ll find it difficult to narrow down exactly what you want to do.
If you like to indulge at casinos in your spare time, there are plenty of locations to put on your bucket list because of their vibrant betting culture, whether it’s classic locations like Las Vegas and Monte Carlo, up and coming destinations like Singapore or even a potential dark horse competitor on the horizon.
Here’s a look at some of the best travel destinations in the world, with a specific focus on the gambling industry.
If It Ain’t Broke, Don’t Fix It…
…that’s how the old adage goes, and it certainly applies as it pertains to casinos. Las Vegas is the crown jewel of the gambling world for a reason, the self-proclaimed Entertainment Capital of the World. Sin City has that reputation because every single aspect of the city is devoted to lavish, extravagant fun. There’s almost nothing in the world like traveling down the Strip, people watching and looking at the dramatic hotels and casinos, deciding which one to pay a visit to.
Monte Carlo, the capital of Monaco, holds a similar reputation on the European gambling circuit. While Las Vegas receives criticism for its tacky culture, Monte Carlo is the distinguished older sibling with its classy French Riviera style on the Mediterranean coast and immaculately dressed high rollers making the rounds.
If you’re looking for a classic gambling experience, Sin City and Monte Carlo are the choices for you. While they’re worlds apart—both in location and style—they’re both worth a visit, whether for the gambling culture at some of the Best Online Casinos or to cross another top tourist destination off your bucket list.
Up and Coming Competitors
I love to travel to places that are off the beaten path, so here’s a pair of gambling destinations that one might not normally think of: even so, they’re quickly making a name for themselves as some of the best up and coming locations in the gambling industry.
First on the list is the aforementioned Singapore, which legalized betting in 2005. The city-state practically straddles the equator, so you already know that the tropical locale is going to be hard to beat. With elegant, futuristic architecture and beautiful pools and bays to bask in when you aren’t hitting the casinos, Singapore’s unique traits make it an excellent choice for anyone who wants to travel.
In a similar vein of thought is Macau, the only location in the Democratic People’s Republic of China where gambling is allowed, owing to its special position as an autonomous Special Administrative Region. The gambling scene is one to rival that of Las Vegas, as they go over the top with opulent architecture, perhaps looking to unseat Sin City’s reputation as the Mecca of gambling.
The city hosts the largest gambling floor in the world, clocking in at 376,000 square feet of space to partake in casino games: in the world of gambling, bigger seems to go hand in hand with better, and with more than 50 casinos to choose from, you’ll have plenty to keep you busy if you end up making a trip to this unique location.
A Situation to Monitor
While gambling is currently banned in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) because their legal system is rooted in Islamic law, it seems like that situation could change soon. According to a CNN report just last week, news broke that the UAE established a new government agency, the General Commercial Gaming Regulatory Authority (GCGRA).
The agency is supposed to set up a “regulatory framework for a national lottery and commercial gaming…[in order to] facilitate unlocking the economic potential of commercial gaming responsibly,” per Emirati state-affiliated news agency WAM.
It can be a sticky situation when religion is involved, but the simple fact of the matter is that money talks, and the potential to turn a profit can make it easy to bend one’s morals.
We’ve already seen the betting industry explode in the United States in recent years. The potential for the same thing to happen in luxury travel destinations like the UAE, with its gleaming cities on the Persian Gulf like Abu Dhabi and Dubai, would immediately make it a gambling destination to rival Las Vegas… assuming it doesn’t blow Sin City out of the water.
