Madrid boasts one of Europe’s most impressive casinos in the tradition of the classic establishments of Monte Carlo and Baden Baden. The aim is to give patrons a lavish experience with culinary delights and opulent surroundings. But, in the Spanish capital, it is impossible to escape the influence of Las Vegas.
Madrid’s adoption of the glitz and glamour of the city of sin is part of a whole network of Vegas-inspired gaming options. From Manch235ster, one of the UK’s premier ‘Vegas style’ casinos to the France Mulls Vegas casino in Paris, players have wholeheartedly embraced the theme.
As a result, the inspiration of the gambling capital of the world can also be seen in the prevalence of online casinos which use Las Vegas themes to provide players with innovative versions of classic casino games. Players have the opportunity to experience a live casino with new iterations of roulette such as Live Quantum Roulette, which could potentially pay out up to 500x your stake, and Express Roulette. But moving from online casino gaming, let’s take a look at some of the casinos Madrid has to offer visitors:
Casino Gran Vía
The Casino Gran Vía was built in 1924 and is located on Madrid’s bustling Gran Vía. The opulent Art Deco building creates the impression of a museum rather than a casino. Clearly, such an impressive location requires that patrons are dressed to match their surroundings. Imagine James Bond attending a casino to play a game of baccarat and there is no shortage of fashion inspiration if required.
Over three floors, the casino offers classic table games such as blackjack, American roulette and the baccarat variation Punto Blanco. There are also two poker rooms featuring daily tournaments and in September 2022, the casino will host a World Poker Tour event including a €1,100 Main Event. Poker Manager David Cámara Luzago said: “With this extremely important alliance with WPT, we continue our hard work to achieve our goal of being one of the great poker references in Europe, and finally place Madrid where it deserves in the poker scene. We just can´t wait to shuffle up and deal!”
There is also a permanent exhibition entitled “Memories of Gran Vía” featuring 175 photographs from the building’s past. The photographs are exhibited in 15 of the casino rooms, with each room covering a different theme. Visitors to the roulette room can examine photographs depicting the nightlife and various shows from past decades. And to round off this impressive building, it also contains the highly recommended Hotel Círculo Gran Vía which is for adults only.
Casino Gran Madrid Colon
The Casino Gran Madrid Colon is located in the heart of Madrid and is the type of casino you would expect to encounter in Las Vegas. Nevertheless, it does have a cultural association as outside the casino there is an oversized frog sculpture in bronze created by the Spanish sculptor Eladio de Mora in 2014. The frog is a sign of luck in many cultures and the sculpture was presented to the city by the casino. The dress code in the casino is smart casual, so it is not necessary to wear a jacket and tie here.
Gran Casino Aranjuez
For those willing to travel further afield and combine a casino visit with a concert, it is worth taking the 45-minute car journey to the Gran Casino Aranjuez. The influence of Las Vegas casinos can be seen in the décor of the casino and the relaxed dress code. The casino features a theatre with space for over 2,000 guests and regularly holds concert events featuring Spanish artists such as Julio Iglesias and Joaquín Cortés. The casino has the obligatory slot machines and also holds regular poker tournaments.
In Madrid, visitors can experience traditional casino activities in opulent surroundings, reminiscent of a James Bond film. Indeed, at the Casino Gran Vía players have the opportunity to recreate this experience. But the influence of Las Vegas can also be seen in Madrid in casinos such as the Gran Casino Aranjuez and the Casino Gran Madrid Colon.
