Editor-In-Chief with 20 years experience covering the betting angles to breaking news stories. Daily slots player, Portsmouth fan and League Snooker Player
In recent years, the casino industry has experienced a surge in popularity, with more people having fun at the tables than ever before. New casinos are springing up worldwide to meet this increased demand, such as the Hard Rock Hotel Casino in Athens, the company’s first foray into the casino world, which is expected to be completed sometime in 2027.
Looking at Google search data, interest in casinos has risen considerably over the past year. Globally, there were almost 50% more searches for “casinos near me” last year, while in the UK, this figure is even higher at 76.68%.
Going to a casino is an experience unlike any other. It combines the thrill of your favourite games like blackjack and roulette with a dash of glitz and glamour for an unforgettable experience, solo or with friends. There are many casinos, from small, unassuming venues to extravagant casino complexes with a formal dress code and chandelier lighting.
While casinos can be found worldwide, they are not often highly publicised, so finding a new venue that suits your wants and needs can be challenging. If you’re planning a casino trip away, it’s good to have a few options for different venues, with a range of restaurants, games, and entertainment available.
With this in mind, we’ve put together our Global Casino Index to help you find the best destination for a fun casino trip in some of the world’s best and most beautiful cities.
Macau is the world’s top casino destination, with a Casino Index Score of 9.32
1. Macau, Casino Index Score: 9.32
Macau is the best city in the world for casinos, earning a score of 9.32 in our index. This modern city, located on a small peninsula on China’s south coast, is designated as an autonomous region. It is not governed by all the same laws as the mainland, where gambling is largely forbidden.
Due to this independence, Macao has embraced casinos as one of its flagship industries, often called the “Las Vegas of the East”. Macau performed very well across all factors in our study, combining a large number of casinos, casino restaurants, and table games with very affordable Airbnb rates, averaging £81.32 ($102.58/€94.74), and more than 360,000 annual searches for casinos.
2. Philadelphia, Casino Index Score: 7.24
Philadelphia is the second-best city for having a great casino experience, earning a score of 7.24 out of 10. This bustling Pennsylvania city may not have the most casinos in our study, but on average, each casino has four restaurants to choose from and just over 31 table games available. The city also has reasonable Airbnb rates, averaging around £123.32 ($155.60/€143.72), so you won’t be breaking the bank just to visit!
3. Las Vegas, Casino Index Score: 7.20
In third place is the most iconic casino city on Earth, Las Vegas, with a score of 7.20 out of 10. The Las Vegas strip is home to many of the world’s best-known casinos, including Caesar’s Palace, The Venetian, and Bellagio Las Vegas, and attracts visitors from all over the globe.
While the city has many casinos to choose from, the average Airbnb rate is one of the highest at £248.95 ($314.10/€290.13), revealing how expensive the city can be for tourists. However, the high number of restaurants and table games at Las Vegas casinos provides plenty of opportunities for visitors to relax and enjoy themselves once they’ve arrived.
| Rank | City | Country | Casinos per 100,000 people | Average Restaurants per Casino | Average Table Games per Casino | Average AirBnB Daily Rate (GBP) | Annual Casino Searches | Casino Index Score |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Macau | Macau | 4.05 | 4.07 | 126.96 | £81.32 | 363,700 | 9.32 |
| 2 | Philadelphia | United States | 0.46 | 4.00 | 31.71 | £123.32 | 151,100 | 7.24 |
| 3 | Las Vegas | United States | 26.28 | 3.76 | 24.14 | £248.95 | 2,747,000 | 7.20 |
| 4 | Singapore | Singapore | 0.16 | 3.90 | 126.50 | £141.55 | 347,600 | 6.84 |
| 5 | Calgary | Canada | 0.90 | 1.27 | 19.33 | £95.28 | 146,700 | 6.72 |
| 6 | Manila | Philippines | 0.09 | 2.79 | 48.21 | £37.21 | 94,200 | 6.68 |
| 7 | New Orleans | United States | 1.12 | 2.75 | 30.50 | £233.81 | 344,300 | 6.60 |
| 8 | Vienna | Austria | 0.05 | 4.00 | 21.00 | £104.87 | 221,000 | 6.28 |
| 9 | Brisbane | Australia | 0.24 | 1.17 | 13.33 | £89.63 | 191,600 | 6.16 |
| 10 | Melbourne | Australia | 0.09 | 6.60 | 81.00 | £147.77 | 118,000 | 6.08 |
| 11 | Sydney | Australia | 0.19 | 3.00 | 38.50 | £172.15 | 184,200 | 5.92 |
| 12 | Warsaw | Poland | 0.17 | 3.67 | 17.33 | £65.65 | 50,400 | 5.84 |
| 13 | Seoul | South Korea | 0.04 | 4.25 | 55.50 | £71.62 | 30,000 | 5.80 |
| 14 | Toronto | Canada | 0.08 | 2.00 | 40.60 | £128.38 | 187,100 | 5.68 |
| 15 | Chicago | United States | 0.08 | 2.50 | 113.00 | £180.55 | 290,400 | 5.60 |
| 16 | Helsinki | Finland | 0.37 | 1.80 | 4.00 | £88.82 | 102,500 | 5.56 |
| 17 | Budapest | Hungary | 0.34 | 0.67 | 13.17 | £76.89 | 108,400 | 5.56 |
| 18 | Vancouver | Canada | 0.22 | 1.50 | 24.17 | £152.93 | 124,000 | 5.36 |
| 19 | Miami | United States | 3.95 | 1.06 | 4.61 | £223.74 | 438,600 | 5.32 |
| 20 | Ottawa | Canada | 0.21 | 2.00 | 11.67 | £95.17 | 74,000 | 5.28 |
| 21 | Busan | South Korea | 0.12 | 2.75 | 25.75 | £82.30 | 6,330 | 5.20 |
| 22 | Madrid | Spain | 0.53 | 0.42 | 2.44 | £117.31 | 580,000 | 5.00 |
| 23 | Birmingham | United Kingdom | 0.41 | 1.09 | 10.36 | £111.00 | 56,600 | 4.96 |
| 24 | Seattle | United States | 1.06 | 1.25 | 5.00 | £163.03 | 118,600 | 4.92 |
| 25 | Rotterdam | Netherlands | 0.88 | 0.67 | 17.78 | £126.58 | 51,400 | 4.92 |
| 26 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | 1.27 | 0.93 | 7.73 | £209.73 | 178,200 | 4.88 |
| 27 | San Jose | United States | 0.21 | 2.00 | 26.00 | £142.82 | 41,900 | 4.84 |
| 28 | London | United Kingdom | 0.55 | 0.96 | 6.06 | £193.40 | 217,200 | 4.80 |
| 29 | Stockholm | Sweden | 0.17 | 4.00 | 15.33 | £132.33 | 39,400 | 4.80 |
| 30 | Prague | Czech Republic | 4.14 | 0.53 | 1.73 | £110.79 | 93,900 | 4.72 |
| 31 | Liverpool | United Kingdom | 0.54 | 1.60 | 8.00 | £150.50 | 69,100 | 4.68 |
| 32 | Minsk | Belarus | 1.16 | 0.54 | 5.13 | £41.87 | 2,380 | 4.60 |
| 33 | Cape Town | South Africa | 0.10 | 2.60 | 17.40 | £112.08 | 31,000 | 4.52 |
| 34 | Buenos Aires | Argentina | 0.06 | 1.67 | 17.11 | £46.30 | 4,810 | 4.48 |
| 35 | Leeds | United Kingdom | 0.93 | 0.80 | 12.00 | £128.40 | 33,500 | 4.36 |
| 36 | Manchester | United Kingdom | 0.21 | 1.00 | 12.33 | £126.90 | 72,000 | 4.36 |
| 37 | Bucharest | Romania | 9.28 | 0.15 | 0.29 | £54.02 | 37,800 | 4.28 |
| 38 | Valencia | Spain | 3.93 | 0.12 | 2.58 | £104.87 | 58,000 | 4.20 |
| 39 | Glasgow | United Kingdom | 0.35 | 0.83 | 9.00 | £131.90 | 38,400 | 3.96 |
| 40 | Lima | Peru | 0.33 | 0.37 | 6.66 | £48.06 | 7,910 | 3.96 |
| 41 | San Diego | United States | 0.22 | 1.33 | 8.00 | £272.33 | 110,200 | 3.96 |
| 42 | New York | United States | 0.11 | 0.67 | 52.78 | £225.41 | 85,200 | 3.88 |
| 43 | Paris | France | 0.05 | 0.83 | 21.33 | £199.78 | 140,800 | 3.80 |
| 44 | Hamburg | Germany | 0.28 | 0.20 | 3.40 | £109.59 | 84,000 | 3.72 |
| 45 | Dublin | Ireland | 1.71 | 0.41 | 2.77 | £166.14 | 56,000 | 3.56 |
| 46 | Copenhagen | Denmark | 1.65 | 0.13 | 1.26 | £149.51 | 104,900 | 3.56 |
| 47 | Bogota | Colombia | 0.33 | 0.18 | 1.56 | £35.19 | 18,900 | 3.44 |
| 48 | Brussels | Belgium | 0.38 | 0.25 | 3.75 | £106.84 | 25,800 | 3.40 |
| 49 | Berlin | Germany | 0.14 | 0.20 | 7.80 | £126.75 | 83,700 | 3.32 |
| 50 | Hong Kong | Hong Kong | 0.08 | 0.17 | 2.00 | £91.00 | 34,400 | 2.36 |
| 51 | Rome | Italy | 0.12 | 0.60 | 1.80 | £167.60 | 2,490 | 1.56 |
Las Vegas has 26.28 casinos per head, by far the most in the world
Las Vegas, 26.28 casinos per 100,000 people
Las Vegas has by far the most casinos per head, with 26.28 per 100,000 people. This gives casino-goers in Vegas a huge range of venues to choose from, with as many as 175 in the city.
Bucharest, 9.28 casinos per 100,000 people
Bucharest has the second most casinos in our study, with 164 venues in the city, leading to a rate of 9.28 casinos per 100,000 people. The Romanian capital is one of Europe's premier casino destinations, offering an affordable and exciting casino destination that is easy for most Europeans to get to.
Prague, 4.14 casinos per 100,000 people
Prague takes third place with 4.14 casinos per 100,000 people, making it a great choice if you want to combine a casino trip with exploring central Europe. The Czech capital is a destination well-loved for its culture, nightlife and hospitality, and with 55 venues to choose from, there are plenty of opportunities to experience the local casino scene.
| Rank | City | Country | Population | Casinos | Casinos per 100,000 people |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas | United States | 665,811 | 175 | 26.28 |
| 2 | Bucharest | Romania | 1,767,520 | 164 | 9.28 |
| 3 | Prague | Czech Republic | 1,327,947 | 55 | 4.14 |
| 4 | Macau | Macau | 691,748 | 28 | 4.05 |
| 5 | Miami | United States | 456,229 | 18 | 3.95 |
| 6 | Valencia | Spain | 839,770 | 33 | 3.93 |
| 7 | Dublin | Ireland | 1,284,551 | 22 | 1.71 |
| 8 | Copenhagen | Denmark | 1,391,205 | 23 | 1.65 |
| 9 | Amsterdam | Netherlands | 1,181,817 | 15 | 1.27 |
| 10 | Minsk | Belarus | 2,064,733 | 24 | 1.16 |
Casinos in Melbourne are the best for restaurant choice
Melbourne, 6.60 restaurants per casino
Melbourne is the best city for casino restaurants, with an average of 6.60 per venue. This beautiful Australian city on the south coast of Victoria is famous for its metropolitan atmosphere and cultural offering, making it an excellent choice for a casino holiday down under. The city also has a fantastic culinary reputation, with a wide range of multicultural cuisines and a vibrant coffee culture, reflected in the many restaurants at its casinos.
Seoul, 4.25 restaurants per casino
Seoul casinos have the second-most restaurants, averaging 4.25 per venue. The South Korean capital is the perfect place to experience local delicacies and national dishes, from Korean barbecue and fried chicken to Kimbap, South Korea’s take on sushi.
Macau, 4.07 restaurants per casino
Macau has the third-most restaurants per casino, with an average of 4.07 per venue. Macau is known for its blend of cultures and dishes, most of which are inspired by Cantonese and Portuguese cuisine. Macanese minchi, a Portuguese slow-cooked stew with an Asian twist, is one of the most famous local dishes. Capel meatloaf and pork chop buns are other popular fusion dishes.
| Rank | City | Country | Casinos | Casino Restaurants | Restaurants per Casino |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Melbourne | Australia | 5 | 33 | 6.60 |
| 2 | Seoul | South Korea | 4 | 17 | 4.25 |
| 3 | Macau | Macau | 28 | 114 | 4.07 |
| 4 | Vienna | Austria | 1 | 4 | 4.00 |
| 4 | Philadelphia | United States | 7 | 28 | 4.00 |
| 4 | Stockholm | Sweden | 3 | 12 | 4.00 |
| 7 | Singapore | Singapore | 10 | 39 | 3.90 |
| 8 | Las Vegas | United States | 175 | 658 | 3.76 |
| 9 | Warsaw | Poland | 3 | 11 | 3.67 |
| 10 | Sydney | Australia | 10 | 30 | 3.00 |
Macau casinos have the most table games on offer at 126.96 games per casino
Macau, 126.96 table games per casino
Casinos in Macau have the best table game offerings in our study, with an average of 126.96 per venue. Having so many table games available makes finding an empty spot much easier, allowing you to play your favourite games with a buy-in to suit your preferences.
Singapore, 126.50 table games per casino
Singapore casinos have the second-most table games per casino at 126.50, just missing out on the top spot. Visitors to Singapore will have a choice of 10 casinos with 1,265 tables between them, giving plenty of options to visiting players. The de facto primary language of the city-state is English, making it very easy for visitors from English-speaking countries to find their way around.
Chicago, 113.0 table games per casino
Chicago has the third-most table games per casino in our study, at 113. Visitors to Chicago might want to check out Bally’s Casino, located at the Medina Temple Building, built in the striking Moorish-revival style and just a short stroll from the shores of Lake Michigan.
| Rank | City | Country | Casinos | Casino Table Games | Table Games per Casino |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Macau | Macau | 28 | 3,555 | 126.96 |
| 2 | Singapore | Singapore | 10 | 1,265 | 126.50 |
| 3 | Chicago | United States | 2 | 226 | 113.00 |
| 4 | Melbourne | Australia | 5 | 405 | 81.00 |
| 5 | Seoul | South Korea | 4 | 222 | 55.50 |
| 6 | New York | United States | 9 | 475 | 52.78 |
| 7 | Manila | Philippines | 14 | 675 | 48.21 |
| 8 | Toronto | Canada | 5 | 203 | 40.60 |
| 9 | Sydney | Australia | 10 | 385 | 38.50 |
| 10 | Philadelphia | United States | 7 | 222 | 31.71 |
Priced at just over £35 per night, Bogota is the casino city with the most affordable stay
Bogota, £35.19 average Airbnb daily rate
Bogota is the casino city with the most affordable Airbnb rates, averaging £35.19 ($44.41/€41.01) per night. The sprawling capital of Colombia is home to 39 casinos, giving visitors plenty of opportunity to enjoy a little flutter once they’ve taken in the sights.
Manila, £37.21 average Airbnb daily rate
Manila, the capital of the Philippines, has the second most affordable Airbnbs in our study, costing £37.21 ($46.95/€43.36) per night on average. With 14 casinos in the city, it is a fantastic destination for visitors to enjoy a night at the casino after soaking up the city’s unique Spanish-influenced culture.
Minsk, £41.87 average Airbnb daily rate
The third most affordable casino city is Minsk, the Belarussian capital, where the average Airbnb costs £41.87 ($52.90/€48.77) per night. With 24 casinos in the city, there are 1.16 venues per 100,000 people, the tenth-highest rate in our study.
| Rank | City | Country | Local Currency | Local Currency Average Airbnb Daily Rate | Average Airbnb Daily Rate (GBP) | Average Airbnb Daily Rate (USD) | Average Airbnb Daily Rate (EUR) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bogota | Colombia | COP | 170,900 | £35.19 | $44.41 | €41.01 |
| 2 | Manila | Philippines | PHP | 2,700 | £37.21 | $46.95 | €43.36 |
| 3 | Minsk | Belarus | BYN | 173 | £41.87 | $52.80 | €48.77 |
| 4 | Buenos Aires | Argentina | ARS | 51,700 | £46.30 | $58.40 | €53.94 |
| 5 | Lima | Peru | PEN | 226 | £48.06 | $60.64 | €56.01 |
| 6 | Bucharest | Romania | RON | 313 | £54.02 | $68.16 | €62.95 |
| 7 | Warsaw | Poland | PLN | 327 | £65.65 | $82.92 | €76.51 |
| 8 | Seoul | South Korea | KRW | 122,700 | £71.62 | $90.39 | €83.44 |
| 9 | Budapest | Hungary | EUR | 90 | £76.89 | $97.02 | €89.60 |
| 10 | Macau | Macau | CNY | 741 | £81.32 | $102.58 | €94.74 |
Las Vegas is the city most Googled for its casinos, with more than 2.7 million searches every year
Las Vegas, 2,747,000 annual casino searches
Las Vegas saw by far the most casino searches in our index, with more than 2.7 million in the past 12 months. Undoubtedly the most famous city for casinos in the world, Las Vegas attracts vast numbers of visitors each year, with approximately 40.8 million visitors in 2023.
Madrid, 580,000 annual casino searches
Madrid saw the second-most casino searches in the past year, with 580,000. The Spanish capital is a beautiful destination with fantastic food and wine, as well as many cultural sites to visit when not having fun in one of the city’s 36 casinos.
Miami, 438,600 annual casino searches
Miami casinos saw the third most searches in our index, with 438,600 over the last 12 months. The stylish Cuban-influenced city attracts many tourists each year who come to enjoy the local beaches, cuisine, and music scene, in addition to the 18 casinos you can find here.
| Rank | City | Country | Annual Casino Searches |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Las Vegas | United States | 2,747,000 |
| 2 | Madrid | Spain | 580,000 |
| 3 | Miami | United States | 438,600 |
| 4 | Macau | Macau | 363,700 |
| 5 | Singapore | Singapore | 347,600 |
| 6 | New Orleans | United States | 344,300 |
| 7 | Chicago | United States | 290,400 |
| 8 | Vienna | Austria | 221,000 |
| 9 | London | United Kingdom | 217,200 |
| 10 | Brisbane | Australia | 191,600 |
Methodology
We wanted to reveal the best cities in the world for casinos. To do this, we made a list of 50 of the world’s best cities using sources such as Timeout and Resonance, and used World Population Review to find the population in each location.
We then used data from World Casino Directory to collect data for the following factors in each city:
- The number of casinos
- The number of casino restaurants
- The number of casino table games
The number of casinos was then compared to the population data to reveal the number of casinos per 100,000 people in each city.
The number of casino restaurants and tables games were compared to the number of casinos to calculate the average number of each per casino.
Next, we used AirDNA to find the average daily Airbnb rate in each city. We converted these figures from local currency to GBP, USD and EUR on 15/05/24 using XE.com.
We also collected the number of global searches for casinos in each city using Google Keyword Planner. This was done using the search term “[CITY] casinos” covering the time period of May 2023 to April 2024.
All five factors were then combined into a single score out of 10, allowing us to reveal the best casino cities in the world.
Author Info and Commentary
“I’m delighted to share with you our study into the world’s most sought-after casino destinations in 2024, and I believe our research shows that there is a casino trip that can suit anyone!
“Of course, there are traits factored in our study which clearly identify Las Vegas as the frontrunner in the casino game, and understandably so. The lure of ‘Sin City’ attracts more than 2.7 million annual casino searches on Google per year.
“It is important to note that Las Vegas doesn’t rule as the definitive casino destination though; in this case, Macau can take the plaudits, and features amongst the top 10 casino capitals for several of our ranking factors including; the most affordable casino capitals for hotel prices, casinos per 100,000 people, restaurants per casino, table games per casino, and annual casino searches.
Factors such as the Covid-19 pandemic and online gambling amongst other things have threatened to derail the experience of a land-based casino. However, casinos provide a fine experience of luxury and relaxation in 2024, and there are sure to be plenty more exciting trends and developments in the coming years to keep these cherished casinos on the map!”
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