Casinos in Europe

Europe may be the world's second-smallest continent in the world in terms of land area, but when it comes to number of casinos, it sure is among the top three.

Europe is comprised of approximately 50 states. Russia is the largest in terms of land area and population, while Vatican City is the smallest. Around half of these states have some form of casino - be it unfussy arcade-type venues or big, Las Vegas-style facilities.

According to the 2008 figures from the European Casino Association (ECA), there are 1,010 casinos in Europe, as many as 220 of which are in the Czech Republic (arcades are considered as casinos here).

The following is a list of European countries with their corresponding number of casinos based on data from the ECA.

Austria 12 Belgium 9 Czech Republic* 220 Denmark 6 Estonia* 148 Finland 5 France 196 Germany 79 Great Britain (UK) 142 Greece 9 Hungary 5 Italy 4

Lithuania 25 Luxembourg 1 Netherlands 14 Poland 27 Portugal 10 Romania 23 Serbia 1 Slovenia 12 Spain 43 Sweden 4 Switzerland 19

*arcades have the same status as casinos in these countries

Casinos in Europe are governed by the respective gambling laws of each state where the casinos are located. For example, the legal gambling age in Greece is 23 years old, while the legal gambling age in the UK is only 18.

Here are some of the big casino operators in Europe sorted by their country of origin:

• Austria
  • Casinos Austria AG
  • Novomatic
  
  
• Denmark
  • Danske Spil
  
  
• France
  • Groupe Partouche
  • Lucien Barriere
  
  
• Germany
  • Spielbank
  
  
• Monte Carlo
  • Société des Bains de Mer
  
  
• Netherlands
  • Holland Casino
  
  
• Portugal
  • Solverde
  
  
• Slovenia
  • Hit Casinos
  
  
• Spain
  • Compania Internacional de Recreativos
  
  
• Sweden
  • Svenska Spel
  • Casino Cosmopol
  
  
• Switzerland
  • Swiss Casinos
  
  
• United Kingdom
  • Aspers Group
  • Aspinalls
  • Gala Coral Group Limited
  • London Clubs International Limited