Top 5 Countries with Government Authorized Casinos
Holland: Premium Quality Casino Entertainment with a Smile!
The casino universe is a multibillion-dollar enterprise with boundless possibilities. Multiple countries around the world have cottoned onto this hugely profitable and wildly entertaining pastime. Leading the charge is one of the best kept secrets, Holland Casino. As its namesake suggests, it is a national favorite in the Netherlands, and is featured in Amsterdam, Breda, Eindhoven, Valkenburg, Schiphol Airport and scores of other locales.
It is so much more than a gambling enclave; it is a virtual entertainment paradise with restaurants galore in each ritzy destination of the kingdom. What makes Holland Casino so thoroughly entertaining as a national brand is that it’s an all-encompassing entertainment paradise. Players get to enjoy fine dining, high-class gaming and a fabulous nightlife. Among others, players will enjoy cozy lounges and a smattering of world-famous artists and performers. As you might expect, many of the restaurants allow online bookings with starters, main courses, desserts, coffee & tea.
Sumptuous Entrees and Delightful Deserts
You can tickle your taste buds with Lobster Soup & Prawns, Pomodori & Basil, Bread & Spreads, Carpaccio & Truffle, Mozzarella & Tomato, Caesar Salads and Scallops & Lobster. Affordable menu items add tremendous value to the overall gambling experience. You can wine and dine, while you play your way to millions of euros in jackpot prizes. Holland Casino Amsterdam is located in the heart of the entertainment district, right in Leidesplein. The world-famous canals are there in all their glory, and thanks to a fabulous makeover, this majestic casino has something for everyone. The casino operates daily from 12 noon to 3 AM and the restaurant seats patrons from 5 PM through 2 AM on a daily basis.
When it comes to gaming, Holland Casino is unparalleled. A fantastic selection of games is available including Casino 21, Blackjack, Bingo, American Roulette, Money Wheel, Ultimate Texas Hold’em, Mega Millions Jackpot, Punto Banco, Multi Poker and myriad slot machines. Your pleasure is always high on the agenda at this casino, with things like Sunday Royale, Diamond Night, the Acoustics and De Swingers taking place. When you’re in the mood to plan a vacation to a fabulous European casino, Holland Casino certainly merits your consideration.
Number Crunching with Holland Casino
It is interesting to point out that Holland Casino is officially known as the National Foundation for the Exploitation of Casino Games in the Netherlands. This enterprise legally controls all gambling activity in the Netherlands. In total, there are 14 casinos situated across the country and the profits are funnelled into the Dutch Treasury. As of 2013, Holland Casino generated €267 million, up €4 million from its 2006 revenues. The headquarters of Holland Casino are in Hoofddorp, and in the future they will be relocated to Utrecht. The Amsterdam Casino remains the largest branch. In the years since then, profits have soared, and Holland Casino is a raging success with profits of €423.2 million in 2015 alone.
Canada: Maple Country Makes a Splash with Massive Casino Entertainment Facilities
Canada has always been front and center when it comes to casino entertainment. Its southerly neighbor typically gets all the accolades with Las Vegas, Nevada and Atlantic City, New Jersey, but Canada is no slouch when it comes to lavish casinos. Believe it or not, there are scores of government-owned casinos in Canada, and these include Casino Regina, Casino Moose Jaw, McPhillips Street Station Casino, Club Regent Casino, Casino Windsor, Casino Niagara, Niagara Fallsview Casino Resort and Casino Rama to name but a few. The majority of Canadian casinos are operated and owned by multinational gaming corporations. Many of them aren’t Canadian owned at all, and only a portion of the revenues remain in Canada.
Which Canadian Casinos Rule the Roost?
The aboriginal peoples of Canada, descendants of native inhabitants of the land, have First Nation lands agreements with these large gaming corporations. In total, there are 634 official First Nations governments in Canada. The bulk of them are located in British Columbia and Ontario. Canada is home to scores of not-for-profit, charitable, privately owned, First Nations and other casinos. Many are resorts, and others are community-entertainment facilities. Canada is also home to many racing entertainment centers. These include Evergreen Park Casino, Northlands Park and Whoop-up Downs. Examples of some of the top casinos in Canada include Caesars Windsor Hotel & Casino in Ontario, Casino de Montréal in Québec, and Casino in Alberta and River Rock Casino Resort in British Columbia.
Perhaps one of the most iconic casinos in Canada is Casino Niagara. Located in the heart of Ontario, this casino features a breathtaking backdrop of the Niagara Falls. The casino itself is a marvel to behold. It features 95,000 ft.² of gambling entertainment space. But the best part is that players can enjoy over 40 gaming tables including French Roulette, European Roulette, American Roulette, and multiple variants of blackjack. If slots are your games of choice, there are 1,500 slot machine games for you to enjoy. These include classic slots, progressive jackpot slots, video slots and so much more.
Skill-based players won’t be disappointed with the variety of games on offer at this incredible facility. There are 12 poker tables which allow for reservations to be made and seats to be held. And if sports betting is your forte, you can wager on college football games, ice hockey and the like. The casino features 26+ high-definition television screens for punters. Naturally, the gambling is complemented by the feasting. There are plenty of high-end restaurants like Lucky’s Steakhouse and other mouthwatering selections like the Market Buffet.
Germany: Limited Federal Regulation for Casino Gambling
The most popular games in German casinos include German Roulette, European Roulette, French Roulette, American Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat, Texas Holdem Poker, 7 Card Stud Poker, and Caribbean Stud Poker. There are sites that gather all promotions for German players, such as online-casino.de and offer in-depth review of the best casinos online available for local players. Gambling in Germany is governed by the Interstate Treaty on Gambling 2012. This was adopted by 15 German states in 2012 and by Schleswig-Holstein in 2013. The Interstate Treaty is designed to combat black-market activity, prevent fraud, and offer maximum consumer protection. Sectorial gambling legislation is also provided, courtesy of Spielbankordnung and Spielbankgesetz. Slot games are governed by federal law in Germany, under the Trade Regulation Act. The only German state to buck from the trend was Schleswig-Holstein in January 2012. It created its own Gambling Act, offering 25 sports betting licenses and 23 online casino licenses. However, the Gambling Act was repealed a year later.
Gambling regulations in Germany are legalized according to 3 judgment domains, including Schindler, Zenatti, and Laara. There are 67 cities throughout Germany with gambling establishments and a total of 82 legal gambling options available to players. Berlin sports 5 casinos featuring 772 video poker, slots and gaming machines as well as 17 table games. Germany’s largest casino is located in Dortmund and known as Spielbank Do-Hohensyburg. This gambling mecca features 368 video poker machines and gaming machines, 34 table games, and 10 poker games. When it comes to online gambling, Germany has strict laws in place to prevent online gambling. Online casinos based in the European Union are currently trying to win favourable judgments from the European Court of Justice (ECJ) and the EU authorities to offer online gambling games in Germany.
United States: Red, White and Blue Dazzles Crowds with Casinos in Minnesota, Kansas and Ohio
State-owned casinos in the United States are a highly contentious issue. There are calls in the state of Ohio for state legislators to get on board with plans to construct a series of casinos. In this state, a crucial state in the US presidential election, anything can be done provided it is done under the jurisdiction of the Ohio Lottery. Much the same is true in Minnesota which is looking towards casino entertainment as a way to fill up government coffers. But perhaps the most interesting case is Kansas. Back in 2010, a full spread was written on the Boot Heel Casino & Resort. Believe it or not, this prestigious establishment is owned by the state of Kansas. And, it’s a thriving enterprise with all the most popular games including blackjack, baccarat, slot machine games, video poker, Roulette, craps and much more.Unlike many other government enterprises where inefficiency runs riot, in casinos that are state run, there is accountability. The profit motive is certainly present in Kansas’ favourite new haunt, Boot Heel Casino & Resort. It’s hard to believe that such an efficient, exciting and trendy venue is state run. According to estimates, this casino will generate revenue of $40 million per annum, and 27% of gross gambling revenue will be directed back into the state coffers. The rest of the cash goes to Butler National Corporation – the builder operator of the casino. It also has a 15-year contract to manage the casino as it spent $45 million building it. The taxation on Kansas-based casinos (27% tax) falls in the mid-range between Nevada (7% tax) and Pennsylvania (50% tax). There isn’t a whole lot of anything to do in Kansas, since it’s smack-bang in the center of the United States – landlocked in every way. But, there are good folks with good values and plenty of good food to eat.
Norway: The Country Shines with State-Owned Casinos
In Viking country, a.k.a. Norway, there are only 2 companies that offer gambling-style services to Norwegians. These include Norsk Rikstoto and Norsk Tipping. The latter offers Keno, sports betting and lottery-style games among others. It is an enterprise that is state owned and it falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Culture and Church Affairs. Players are strictly regulated in terms of how much they are able to wager and what time of the day they’re allowed to play. The minimum gambling age in Norway is 18+ for most games except for scratch card games.
The other company, Norsk Rikstoto is authorized to offer horserace betting. Norwegian banks are not allowed to allow any money to be transferred to online casinos in the country or outside of it. In terms of revenues generated by slot machine games in the country, the gross turnover in 2001 was 9 billion Norwegian kroner, and 26 billion Norwegian kroner by 2004. The slot machine industry is the fastest-growing industry in the country however, in 2007 Norway banned all slot machines and introduced IVT’s (known as interactive video terminals) in 2009. Fortunately, there is plenty of entertainment in Norway. Most of it is related to cycling, hiking, skiing, snowboarding, Alpine skating and rafting. The country is also rich in art and entertainment, with the National Gallery, Standard Oslo, Oslo Opera House, the Munch Museum, the Black Box Theatre and more.
Phillippines: The Pagcor Story
Gambling is a popular activity in the Philippines. Until recently, casinos in the country were run by PAGCOR (Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corporation). Now, new moves are afoot to privatize the organisation so that the government can act as a strictly regulatory authority. The government has to come up with $72.11 billion to meet its national budget in 2017. Privatizing casinos is one such way that it intends to meet those financial targets. Since huge losses will be incurred by PAGCOR, the organisation is intending to establish offshore online gaming projects that are expressly designed for foreign players. Philippines casino revenue was estimated at $2 billion in 2013, and was expected to climb to $4 billion by 2015. But one of the biggest problems for the Philippines is the taxation on casino revenues – currently expected to top 15%.
The Finance Secretary of the Philippines, Carlo Dominguez III expressed his desire that government-controlled bodies should focus on regulatory matters and allow the business aspects to be controlled by the private sector. Some of the most popular Philippine casinos include Resorts World Manila, Casino Filipino in Tagaytay and City of Dreams in Manila. PAGCOR is 100% state-owned, and it falls under the direct auspices of the Office of the President. Presently, Manila hosts around 20 casinos, the majority of which are located near Manila Bay. Gambling in the Philippines. According to stats, Philippines has 15,878 slot machines, 105 poker tables, 2,304 table games, 3 horse racing facilities and 4 off track betting options. The country is renowned as a tourist hotspot and some of the hottest restaurants include Yakumi, Red Lantern, Finestra and the Waterside Restaurant, Solitaire Resort and Casino.