When you think of casinos, you think of the bright lights and stunning showgirls of the Las Vegas Strip. You picture the dancing fountains at the Bellagio, and the fire-spitting volcano at The Mirage.
But not all casinos are found in such glamorous surroundings, with some found in particularly unusual locations. Below, Luxury Lifestyle Magazine has team up with online casino comparison site Jackpot.co.uk to discover the five most bizarre:
1) The basement casino:
North Cadbury Court is probably the last place you would expect to find a casino. A stunning manor house located in the quaint village of Yeovil in Somerset, England, the original building was constructed as a medieval hall in the early 1300s. It has since been converted into a private residence, and today is used as a venue and events space boasting 21 bedrooms, a dining hall with seating for 96 and a ball room that can accommodate 150.
But venture down into the old wine caves and you will find small but perfectly formed basement casino. Despite the low ceilings, the space can hold up to 30 punters and offers a blackjack table, roulette wheel, and poker room. The games are run by local croupiers, and use of the casino is reserved only for those who book out the whole house for an event.
This makes it not only one of the smallest casinos in the world, but one of the most exclusive.
2) The underground casino:
The Desert Cave Hotel, located in the outback town of Coober Pedy, Australia, takes punters even deeper underground. The hotel celebrates dug-out-style living, and offers guests the chance to play at 16 subterranean poker machines during their stay.
There is only one casino in South Australia, an 850km drive away in Adelaide, so locals and tourists alike flock to the Desert Cave Hotel and descend below ground to get their gambling fix in cool and calm surroundings.
The hotel opened in 1988 and boasts underground suites, a shopping arcade where guests can buy a piece of locally-mined opal, as well as a bar and games room. In other words, plenty of opportunities to spend their winnings.
3) The casino built on a puddle:
The Rivers Casino in Des Plaines, Illinois, looks pretty ordinary front the outside. Built in 2011, the modern-looking building is located just minutes away from downtown Chicago and the O’Hare International Airport. Inside, it has more than 1,000 slots machines as well as 50 tables including poker, blackjack, roulette, craps and baccarat games.
But most patrons are unaware the casino is actually floating on a shallow pit of water. This is to ensure it complies with Illinois gambling law, which only permits riverboat casinos.
4) The virtual reality casino:
When it comes to unusual casino locations, your own living room is certainly up there. Developments in virtual reality technology mean it is now possible to gamble from the comfort of your own home. SlotsMillion.com launched the world’s first VR casino in 2015, allowing players to explore a fully equipped interactive casino floor for the first time.
They can wander round clusters of slots machines in search of a theme that takes their fancy, or watch other players take on the house in a game of high stakes blackjack. When they are done spinning the reels they can relax in the lounge, and chat to their friends.
Players just need access to a desktop computer or laptop, a pair of virtual reality goggles and an internet connection to enter the casino. Which means they can play from a whole host of unusual places – the work canteen, the library, even while commuting on the train.
5) The casino in the sky
The sky really is the limit when it comes to unusual casino locations, thanks to a concept from AirJet Designs and Designescence. By combining their bright minds and creative talents, they have produced designs for a casino that can be installed on airliners and private jets, allowing players to wager while 30,000 feet above ground.
The Casino Jet Lounge features casino games tables, a bar, and space for passengers to move around, relax and mingle. The idea behind the project was to recapture the golden age of air travel, where people would meet and share a social experience together. And it certainly beats the in-flight entertainment found on most long-haul flights.
Please gamble responsibly (18+ UK) – check age restrictions before participating
