The World’s Most Architecturally Impressive Casinos

Gambling is, above all, about the experience. Whilst the online gambling sites reviewed by Auspokies achieve this through UX-technologies and unique graphics for their banners, land-based casinos around the world are compelled to create entire universes within their gaming complexes. And whilst in most cases this simply involves luxurious surroundings and fresh flowers, the venues in our ranking are true masterpieces of architectural and landscape art. We’ll share details about all the gems spread around the world that we’ve discovered in this context.

Marina Bay Sands – Architecture That Makes People Feel Small

Since its opening in 2010, this casino complex in Singapore has been perceived as something immense, monumental and majestic. Moshe Safdie constructed no fewer than three 55-storey towers, connecting them with a vast SkyPark platform that appears to hover in mid-air. It is larger in scale than the actual Eiffel Tower and more complex than any other modern engineering feat.

The experience of Marina Bay Sands is simply impossible to replicate at any of the casinos reviewed by Auspokies. Glass and metal form not just a building, but an art installation on a global scale. A single glance at this architecture evokes a sense of awe and makes one realise just how small they are compared to the universe. This feeling of being part of something truly grand attracts millions of tourists and gamblers.

The Venetian Macao – a Venetian Journey Without Visiting Italy

Of all the themed casinos, this one surpasses even the most daring venues with their unique designs, and Auspokies would be hard-pressed to deny it. No digital technology or design concept can possibly rival this miniature recreation of Venice, created for one of Macau’s most prestigious establishments. Here, visitors will see Renaissance-style facades, real canals with gondolas, and ceilings painted to resemble a cloudless daytime sky.

The overall impression visitors get at The Venetian Macao is that of being fully immersed in Italian culture, even without actually visiting the country. The mind easily mistakes the décor for reality thanks to the high architectural skill of the designers. Strolling through this complex, guests will not encounter a single element that jars with the picture of antiquity and almost ancient luxury.

Casino de Monte-Carlo – A Little More of European Aristocracy

This building was designed by Charles Garnier himself, the architect behind the Paris Opera House. And this Beaux-Arts style would be hard to surpass, even by the most meticulously detailed designs of online casinos featured in Auspokies’ VIP rankings. Huge domes, marble steps and sculptures, meticulous gilding, crystal chandeliers, unique frescoes and ornate ceilings – it feels as though guests are walking not through gaming halls, but through the royal palaces of a bygone era.

The principle of ‘status architecture’ is employed here to impress visitors, even if they’re experienced Auspokies readers. Even before placing their first bet, players already feel like VIPs, special guests of an exclusive club for the select few. The interior itself encourages one to conduct oneself with dignity, displaying good manners, elegance and refinement. And the right outfit will blur the line between the thrill of gambling and the sensation of a unique show at a French opera house, whilst still being in Monaco.

Sun City Resort – a Forgotten African Kingdom

This building, located in South Africa, bears no resemblance whatsoever to any classic casino complex. Just as designers style the buttons and sections on the unique gaming sites reviewed by Auspokies, so also have the local architects styled virtually everything to resemble a fictional African city. Here, temple columns, animal statues, artificial rocks, waterfalls and jungles come together to create an almost cinematic world.

Sun City Resort skilfully taps into the human desire to explore the unknown. On its grounds, the hustle and bustle of gambling faded into the background, awakening the traveller’s sense of adventure. Here, visitors want to explore one corner after another at a leisurely pace, moving between the main locations. And the constant change of scenery, from derelict urban settings to truly wild panoramas, creates the impression that the complex covers more ground than it actually does.

Caesars Palace – Ancient Rome in the 21st Century

According to Auspokies, one in six online casinos is designed with references to centurions and emperors. So we’re not surprised that this is also one of the most popular styles in land-based resorts. However, this building outshines any similar venue. Here, the architecture becomes an integral part of the show, not merely providing a majestic backdrop, but transporting visitors to bygone eras through arches, colonnades, enormous statues and fountains.

Caesars Palace capitalises on the concept of ‘associative prestige’. In popular culture, Ancient Rome is a symbol of power, wealth and grandeur. When immersed in such surroundings, people automatically apply these associations to their own personal experience. Many visitors note that they feel not merely like gamblers on Auspokies’ recommended sites, but like heroes of an ancient Roman epic, whilst an ordinary evening at the emerald-coloured tables feels almost like a theatrical production.