They’re synonymous with glamor, opulence and excitement and there’s a slim chance you could leave vastly more wealthy than when you arrive. Nowhere compares to the thrill of the casino.

Grand Lisboa Casino, Macau. Photo by Ti To Tito.

Casinos have been popular for hundreds of years – once the sole preserve of the upper classes, now everyone is welcome to partake in some of the most thrilling games of skill and chance going. Such is the success of the casino that their online counterparts now dominate app stores worldwide.

In areas like the USA and Canada a series of landmark decisions by federal and regional governments have created space for online casinos to flourish. In April 2022, Ontario, Canada’s most populous province, for the first time allowed private operators to set up shop in the region. This enabled local gaming commissions to monitor those company’s activities and also collect tax money which can be reinvested into public services.

Follow this link to find a list of operators in your area that have been rigorously tested and reviewed so you can be sure that your money will be wagered fairly. In a saturated industry, operators are keen to attract your custom with enticing bonuses for new members – it’s useful to be able to compare all of these promotions in one place so you can get the biggest bang for your buck.

While online casinos have exploded in popularity and are accessible by every adult with an internet connection and a smartphone, the brick-and-mortar establishments from which they emerged are still a thriving and highly profitable industry. Many are well known for turning eye watering profits. We take a look through some of history’s most lucrative casinos.

The Most Lucrative Casinos in History

There are perhaps few that have done more to promote the image of the casino in popular culture than Ian Fleming’s beloved secret agent, 007. James Bond seems to spend as much time at the casino table in far-flung, exotic locales as he does behind the wheel of his next supercar (which he’ll inevitably write off before the closing credits).

This being the case, many of his favorite haunts will feature on this list, some of which no longer exist.

Le Casino de Monte-Carlo, Monaco

Monaco is known as the playground of the rich and famous for good reason. The diminutive city-state tops the list as the country with the highest GDP per capita at over $170,000 USD.

The Monte Carlo Casino is owned and operated by the government and the ruling royal family but strangely Monegasque citizens are not allowed to gamble on the premises – an initiative introduced by Princess Caroline during her reign in the 1840s.

The casino featured in the Bond movie ‘Never Say Never Again’ (1983) with Sean Connery and Pierce Brosnan made a return visit in the 1995 film, ‘Golden Eye’. Although often associated with the nobility, dressed in all their finery, you may be surprised to learn that as long as you are smartly turned out and not in sportswear and sandals, you’ll likely be permitted entry.

MGM Resorts, USA

Nowadays many of the most profitable casinos are operated under a shared umbrella company, and one of the largest, one of the most lucrative, is MGM Resorts. Responsible for over 29 unique destinations, the company boasts a portfolio of total assets worth $34 billion USD and an annual revenue of $13 billion USD.

Some of the most notable features on their list include the Bellagio (sold in 2019 but under lease from The Blackstone Group), the Mirage, the MGM Grand and the Luxor in Las Vegas, as well as the MGM China in Macau and the Bellagio in Shanghai.

Atlantis Bahamas

In the 1965 movie, Thunderball, you can catch Sean Connery dancing with Domino at the Cafe Martinique in the Bahamas. The venue has since undergone massive renovations and is now part of the country’s largest resort, Atlantis.

You can find Atlantis situated on its own hedonistic Paradise Island just north of Nassau on the isle of New Providence and choose from one of their five luxury hotels and resorts before taking to the gaming tables. The group also owns the $1.5 billion USD Atlantis Dubai venture on the famed Palm Jumeirah.

Grand Lisboa Casino, China

The Grand Lisboa, a name that harks back to the Portuguese colonial influence on Macau, strikes an imposing silhouette on the skyline of China’s answer to Las Vegas. There are 430 hotel rooms and suites that the casino uses to look after their illustrious guests.

High rollers will often be treated to presidential suites at no extra costs. High end casinos make a habit of taking good care of their biggest spenders – you can be sure that if they’re happy to extend sizable lines of credit and offer complimentary five star accommodation, then the casino is more than making their money back at the tables.

The Grand Lisboa posted record profits of $4.5 billion USD in 2019 that it accrued from its choice of eight dining options, 800 gaming tables, 1000 slot machines, on-site spa and adjoining business convention center.

The world’s most eminent casinos continue to post record profits year on year. And as the brick and mortar side of the business grows, its online complement does too.

In fact many of the largest online providers are operated by the same corporations running casinos on the strip. Technology will also play an increasingly pivotal role in how online casinos will expand.

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