Top 5 World’s Smallest Casinos

When most of us hear the word “casino,” we think big.

Big casinos, big venues, big poker tables, big money.

It’s definitely an expectation for a lot of people to have just a huge, loud, packed environment when they walk into a casino. They thrive off of all the energy from all the people in there drinking and having a good time.

People have different tastes though. And while a lot of people like going to really big casinos with a lot of people, there are others who would prefer the complete opposite.

Here I’ll talk about small casinos and why someone might prefer something more private and quiet.

Around the globe there are “small casinos,” and oftentimes, it can be a particular type of clientele that you’re going to find at these types of gambling venues. People that are private, closed off, and keep to themselves.

Some of the small casinos that I’ve seen are pretty amazing and are well-known by tourists and club goers around the world.

Let’s take a look at five of the smallest casinos around the world and what might make each one special.

1 – Santa Ysabel

Santa Ysabel was one of the world’s smallest casinos and was located in North County, San Diego. Santa Ysabel was actually a “slot arcade” set inside a mini-market located near Palomar Mountain.

It measured 600 square feet, and in 2007 when it opened, it was only the size of a one-bedroom apartment.

Unfortunately, this casino was closed in 2014. Santa Ysabel, back when it opened and onward, was 30 times smaller than Las Vegas’ smallest casino, Slots-A-Fun Casino, and 1,000 times smaller than The Venetian Macao, the largest casino in the world.

Walking into the casino when it opened, you would only see 30 real money slots packed inside a mini market. The number of slot machines would eventually increase up to 349.

Reading reviews on this casino back when it was open, there were a lot of positive comments from people that were just passing through and wanting to eat and play some games.

Regardless of the likes I see from previous customers on the internet, the casino itself seemed to have a pretty rough go financially. Having a location far from most residents, and the presence of several much larger Indian casinos in the area, appeared to have doomed the venture from the beginning.

2 – Grosvenor Taxi Casino

This is probably the smallest casino that you could ever find anywhere. It’s a gaming table, dealer, and bar, all packed inside a London taxi cab.

Definitely a unique location for a casino.

The writer goes on to say that from the minute he stepped into the black hackney carriage, he felt as though he was in a dream, but soon, he was convinced that this dream was his actual reality.

This seems to be the most common reaction from every new Grosvenor taxi cab customer. There’s no other brilliant way to market your casino business, especially having it in the UK. So many people across the UK rely solely on public transit, so being able to give people a taste of your casino in such an intimate way is great advertising.

The journalist wrote that there may not have been a roulette wheel, slot machine, or vast Las Vegas-style water feature, but the dealer sitting behind the blackjack table announced that the world’s smallest casino on wheels could not be any more worthy of its title.

With an expensive screen hooked up to the local football news station and a stocked full beer fridge, there couldn’t be a more perfect venue to spend your afternoon in. This one is definitely a tie for the number one spot and something that would need to go on your vacation list, especially if you like to play at casinos and spend time travelling.

3 – Casino Palms, Calangute, Goa

At number 3 on the list, we have Casino Palms, located near Baga Beach in La Calypso Getaway. La Calypso is a suburb inside of the city of Baga, Goa. Goa is a state on the southwestern coast of India.

Having the Arabian Sea on its western coast, Goa is India’s smallest state by size and its fourth smallest state by population. With that being said, Goa holds the rank amongst other Indian states of having the highest GDP per capita and was ranked highly by the Eleventh Finance Commission for its infrastructure.

When it came to a place for the best quality of life in India, Goa was ranked on top by the National Commission on Population.

Having that information under our belts, we can assume that with as high of a population that India has and Goa being ranked so high for its economy and quality of life, the quality of casinos in Goa are not going to be your middle-of-the-road type of joint.

You’re going to feel like a king inside of his castle.

Indian infrastructure is one of a kind. Plus, you’re in an area in India where the culture and people are generally kind and loving. Going back to the third-smallest casino on the list, Casino Palms definitely meets every expectation that you could possibly have and then some.

You never really think of India when it comes to the gambling world and tourist destinations for casino goers, but regardless of its size and being the third smallest casino in the world, don’t let that be something that would stop you from going.

Casino Palms is one of the most relaxing destinations in the world, with its spa and beach access, while also being a fun family friendly destination. It also makes an ideal business, wedding, or banqueting venue.

“Relax and Rejuvenate at the spa, dine on taste-bud tantalizing treats, play on Baga beach, or keep toned up and trimmed down in the gym. This venue is the complete package.”

Accommodation comes in the form of villas, beach villas, cottages, suites, and deluxe hotel rooms. Within the resort, its dining opportunities provide three different multi-cuisine restaurants, where a customer could have a different dining experience every day.

Thirsts are quenched in La Pub and La Splash. La Splash will be your go-to spot if you’re in the mood for a more exotic cocktail.

4 – Deltin Royale

You know that when a casino is located on a small cruise ship, it’s not exactly going to be like walking into Winstar in Oklahoma.

But even still, The Deltin Royale is still one of the most unique gambling experiences in the world. The whole point of the casino is that it can ferry players offshore and into international waters.

Once in international waters, the cruise ship no longer sits in the jurisdiction of Indian International gambling laws. As far as how small the casino is, there’s a limited amount of gambling tables, but there’s still a pretty wide choice of games.

Texas Hold’em Poker, American Roulette, Indian Flush (Teen Patti), Baccarat, Blackjack, Slot Machines, Three-Card Draw Poker, Five-Card Poker, Mini-Flush, Casino War, and Money Wheel are all games you will have access to on the Deltin Royal.

Regardless of the fact that it might be one of the smallest operating casinos in the world, it’s still one of the most highly rated. Residents and tourists both love the chance to be able to gamble at a legal casino in India, despite the boat ride.

5 – North Cadbury Court

Making number five on our list, look no further than North Cadbury in Somerset, England. The most interesting thing that I could note about this casino is that it is actually situated underground.

That’s right. The North Cadbury Court is a popular and gorgeous venue for weddings, corporate events, private parties. But then, somewhere along the way, they took it upon themselves to convert their entire basement into a private casino with the maximum capacity of 30 people.

This is the main reason why this casino shows up on the list. I don’t know about you, but 30 people is a pretty small guest list, so it really is the type of place that you’re mostly going to visit if you’re in a private party.

Unless you’ve visited Lola’s Underground Casino, then it’s probably likely that you have limited experience with gambling in casinos that are underground.

The gaming area of Cadbury Court is extremely restricted. You can just about guarantee that there is not another casino experience out there that could compare to the underground casino of North Cadbury Court.

Conclusion

If tiny is your thing, these are about the tiniest casinos you’re going to find. Is there anything I left off my list? Let me know in the comments.