Most Expensive Casinos in the World: Top 10 Locations
The world of land-based casinos is extensive and there are numerous locations all around the globe. Having said that, there are multiple ones that stand out. In today's article, we'll explore the most expensive casinos in the world, based on the cost that went into designing and building these amazing structures. We dare say, there are some incredible structures in this list and a few locations you might not have even heard of. After all, when you think of casinos, your mind goes straight to Vegas. If you don't have the opportunity to visit any of the locations on our list, fret not.
Produced by:
Editorial Team
Published: 27 January 2020
10. Wynn, Macao (1.3 billion USD)
We begin our list of the most expensive casinos in the world with Wynn Macao. It’s located in the Macao Special Administrative Region of the People’s Republic of China and is one of Wynn Resorts Limited’s most prominent properties. It opened its doors to the public on September 6th, 2006. Only a year later, the property was expanded, adding additional gaming space and various food, beverage and retail shops, furthering the variety on offer. The hotel has over 1,000 rooms and suites available with a gaming area spanning over 25,400m2 and 5,500m2 retail space. April 2010 saw the addition of another hotel tower, Encore at Wynn Macao and in 2014 the older hotel area was entirely renovated.
9. Bellagio, Las Vegas (1.7 billion USD)
Next up, we travel around the globe and land in Las Vegas, the capital of gambling. The Bellagio has been the stage of many gambling movies throughout the years and is famous all around the world. It first opened back in October 1998 with a grand ceremony, part of which was the Fountains of Bellagio, which cost no less than 40 million USD to build and have been used as the background of many movies, tv shows, and music videos. The Bellagio is famous for its high-stakes poker room and offers visitors more than 2,300 slots and 140 table games. Long-time owner MGM Resorts International sold the property to The Blackstone Group in November 2019 for 4.25 billion USD.
8. City of Dreams, Macao (2.1 billion USD)
In 8th place on our list of the most luxurious casinos in the world, we have City of Dreams located in Macao. It’s owned by Crown Resorts – an Australian gambling consortium, created by Australian businessman James Packer. Not only is it the country’s biggest gambling and resort group, Packer has a vision of taking Crown Resorts to the next level and creating a worldwide gambling empire. With its 39,000m2 gaming space, over 1,500 slots and 450 table games, we dare say, City of Dreams is on the right track.
7. Encore, Las Vegas (2.3 billion USD)
Originally envisioned as a hotel tower addition to its sister property, Wynn Las Vegas, Encore quickly became a full-fledged casino resort. Opened on December 22, 2018, Encore Las Vegas has over 2,500 hotel rooms, 7,400m2 casino floor and plenty of gambling variety at hand, including a sportsbook. It connects to Wynn via a shopping plaza, while visitors can enjoy the Encore Theatre or Wynn Golf Course to relax and prepare for their next gambling adventure.
6. Venetian, Macao (3 billion USD)
The Venetian Macao, modelled after its sister resort in Venetian Las Vegas, is 39 story casino-resort, located on the Cotai Strip in Macao. It holds the title for the largest casino in the world with over 51,000m2 of gaming space, 3,400 slots, 800 gaming tables and a large 15,000 seat arena for sporting events and entertainment. The property opened its doors to the public in August 2007 and has a 3,000 suites capacity.
5. Wynn, Las Vegas (3.3 billion USD)
Coming into our top 5 most expensive casinos in the world, we’re back in Las Vegas. Wynn, named after famous casino developer Steve Wynn, is a luxurious, flagship property of Wynn Resorts that covers over 87 ha. Not only does it have over 2,700 rooms and 45 hotel floors, but the casino is also exceptional covering almost 18,000m2. Wynn Las Vegas is one of the finest hotels in the world, having received multiple awards including Michelin five stars, Forbes five-star, Mobil five-star, and many more.
4. The Cosmopolitan, Las Vegas (3.9 billion USD)
Just outside the top 3, we have one of the most luxurious casinos in the world – The Cosmopolitan. Opened in December 2010, The Cosmo has received much praise for its amazing facilities and carries the award for the best hotel in the world by Gogobot, for 2013. A curious fact to note, regarding the construction of the property: Following The Palazzo, it’s the second hotel on the strip to feature underground parking, which is a feat considering the size of the property. Currently, it’s owned by The Blackstone Group.
3. Resorts World, Las Vegas (4.3 billion USD)
Now that we’re on the last leg of this list, we have a luxurious property that is still in the stages of being built. We’re talking about Resorts World, Las Vegas. After a few delays and redesigns, construction began in late 2017. Based on the plans, Resorts World is set to be the most expensive casino ever built in Las Vegas. It’s expected to open doors some time in 2021 but it remains to be seen whether Genting Group, who own the project, will be able to realise these plans.
2. Resorts World Sentosa, Singapore (4.9 billion USD)
Resorts World Sentosa is located on the southern coast of Singapore. It can be described as a standalone resort with its own Universal Studios theme park, water park and an exceptional aquarium where you can find the world’s second-largest oceanarium. It’s an enormous property, spanning over 120 acres. The casino gaming floor is located on 15,000m2 and there are 7 hotels to choose from for your stay. Throughout the resort, there are limitless entertainment and food options available. Owners of this massive project are again – Genting Group.
1. Marina Bay Sands, Singapore (5.88 billion USD)
The current holder of the title most expensive casino in the world is held by Marina Bay Sands in Singapore. Owned by Las Vegas Sands corporation, this amazing structure is comprised of three towers connected at the top by the world’s largest infinity pool – Marina Bay Sands SkyPark, which is 150m long and overhangs one of the towers by over 60m. The grand opening of this amazing casino resort was on February 17, 2011.
Despite the setbacks and enormous costs, Marina Bay Sands has proven to be a very successful investment for Las Vegas Sands. It also enabled the company to avoid bankruptcy not too long ago. More than 11 million people visited the resorts just during the first year of opening.
Final Words
We hope you’ve enjoyed our list of the most expensive casinos in the world. Having said that, we understand that not everyone can afford to visit these amazing places. Provided that is the case, consider choosing one of the best live dealer casino sites in the UK for an almost lifelike experience.. All of them are UKGC-certified so you can enjoy a safe and secure gambling experience.
