Place guide · Monaco-Ville
Monte Carlo Casino
Casino de Monte-CarloA Belle Époque gambling palace opened in 1863, its marble halls, gold-leaf salons and terrace gardens have drawn aristocracy and celebrities for over a century and a half.
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A closer look
The Casino de Monte-Carlo occupies a Belle Époque palace designed by Charles Garnier, the same architect who created the Paris Opéra, and the exterior announces nothing of the theatrical wealth within its halls
Inside, the main gaming rooms are a succession of gilded salons: the Salle Blanche with its white and gold rococo plasterwork, the private gaming room for high rollers behind velvet curtains, and the original casino cages with their ornate brass grilles still intact
The terrace and gardens overlook the Mediterranean and the row of superyachts anchored in Port Hercule below, making the building as much a viewing platform for the monied as it is a gambling venue
The Opéra de Monte-Carlo shares the same architect and is attached to the casino complex; together they form the Monte-Carlo Casino cultural precinct that remains the symbolic heart of the Principality's international identity
The dress code and the security presence at the entrance are part of the performance: the casino has always sold an atmosphere of exclusivity as much as the games themselves, a tradition maintained with theatrical consistency. Despite the presence of slot machines in the lobby that welcome casual visitors, the inner gaming rooms retain an atmosphere of ceremonial restraint, with uniformed croupiers and a hushed intensity around the roulette tables
The building's relationship with James Bond cinema history adds a layer of popular mythology to the architecture, but even visitors with no interest in gambling find the interior ornamental programme — frescoed ceilings, Lalique glasswork, marble floors — worth the price of admission
The Salle Rose, added in the early 20th century, is considered the most ornate of the secondary gaming rooms and features pink marble columns and an intricately painted ceiling depicting mythological scenes that were commissioned specifically to rival the decorative programmes of the great European palaces of the period
The original gaming tables in the Bibliothèque room have been preserved behind glass and remain in their 1863 configuration, giving a direct sense of the spatial scale of the original casino design which subsequent expansions have never fundamentally altered
The casino complex also contains the offices of the Monte-Carlo Société des Bains de Mer, the resort company that operates the casino and which has been central to Monaco's economic model since the 1860s
The private gaming rooms on the upper floor, accessible only to those who register as members, are where the most significant amounts of money in Monaco change hands each year, though no public figures are ever published about actual volumes
The history of the casino as Monaco's financial saviour is told in detail in the small museum within the complex, which documents the economic desperation of the Grimaldi family before 1863 and the remarkable success of the casino as a revenue-generating enterprise that followed.
The Belle Époque interior is one of the most opulently decorated secular interiors in Europe, designed by Charles Garnier of Paris Opéra fame.
The terrace views over Port Hercule and the Mediterranean make it a visual destination even without entering the gaming rooms.
It is the symbolic anchor of Monaco's identity as a playground for the world's wealthiest visitors.
Before you go
Current details checked July 2026
- Best season
- Spring and autumn provide comfortable temperatures for standing on the terrace; the Monaco Grand Prix weeks in May make the area extremely crowded.
Summer evenings are warm and the casino is lit beautifully, but the harbour below can smell of diesel during peak season.
Editorial guidance - Before you go 1
- Bring your passport; non-EU visitors need identification to enter the gaming rooms.Editorial guidance
- Before you go 2
- The dress code requires smart casual at minimum in the gaming rooms; shorts and flip-flops are refused entry.Editorial guidance
- Before you go 3
- EU citizens can visit the slot-machine lobby without identification; the inner rooms require a passport scan.Editorial guidance
- Before you go 4
- The attached Opéra de Monte-Carlo offers world-class performances; check the schedule to combine a visit.Editorial guidance
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Practical notes
Note 1
The casino opened in 1863 as a means to rescue the Grimaldi family's finances.
Note 2
Charles Garnier, architect of the Paris Opéra, designed the casino building.
Note 3
It remains privately operated and is not owned by the Monégasque state.
Note 4
The Formula 1 Grand Prix runs along avenue de Monte-Carlo adjacent to the casino in May.