There are thousands of reasons to visit Ireland on holiday whether it be traveling the Wild Atlantic Way, exploring the history of monuments like the GPO or veering off the beaten track and taking in some of the weird and wonderful rural sights that this great country has to offer.
If you’re heading on holiday to Ireland and are a casino gambling connoisseur then you may be disappointed by what the country has to offer in that regard. The Republic of Ireland and Northern Ireland both have slightly more restrictive gambling laws than other nearby European countries.
That doesn’t mean it’s impossible to enjoy a slot machine, a high stakes game of poker or a bit of blackjack in Belfast, Dublin or Limerick though. It just means that your phone might be your first port of call when it comes to gambling in Ireland, which isn’t the end of the world especially when 888 are offering an online poker no deposit bonus at the moment.
If an online app just doesn’t satisfy that craving for casino gaming, there are options in Ireland and here are the best of them…
Fitzpatrick’s Casinos
If you’re American you might baulk at the idea of these type of places being described as casinos but bear with us… Whilst a more casino savvy patron might deem Fitzpatrick’s Casinos to be nothing more than an adult arcade, it does fill a need.
There are six establishments in the Republic run by Fitzpatrick’s, one in Dún Laoghaire (pronounced Dun Leery to our non-Irish brethren), two in Limerick and three in Dublin. Inside them you’ll find a wide array of slots and video games, including things like video poker and virtual roulette.
North of the border Oasis Gaming establishments offer a similar, slightly smaller array of games with the largest ones to be found in Belfast. There are however many more dotted around the north with the second largest amount to be found in Derry.
Empire Casino
Again this is another variation on the theme of an ‘adult arcade’. The reason we include this one specifically is not because it’s got over 200 terminals with every table game imaginable playable.
We have included it because it’s the only place we know of that offers free spins and bonuses to new players; currently they’re offering 50 Euros in free bets to new members.
So if you’re visiting on your holidays, then this could be the best place to go and enjoy a bit of casual gambling fun.
Naturally it’s in Dublin, just down from Trinity College on the banks of the River Liffey.
The Sporting Emporium
Dermot Desmond is not only the owner of the best moustache in Europe nay, the world! He is also one of Ireland’s richest men with a wealth estimated to be worth 2.04 billion euros and the man responsible for the country’s largest gambling hall: The Sporting Emporium.
Just off Anne Street in Dublin, The Sporting Emporium welcomes beginners and seasoned gamblers alike. If you want to head down and sign up you’ll need to bring along a copy of your photo ID.
Once signed up you’ll be given an hour long beginners introduction to table games before being allowed to roam the hall yourself. There you’ll find a huge selection of table games with a wide range of buy ins.
(What a mousetache!)
The Carlton Casino
For some reason when we first wrote that the first image that sprung to mind was Carlton from the Fresh Prince of Bel Air. Unfortunately this casino on O’Connell Street in Dublin doesn’t feature any dancing Carltons but it does undoubtedly have the best décor of any casino in the country.
Designed with the Roaring Twenties in mind, the Carlton’s Art Deco theme gives it a sophisticated and upmarket vibe and as such it would be a smart idea to dress up well before heading here. You might be able to come back from a day trekking the Mournes and go straight into a Fitzpatrick’s casino but that’s not the case here!
If you’re with someone who doesn’t particularly like gambling, the Carlton has a great restaurant and bar. Which is where they can wait whilst you play that game of poker ey?
In Summary
Las Vegas it certainly is not, but there are still options out there for gambling fans in Ireland. Much like our economy and everything else for that matter, the main thrust of things tends to be in Dublin.
But that just goes to make the rest of the country more special in our opinion. Sure, you can gamble, visit Google HQ and tour the Guinness brewery in Dublin but can you visit the grave of the Abhartach (The Irish Vampire) in Dublin? Nope.