Dubbed ‘the most beautiful casino in the world’ by Marlene Dietrich, Casino Baden-Baden is situated in the spa town of the same name, on the edge of the Black Forest, in the state of Baden-Württemberg in south-western Germany. Housed in the classically inspired Kurhaus, built between 1821 and 1824, Casino Baden-Baden was taken over by Jacques Bénazet, who had previously run the Palais Royal in Paris, in 1838. Granted his heritage, it is no surprise that Bénazet based the interior design of Casino Baden-Baden on that of stately French palaces, with rich, intricately designed furniture and fittings, including an abundance of chandeliers, mirrors and gold leaf

Even today, although the halcyon days of Casino Baden-Baden are long gone, the large gambling hall still evokes the spirit of the Belle Époque, in terms of opulence and style. At 2,200 square feet, the casino floor is small by usual standards, but – notwithstanding the modern slot machines that occupy much of the floor space – patrons can immerse themselves in an ‘old school’ gambling experience. Time-honoured classics, such as blackjack, poker, punto banco and roulette – American and French – are available in the table games section. The thought of a modern nightclub in such a venerable building may seem a little incongruous but, while trendy and upbeat, Club Bernstein is stylishly decorated and provides an intimate, almost exclusive, setting in which to enjoy playing poker and roulette.

The central Austrian city of Salzburg, near the German border, is probably best known as the birthplace of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and the setting for the Rogers and Hammerstein musical ‘The Sound of Music’. However, from a gambling perspective, Salzburg – or rather Wals-Siezenheim, two-and-a-half miles west of Salzburg – has, since 1993, been home to Casino Salzburg.

Casino Salzburg is housed in Schloss Klessheim, which originally dates from the turn of the eighteenth century and is a fine example of the Baroque architecture for which Salzburg is renowned. However, beyond the impressive exterior, guests can find a modern, recently restored, renovated and redesigned casino floor.

Various gaming areas, which collectively cover about 25,000 square feet, or just over half an acre, incorporate 30 or so gaming tables. Poker, including two variants, known as ‘Tropical Stud’ and ‘Easy Hold’em’, which allow players to bet against the bank, rather than each other, is very much in evidence, with 11 tables in total. So, too, are blackjack and American, double-zero roulette, but baccarat and punto banco are also available. Electronic gaming machines and slot machines are plentiful, with over 200 to choose from.

Visitors should be aware that they will be required to produce a passport and pay a fee – at the time of writing, €30 – to enter Casino Salzburg. However, the €30 cover charge is, effectively, refunded in the form of casino chips or a slot machine card.