For the gamblers: the casino guide of Budapest
Flashing lights, buzzing sounds, and the unparalleled adrenaline rush of winning – visit the exciting casinos of Budapest!
- • Gambling is legal and strictly regulated in Hungary. Budapest is home to several high-end, legitimate casinos, the most prominent chain being the ‘Las Vegas Casino’, which operates multiple branches such as at Sofitel, Corvin, and Atlantis.
- • To enter a casino in Budapest, you must be at least 18 years old and you are legally required to present a valid physical passport or EU ID card upon your first visit to register.
- • The dress code for Budapest casinos is generally ‘smart casual’. While tuxedos are not required, you should avoid wearing beachwear, athletic shorts, or flip-flops. Most casinos offer traditional table games like Roulette, Blackjack, and Poker, alongside hundreds of modern slot machines.
Do you ever see a wasp fight and immediately throw in a greenback yelling “a fiver on the stripy one!”? Have three buckets in a row ever made you wonder which one hides the ball? Did you catch your wife cheating on you, but manage to keep a perfect poker face without so much as a flinch of an eye? Then we have both good and bad news for you. The bad news is you’re probably a gambling addict. And the good? There are plenty of casinos in Budapest! Read on to find out where to go if you want to spin the wheel of fortune.
When visiting this mesmerizing city, you have literally thousands of activities to pick from. You can go for typical touristy things like visiting thermal baths and the Buda Castle, going on Danube cruises and wine tasting events, eating typical Hungarian dishes, and buying Herend porcelain. Or you can pick nocturnal activities like visiting nightclubs, raves, ruin pubs, or if you’ve done them all too, step up your game and hit the casinos of Budapest! In all fairness, we obviously can’t compare Budapest to Las Vegas or any other real gambling heaven, but should you have your heart set on some heavy gambling opportunities, you have plenty of options and locations to choose from. Are you ready to immerse yourself in the flashing, buzzing, rattling, adrenaline-soaked world of casinos? Then let’s roll the dice and dive deep into it.
One casino chain to rule them all
Similarly to a fair number of areas of life in Hungary, there’s a heavy monopoly situation when it comes to casinos asl well, meaning there’s only one company that offers gambling services throughout Budapest. The corporation is called Las Vegas (are you wondering how they could come up with this original idea as well?) owning 5 venues spread loosely around the city.
1. Corvin
Let’s start our list with the largest one laying in the 8th district of Budapest, situated on Corvin sétány (promenade). With a respectable 1200 m² overall playing area, 4 American Roulettes, 5 card tables (while most venues only have Blackjack, Punto Banco & Ultimate Texas Hold’em), 7 electronic roulettes (Alfastreet, Amatic Grand Jeu, EGT Vega8, Novomatic Lotus), and more than 260 slot machines (all venues have the following types: NOVOMATIC, EGT, AMATIC, APEX, MERKUR, AINSWORTH AMBASSADOR, IGT), this venue is the casino king of Budapest, where all games and machines can be played with HUF and EUR as well.
How to get here: take metro line 3 or tram 4-6 to Corvin-negyed, then walk to Corvin promenade, which is accessible either through Corvin Mall (hiding behind Corvin Cinema), or Práter Street.
2. Tropicana
Although our next contestant is the smallest in size, it has the best location, so if you’re looking for a convenient spot to try your luck, look no further than the immediate vicinity of Budapest’s number 1 fashion street. Sporting a 570 m² playing area, it’s less than half the size of its big brother, but with its 4 American Roulettes, 4 card tables, 4 electronic roulettes (Alfastreet, Amatic Grand Jeu, EGT Vega8II) and almost 160 slot machines, it’s still perfectly equipped for guests to win a ton of money.
How to get here: take metro line 1 to Vörösmarty tér, or tram line 2 to Vigadó tér. The casino is only a few minutes of straight walk from both directions.
3. Las Vegas Casino
If you’re getting sick and tired of the Tropicana spot, you don’t have to go far for the next Las Vegas casino as it’s literally 1000 feet away. This one is based in the Hotel Sofitel Budapest Chain Bridge and rocks a 720 m² play area with 21 live game tables (American Roulette, Punto Banco, Caribbean Stud Poker, Texas Hold’em Poker), 3 electronic roulette machines and 114 slot machines. All live games can be played with HUF and EUR, just like the Novomatic and Amatic slot machines that also accept both currencies, but the rest can only be used with HUF.
How to get here: take tram number 2 to Eötvös tér, or metro lines 1-2-3 or to Deák Ferenc tér.
The remaining two venues can be found further out from the city center, so there’s a chance you’ll never come across them, but it’s our holy duty to educate you about the gambling situation of Budapest, so here it is.
4. Atlantis
Atlantis casino is situated in the 14th district, offering 2 American Roulettes, 3 card tables, 6 electronic roulettes (Alfastreet, Amatic Grand Jeu, EGT Vega8) and 216 slot machines. It’s the second largest in size and equipment as well, so even though its location is not ideal from a tourist’s perspective, if you put size above all else, you could give this one a chance, too. At Atlantis, HUF is the only acceptable currency, but you can change your euros, dollars, or anything else right at the cash desk.
How to get here: take trolley bus 74 to Kassai tér (departing from Astoria). Alternatively, you can go by taxi for around 10-15 euros depending on your pick-up location.
5. Atrium
And ‘Las’ but not least: Atrium Eurocenter casino of the 3rd district. Boasting 2 American Roulette tables, 2 card game tables, 6 poker tournament tables and 4 electronic roulettes, as well as 166 slot machines, Atrium is also a pretty sizable gamble space. Unfortunately, though, as few tourists venture this far from downtown Budapest, no foreign currency is accepted here either. However, if you’re ever in the 3rd district and in possession of some money to gamble, you can change your foreign currency to HUF at the door.
How to get here: take tram 17/19/41 from the Buda side of Margit híd, which you can reach by tram line 4-6. Alternatively, you can go by taxi for around 10-15 euros depending on your pick-up location.
Opening hours, prices, and other useful information
Like any good sin-cave, these venues open 0-24, 7 days a week. The entry is free, and you spend as much as you want. There are high limit and low limit games in all the card games, but you can gamble as much as you want both at the roulette at the slot machines. If you wish to chase down your gambling with some hard drinks, be prepared for a rather hefty bill – drink prices aren’t the cheapest, but if you stick to beer, you can significantly lower the chances of having a heart attack when looking at your check total. If you’d like to know more about the games and machines of the Las Vegas casinos in Budapest, visit their website.
