What is the best casino in Australia?

Have you ever wondered what the best land-based casino in Australia is? When it comes to determining the luckiest place Down Under, we need to take a look at each venue, where it is located, and what it has to offer. We’ve done the work for you, covering each iconic Aussie venue across our eight states and territories.

Tasmania

Wrest Point Hotel and Casino

Established in 1939, this casino was the first to open legally in Australia.

• Location: Hobart, Tasmania
• Gaming floor size: 20,000 square feet
• Number of pokies: Around 650
• Table games: Blackjack, Roulette, Rapid Roulette, bBccarat, Pontoon, the Wheel – games only open from 2pm till late
• Table minimums: From $5 on Friday nights between 8:30pm and 9:30pm, $10 minimums every other time
• Blackjack house edge: 0.513%
• Poker: Yes, in the poker pit only open on on Wednesdays and Thursdays from 6pm till late, and Friday and Saturdays from 8pm till late

Advantages: Great for those after a history lesson with their gaming.

Drawbacks: Gaming isn’t available 24/7.

Country Club Casino

Country Club Casino in Tasmania was opened in 1982 and was the third venue in Australia to open.

• Location: Launceston, Tasmania
• Number of pokies: Around 500
• Table games: Federal Baccarat, American Roulette, Rapid Roulette, Texas Hold’em, Federal Pontoon, Blackjack, and the Wheel. Only open from 2pm to 1am Sunday to Thursday and 1pm to 3am on Friday and Saturday
• Table minimums: From $5
• Blackjack house edge: 0.501%
• Poker: Yes, located among the table games

Advantages: A lower house edge on blackjack than Wrest Point casino.

Drawbacks: Gaming isn’t available 24/7.

Northern Territory

Sky City Casino

Sky City Casino is the only casino venue in Darwin since it opened in 1983 (initially known as the Mindil Beach Casino).

• Location: Darwin, Northern Territory
• Gaming floor size: 70,000 square feet
• Number of pokies: Around 750
• Table games: Baccarat, Roulette, Rapid Roulette, Caribbean Stud, Blackjack, and the Wheel, open from midday till 4am from Sunday to Thursday and at 6am on Friday and Saturday
• Table minimums: From $5 to $10
• Blackjack house edge: 0.513%
• Poker: Yes, located among the table games

Advantages: A huge $19 million has been won playing baccarat here.

Drawbacks: Gaming isn’t available 24/7 and no dedicated poker room.

Lasseters Hotel and Casino

Lasseters opened in 1981 and is the centre of entertainment in Alice Springs.

• Location: Alice Springs, Northern Territory
• Gaming floor size: 13,200 square feet
• Number of pokies: Around 330
• Table games: American Roulette, Blackjack, Texas Hold’em, Omaha Poker, Three Card Poker, Progressive Texas Hold’em, Baccarat, Craps, Caribbean Stud and Pontoon. Tables open from 3pm till 3am on Sunday to Thursday and 3pm till 4am on Friday and Saturday
• Table minimums: From $5 to $10
• Blackjack house edge: 0.513%
• Poker: Yes, located among the table games

Advantages: A progressive Texas Hold’em poker variant.

Drawbacks: Gaming isn’t available 24/7

New South Wales

The Star

The Star, formerly Sydney Harbour Casino and the Star City Casino, opened temporarily in 1994 and permanently in 1997.

• Location: Sydney, New South Wales
• Gaming floor size: 104,450 square feet
• Number of pokies: Just under 1500 (maximum allowed due to legislation)
• Table games: Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat, Poker, Pai Gow, Craps, Sic Bo, and Poker – open 24/7
• Table minimums: From $10
• Blackjack house edge: 0.554%
• Poker: Yes, 20 poker tables located in the Star Poker room on the main gaming floor (at the time of writing it is temporarily located next to the Cherry bar) with weekly tournaments, as well as the major events such as the Australasian Poker Challenge

Advantages: Huge gaming floor, table games open 24/7, and a dedicated poker area.

Drawbacks: Higher table game minimums.

Victoria

Crown Casino

Crown Casino Melbourne was opened in 1997 and is the biggest brick and mortar casino in Australia.

• Location: Melbourne, Victoria
• Gaming floor size: 220,000 square feet
• Number of pokies: 2500
• Table games: Roulette, Blackjack, Rapid Blackjack, Blackjack Plus, Baccarat, Casino War, Mississippi Stud, Electronic Baccarat, Poker War, Pai Gow, Craps, Sic Bo, Poker, Pontoon Pandemonium, Three Card Poker, Triple Chase, Roulette Match, and WSOP Bonus Texas Hold’em
• Table minimums: From $10
• Blackjack house edge: 0.513%, though Blackjack Plus has a 2.86% house edge
• Poker: Yes, over 50 poker tables in a dedicated poker room. Crown Melbourne also hosts major events such as the Aussie Millions Poker Championship

Advantages: Biggest casino in Australia with the largest number of pokies. Exclusive games in including Poker War (hybrid of Casino War and Poker), and a dedicated poker room which offers the best in Australia.

Drawbacks: Blackjack Plus offers the worst rules for a player with the highest house edge and is the most common blackjack variant found here.

Western Australia

Crown Perth

Formerly know as Burswood Casino when it opened in 1985, Crown Perth is the sister casino to Crown Melbourne.

• Location: Perth, Western Australia
• Gaming floor size: 60,000 square feet
• Number of pokies: No pull down lever pokies due to legislation but over 1500 coin operated machines
• Table games: Roulette, Rapid Roulette, Blackjack, Blackjack Plus, Baccarat, Casino War, Crown Stud Poker, Money Wheel, Casino Hold’em, Pai Gow, Vegas Star Roulette – tables open 24/7
• Table minimums: From $5
• Blackjack house edge: 0.561%, though Blackjack Plus has a 2.86% house edge
• Poker: Yes, over 12 poker tables in a dedicated poker room. Crown Perth also hosts some major events including the Qualifying Poker Tournament for Aussie Millions Main Event (held at Crown Melbourne)

Advantages: Only venue in Australia to host a legal two up ring.

Drawbacks: Blackjack Plus is common.

Queensland

Jupiters Casino

Jupiters Casino opened in 1985 and was Queensland’s first casino.

• Location: Gold Coast, Queensland
• Gaming floor size: 65,000 square feet
• Number of pokies: 1600
• Table games: Jupiters 21 (Pontoon), Blackjack Challenge, Blackjack, Double Zero Roulette, Roulette, Mini Baccarat, Craps, Sic Bo, Casino War, The Wheel – open 24/7
• Table minimums: From $5
• Blackjack house edge: 0.534
• Poker: Yes, open from midday every day on the main gaming floor

Advantages: Large number of pokies, and exclusive games such as Jupiters 21.

Drawbacks: Poker isn’t available 24/7.

The Reef Casino

The Reef Casino opened in 1996 and is the only casino in Cairns/

• Location: Cairns, Queensland
• Gaming floor size: 75,000 square feet
• Number of pokies: Around 500
• Table games: Blackjack, Roulette, Rapid Roulette, Mini and Midi Baccarat, Sic-Bo, Reef Routine, Paradise Pontoon and the Money Wheel. Tables open with the casino from Sunday to Thursday at 9am to 3am, and Friday and Saturday at 9am to 5am
• Table minimums: From $5
• Blackjack house edge: 0.561%
• Poker: Yes, Texas Hold’em only, played in the Sports Arena from Thursday through to Sunday at 7pm

Advantages: Exclusive games such as Reef Routine.

Drawbacks: Poker isn’t available 24/7 and is limited to Texas Hold’em only.

Treasury Casino

The Treasury Casino opened in 1995 in Brisbane.

• Location: Brisbane, Queensland
• Gaming floor size: 67,000 square feet
• Number of pokies: Around 500
• Table games: Roulette, Blackjack, Treasury 21, Mini Baccarat, Treasury Wheel, Sic Bo, Craps, and Poker – open 24/7
• Table minimums: From $5
• Blackjack house edge: 0.534%
• Poker: Yes, a dedicated poker room which hosts diverse events including ‘Super 90′ and ‘Bounty Hunter’ tournaments

Advantages: Diverse poker tournaments.

Drawbacks: Not as many table games as you will find at other land-based venues.

South Australia

Adelaide Casino

Adelaide Casino opened in 1985 and is the only casino in South Australia.

• Location: Adelaide, South Australia
• Gaming floor size: 18,000 square feet
• Number of pokies: Over 1000
• Table games: Roulette, Rapid Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat, Rapid Baccarat, The Wheel, Caribbean Stud, Lucky Big Wheel, Sic Bo, Free Bet Blackjack, and Poker – open 24/7
• Table minimums: From $5
• Blackjack house edge: 0.615%
• Poker: Yes, a dedicated poker room known as the Poker Zone

Advantages: A wide range of table games, poker and pokies.

Drawbacks: Blackjack house edge is higher than other land-based venues, not including Blackjack Plus.

Australian Capital Territory

Canberra Casino

Canberra Casino opened in 1994 and is the only casino in Australia not to have pokies.

• Location: Canberra, Australia Capital Territory
• Gaming floor size: 38,000 square feet
• Number of pokies: None (they are illegal in ACT)
• Table games: Blackjack, Roulette, Pai Gow, Mini-Baccarat, Money Wheel, Rapid Roulette and Canberra Poker – open from midday to 4pm with the casino
• Table minimums: From $5
• Blackjack house edge: 0.542%
• Poker: At the time of writing the poker room has been shut down for renovations

Advantages: An array of casino style games, with plenty of room due to the lack of pokies.

Drawbacks: No pokies, and at the time being no poker room.

Our favourite Australian casino

Our favourite has to be the biggest – Crown Casino Melbourne – thanks to the huge array of table games, though not Blackjack Plus, and the poker tournaments on offer. However, as you can see each offers their own gaming style and facilities so it comes down to what you prefer as a player.