Casinos
Costa Rica Casinos
If you love gambling and casinos, Costa Rica is an excellent destination. With increasingly high incomes and numbers of foreign tourists coming to Costa Rica, the gambling industry has truly benefited.
There are Casinos in most of the popular tourist areas, and in all of the large cities. They are usually found in part of a large hotel, however, they are not like the huge casinos found in Las Vegas. They are fairly informal places, and dress codes are casual. Minimum bets in most places start at about 100 Colones (about $2).
The most popular Casino game is “Rummy,” which is similar to 21 or blackjack but with tico rules. You get two cards, and you can then ask for another card or, if you have 21 or close to 21, stay with the two you have. As in blackjack, the idea is to get as close to 21 as possible without going over. All the rules just mentioned are just like blackjack. Here is where the game differs from blackjack: if your first three cards are the same, three-of-a-kind, or a straight (say 4, 5 & 6 of the same suit), you have a ‘rummy’ and you are paid double. If your three-of-a-kind happen to be three sevens (which is 21), you get an even higher bonus. However, if you get 21 with two cards, or five cards without breaking 21, there’s no double bonus, as you’d get in many other international casinos. Splitting pairs is allowed, as is doubling down.
Some of the other games include roulette, where the numbers are drawn from a lottery tumbler rather than spun on a roulette wheel. There are also electric slot machines; however, most are different from the Las Vegas styled machines. There are also other uniquely “tico” card games you’ll need to learn before you can play
Costa Rica Casino Quick Reference Guide:
|
Best Western Irazú Casino & Hotel |
|
San José |
|
Europa Hotel, Casino & Spa |
|
San José |
|
Aurola Holiday Inn & La Palma Aurola Casino |
2222 2424 |
San José |
|
Barceló Amapola & Jazz Casino |
2643 3337 |
Playa de Jaco |
|
Barceló Playa Langosta Resort & Casino |
2653 0363 |
La Uruca |
|
Barceló Playa Tambor Resort & Casino |
2683 0303 |
Tambor Puntarenas |
|
Barceló San José Palacio Spa & Casino |
2220 2034 |
San José |
|
Best Western El Sitio Hotel & Casino |
2666 1211 |
Liberia |
|
Caribbean Village Fiesta |
2663 0808 |
El Roble |
|
Club Colonial Casino Bar & Restaurant |
2258 2807 |
San José |
|
Del Rey Hotel & Casino del Rey |
2257 7800 |
San José |
|
Fiesta Casino – Garden Court Hotel |
2443-0043 |
San José |
|
Fiesta Casino – Heredia |
|
Heredia |
|
Fiesta Resort and Casino |
2663 0808 |
Puntarenas |
|
Flor De Itabo Hotel & Casino |
2670 0011 |
Playas del Coco |
|
Gran Hotel & Casino – Costa Rica |
2222 6126 |
San José |
|
Horseshoe Casino |
2233 4383 |
San José |
|
Hotel & Country Club del Sur & Casino del Sur |
2770 3536 |
Perez Zeledon |
|
Hotel Cocal & Casino |
2643 3592 |
Playa de Jaco |
|
Hotel Coco Verde & Coco Verde Casino |
2670 0494 |
Playas del Coco |
|
Hotel Costa Rica Morazán & Casino Tropical |
2219 2470 |
San José |
|
Hotel Flamingo Beach Resort & Jazz Casino |
2654 4444 |
Guanacaste |
|
Hotel Herrudura Resort & Casino Krystal |
2239 0033 |
San José |
|
Hotel Tamarindo Diriá & Jazz Casino Tamarindo |
2653 0409 |
Playa de Tamarindo |
|
Hotel Tioga & Casino Playa de Oro |
2661 0271 |
Puntarenas |
|
Hotel Yadran & Casino Adriatico |
2661 2662 |
Puntarenas |
|
Irazú Hotel Best Western & Casino Concorde |
2232 7910 |
La Uruca |
|
Kamuk Hotel & Gallo Casinos |
2777 3654 |
Quepos |
|
Los Suenos Marriot Golf Resort & Stellaris Casino |
2630 9000 |
Playa Herradura |
|
Martino Resort Spa & Martino’s Casino |
2433 8382 |
La Garita de Alajuela |
|
Melia Cariari Hotel & Country Club |
2239 0022 |
Cariari |
|
Meliá Cariari Casino |
2239 0022 |
San José |
|
Morazon Hotel and Casino |
|
San José |
|
Paradisus Playa Conchal & Jazz Casino Conchal |
2654 4510 |
Cabo Velas Santa Cruz |
|
Presidente Hotel & Casino Fiesta |
2221 3832 |
San José |
|
Quality Hotel Centro Colon & Casino Costa Rica |
2248 0958 |
San José |
|
Radisson Hotel & Casino Europa |
2256 4949 |
Goicoechea |
|
Royal Dutch Hotel & Casino |
2222 1414 |
San José |
|
The Jungle Casino Bar & Restaurant |
2221 4994 |
San José |
|
Tryp Corobici Casino |
2232 8122 |
San José |
by Diana Wilson
