Luck of the Irish: Gaming in Dublin

Dublin, Ireland is a city rich in history from the building of Irish Castle to the founding of Guinness Brewery. But while its history is well known, Dublin’s vibrant gambling scene still has yet to be discovered by most of the world. So in order to shed some light on the fantastic Dublin gambling scene, let’s look at the casinos and other aspects that make Dublin such a great place to visit.

If you’re expecting to see 50-story hotel & casino resorts complete with roller coasters and rooftop pools in Dublin, you’ll be thoroughly disappointed. However, if are looking for some nice gambling action set in a city filled with character, you’ll love the Dublin casinos.

Dublin offers a large variety of betting options including regular casino games, sports betting and electronic gaming. If you’re interested in sports betting, the Sporting Emporium on South Anne Street is the place to go; they offer a unique sports betting area called the “Arena.” Those who want to get right down to gambling without any of the frills can visit Emerald Casino. Of course, nothing beats the historic charm offered by the Colossus Club where you can take in all of the sights and sounds of Dublin’s oldest casino.

There are even casinos that mainly cater to electronic gamblers such as the D1 Club and Club Oasis, which both have slots games lining the walls. And if you enjoy the casinos in Dublin, you’ll like the poker rooms even better.

With Dublin being home to so many pro poker players, it’s only natural that they offer some of Europe’s best poker rooms. The 78 Club has seen many poker greats walk through its door including Andy Black, Padraig Parkinson and Donna O’Dea. This being the case, many casual players enjoy playing at the poker club that spawned so many pros.

With over 60,000 members, the Fitzwilliam Casino & Card Club has another really popular poker room in Dublin. Big tournaments run here every day, and the £270 buy-in event at the end of the month is huge. Other quality poker rooms in Dublin include the Blazin Aces Texas Hold’em Club, the Jackpot Club and Amusement City. So if you’re looking to find some decent poker games in Dublin, make sure to check out these places.

One of the best things about Dublin casinos is that many of them are centrally located near pubs in the city. Amusement City is especially nice for those interested in pubs because it’s right across the street from the famous Temple Bar area. Temple Bar is home to some of Dublin’s best pubs, and it offers visitors a medieval look with cobblestone streets and ancient architecture. Some popular pubs in Temple Bar include the Auld Dubliner, Fitzsimons, Farrington’s and the Temple Bar.

There are plenty of great pubs outside of the Temple Bar area too including O’Donoghue’s, McDaid’s, Kitty O’Shea’s, Messrs McGuire, Kavanagh’s Pub and the Brazen Head. Both Kavanagh’s and Brazen Head are very interesting establishments since Brazen Head supposedly opened in 1198, and the erie Kavanagh’s lies at the gates of Glasnevin Cemetery.

If you plan on doing a little sightseeing during your gambling trip, Dublin has more than enough sites to accommodate you. One of the best places to start is with the aforementioned Irish Castle, which combines a new renovated look with older characteristics of this former Viking fortress. The Guinness Brewery is another main attraction in Dublin; here you’ll see the brewing process, the Gravity Bar and the Guinness transportation system.

St. Patrick’s Cathedral provides an excellent glimpse into history since it was constructed in 1191. Here you can view the grave of Dean Swift and Stella (from Gulliver’s Travels), plenty of gothic architecture and the extravagant Boyle family tomb. One more must-see while you’re in Dublin is Phoenix Park, which is the largest enclosed city park in the world.

There are plenty of other famous landmarks in Dublin that make this city a truly great place to visit. And if you’re a gambler, the large number of casinos and card rooms only sweeten the deal!