Panama Casinos

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 26th, 2010

Panama, a country in Central America, is divided into 11 cities in which there are numerous casinos. The only types of gambling that are legal in Panama are horse racing, pari-mutuel betting, and casinos. The majority of the Panama casinos and gambling facilities are located downtown in Panama City, with 22 of the total 36 in the country.

The largest casino in Panama City is the Casino Majestic, with over 53,000 square feet of gambling space. The Majestic, open 24 hours seven days a week, features 39 table games and 978 gaming machines, video poker and slots. Among the other popular casinos located in Panama City are in the Hotel Caesar Park, the Miramar Intercontinental, and the Hotel El Panama. The Crown Casino in the Caesar Park Hotel is in a prime location, central to the business district and the historic attractions of old Panama. The Crown Casino features table games of baccarat, blackjack, Caribbean Stud poker, Draw Poker, roulette, and craps, but no gaming machines. The Fiesta Casino in the El Panama has a great atmosphere, with 320 gaming machines and 16 table games of blackjack, roulette, poker, and baccarat. There are several other smaller casinos in Panama City, with gaming machines and a few table games, such as the Casino International, the Fiesta in the Gran Hotel Soloy, and the casino in the Riande Granada Hotel.

A fairly recent addition to the lineup of Panama casinos is the Veneto Hotel and Casino, a Vegas-style gambling facility, also in Panama City. The Veneto is perhaps the largest Panama casino with 40,000 square feet that includes 511 slots and 42 table games such as blackjack, Texas Hold'em and other poker, roulette, mini-baccarat, and craps.

Other Panama casinos can be found in cities such as Chiriqui, with two casinos; the larger of the two is the Casino Dorado with 318 slots and video poker machines and no table games. Other Panama casinos include the Casino Chitre in the Hotel Barcelo Guayacanes in the city of Herrera and the Gran David in Chorrera. The Hotel Washington Fiesta Casino in Colon has nine table games and 93 slots. In addition, the Hotel Royal Decameron Costa Blanca in Farallon has a casino with 50 slots and seven table games.

International investors continue to recognize the potential of further Panama casino development, especially with the proposed widening of the Panama Canal.