Not all casinos are open 24 hours.
But most casinos in Las Vegas and London are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This is better for the players as if there is no closing time, they can gamble whenever they want.
In turn, this translates to more profit for the casino, at least in theory.
I’m a casino dealer, and I believe there are two main reasons some casinos are always open.
The first reason is that some people simply want to gamble without time restrictions.
The second reason is that by being open 24 hours, casinos can maximize their profit because some customers will play until they lose, every single time.
Some people want to gamble all the time
As a casino dealer, I’ve seen people play for over 24 hours in a row.
I’ve seen people leave the house at 3am because they couldn’t fall asleep and show up at the casino and play blackjack.
I’ve seen slot players glued to the screen right before clocking out at the end of my shift… then see them again the following night when I clocked in.
I’ve also heard of people who played poker for almost two days in a row. And so on and so on.
The thing is, some people really love gambling, and if they knew the casino shuts at a certain time, that would be an issue for them.
And I’m not even talking about pathological gamblers (although the examples mentioned above could clearly indicate a gambling problem).
Plus, think of people who work night shifts, or who can’t visit casinos during the more traditional hours because of their job or schedule.
If the casino is open 24 hours, then everyone gets the chance to walk in and enjoy their visit without having to worry about the closing time.
Most people gamble until they lose
Casinos make money because each game has a statistical advantage.
While anyone could get lucky, win a large sum, and cash out — in the long run the house edge guarantees profit for the casino.
That being said, the house edge isn’t that high.
The real reason casinos make money has a lot to do with the player’s psychology, which is: most people gamble until they lose.
Imagine someone’s winning a few thousands at the roulette table and wants to keep playing for a while (and therefore lose what they won, in most cases).
If the dealer suddenly announced the last three spins, and the table closed, the player would just cash out and leave.
Conversely, in a 24 hour casino this would never happen. It would be the player’s decision to leave, and it probably wouldn’t happen.
As a dealer, I’ve seen people win loads then lose it all (and more) simply because they just kept playing. Countless times.
Not all casinos are open 24 hours
I don’t want you to think that all casinos in the world are open 24 hours. It’s not like it’s a rule or tradition.
I’d say in the US, most casinos are indeed always open. 24 hours a day, seven days a week.
But then there are casinos that are only open in the evening and at night. For example, they may open at 12pm and shut at 4am.
You also need to take into account the fact that some casinos are open 24 hours, but it doesn’t apply to all their games.
For example, a casino that’s always open may only offer table games from 2pm, or 4pm. And the restaurant will probably close at a certain time as well.
Are Vegas casinos open 24 hours?
Yes. Most of them anyway. Even after the recent lockdowns.
Much like New York, Bangkok, and New Orleans — Las Vegas is the city that never sleeps.
The whole concept of going to bed early doesn’t seem to exist in Vegas, and most casinos don’t really have opening times.
Plus, if just one Vegas casino was open 24 hours, that would basically be an unfair advantage. So most casinos are always open anyway.
Are London casinos open 24 hours?
Again, the answer would be: most of them. As of February 3, 2022, these are the opening times of some of the most famous casinos in London.
Keep in mind, these do not include Christmas Day.
- The Hippodrome is open 24 hours. Table games are 24 hours. Poker is 12pm until 8am, and 24 hours on weekends.
- The Empire is open 24 hours, including both gaming and the poker room, although there may not be other poker players, say, on a Tuesday morning.
- The Palm Beach is open from 12 pm until 5am, seven days a week. Table games are available from 3pm though.
- Aspers Stratford is open seven days a week, from 10am until 5 in the morning.
- The Victoria is open 24 hours, including the famous poker room.
- The Rialto is also open 24 hours.
Final thoughts
Casinos have a unique atmosphere, and the fact that they’re always open (at least many of them are) make them even more attractive to those who want to stay up late but can’t find anywhere else to go.
For instance, in many towns in the UK, the casino may be the only place that’s open until 4 or 6 in the morning, at least on weekdays.
What’s great is you don’t have to play unless you want to. In most cases, it’s perfectly acceptable to go to the casino and not play. So you could just have a look or get a couple drinks at the bar.
Thanks for reading, and feel free to leave a comment below!
