Laos, the quiet, laid back country located between Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and China, is home to three casinos. One is located in the border city of Savannakhet, another 60 kilometres north of the capital Vientiane, and another near the Thai border in Bokeo Province.
Pha That Luang, Vientiane, Laos I © danou_info
Gambling is technically against the law in Laos, with significant fines for illegal gaming. Despite this, the Laos government has recently established new Special Economic Zones to allow some casinos to operate beyond the reach of the country’s gambling laws.
The casinos of Laos are far from glamorous, but they’re a reasonably good choice for gambling if you’re based in Thailand, can tolerate a fairly limited selection of machines and table games and don’t want to travel to gaming hubs like Singapore, Manila or Macau.
Savannakhet
- Savannakhet is a provincial capital city in Laos, a short distance from the border with the Thai province of Mukdahan. With a population of 120,000, Savannakhet is the second largest city in Laos, after the capital Vientiane.
- Savannakhet is home to the Savan Vegas Hotel and Casino — a reasonably large casino that’s aimed squarely at Thais looking to avoid Thailand’s strict gambling laws. Savan Vegas, as well as all other casinos in Laos, uses Thai baht and forbids entry to Lao citizens.
Savan Vegas Hotel & Casino
Savan-Vegas © princeroy
Location: Nongdeune Village, Savannakhet Province. Accessible by bus from the Thai-Laos border.
- Savan Vegas is a large casino just three kilometres from the Thai border. Open since 2009, it’s one of the largest developments in the Savannakhet area and a major source of tourism for the otherwise quiet city.
- Rooms are Savan Vegas are simple but reasonably comfortable, with basic furniture and limited hotel services. Wi-Fi access throughout the hotel is poor and the remote location (Savan Vegas is 10 minutes from Savannakhet) means there’s little to do other than gamble.
- As a casino destination, Savan Vegas is a reasonably good choice. The casino has a gaming area of nearly 5,000 square metres with 500 slot and computer gaming machines and 85 table games.
- Baccarat, blackjack, roulette, sic bo, Caribbean stud poker and other popular table games are available with low minimum bets. The casino also has a sports book where visitors can bet on football, golf and other popular sports.
Kings Romans Casino
- The Kings Roman Casino is a new casino in Bokeo Province — a remote part of Laos close to the borders with Thailand, Myanmar and China. The casino, which was developed by Hong Kong-based Kings Romans Group, is primarily marketed towards Chinese tourists.
- With signs in Chinese and an entire fleet of limousines waiting to pick up VIP guests, the Kings Roman Casino is a somewhat extravagant slice of new money China in an otherwise quiet part of Laos. Thai baht and Chinese yuan are both accepted inside the casino.
- Classic table games such as baccarat, blackjack and roulette are available, as are a variety of slot machines. There are several restaurants in the casino, some of which serve exotic animals such as tiger and snake for guests.
Dansavanh Nam Ngum Resort Casino
- Located 60 kilometres north of Vientiane on the way to the popular tourist destination of Luang Prabang, Dansavanh Nam Ngum Resort Casino is a casino and golf resort. The development has a modern hotel with a swimming pool and spa, several nightclubs and a restaurant.
- Dansavanh Nam Ngum is a mid-sized casino with a selection of 150 slot and electronic gaming machines and 60 table games. Popular games such as baccarat, blackjack and roulette are all available for guests. Sports betting is also available.