Situated south of Mexico, Central American nation Guatemala is home to the National Museum of Archaeology and Ethnology, the National Palace of Culture, antiquated Mayan locales, preserved Spanish frontier structures, espresso fields, rainforests and volcanoes. Couple these features with its tourist-friendly environment, and you have a flawless country.
History of Casinos in Guatemala
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The history of the Republic of Guatemala is quite intriguing, as well as its gambling history. Guatemala was an amalgamation of the Mayan civilization and Mesoamerica cultures. Then, Guatemala moved to an administration of the Spanish Conquistador Pedro de Alvarado – popularly called “the invader” by the Mayans – after the Spanish conquest of Guatemala from the 15th century to the 16th century.
After the conquest, Guatemala became a part of the Captaincy General of Guatemala consisting of the territories of Honduras, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Chiapas, Nicaragua, Campeche, and Tabasco. In 1821, the Captaincy General of Guatemala became independent of Spanish rule. At the same time, it became a constituent of the First Mexican Empire.
This went on until 1823 when the Federal Republic of Central America was created. The republic dissolved in 1841 and Guatemala finally became independent. This was when Guatemalans developed an interest in gambling. Throughout the country, Guatemalans participated in diverse forms of gambling activities even though the government didn’t license or regulate them. Lottery, especially, was a hotspot.
In 1880, the government introduced and passed the Penal Code of Guatemala. The law made all forms of gambling in the country illegal except lottery and bingo. In 1979, the 25th President of Guatemala – General Fernando Romeo Lucas García – brought about the rise of casinos built by foreign Cuban and Costa Rican investors within the country despite the restriction stated in the 1880 Penal Code of Guatemala.
The Casino Crown Coloninial Guatemala is one of the many casinos in Guatemala City casinos. It has – of slot, video poker, and multi-game machines, 11 table games. From reel slots to the newest video slot releases the game floor is always up to date. Parking spot is waiting for you! Casinos in Guatemala by Area. The largest gambling facility in Guatemala is Guatemala Princess Casino, which is located in Galerias Primma – a shopping mall in Ciudad de Guatemala, the country’s capital. The casino offers four poker tables, 282 gaming machines, 17 table games, and 19,375sq/ft gaming space. Best Casino Hotels in Guatemala City on Tripadvisor: Find 557 traveller reviews, 392 candid photos, and prices for casino hotels in Guatemala City, Guatemala. Casino Hotels in Guatemala City Current page Casino Hotels in Guatemala City Important: This destination may have COVID-19 travel restrictions in place, including specific restrictions for lodging. Check any national, local and health advisories for this destination before you book.
In 1982, General Rios Montt came into power. He was a direct opposite of the previous general; he was a devoted Christian who viewed gambling as a sinful act. So, he reinforced the closure of casinos indefinitely. And even after he was overthrown, casino gambling waw still illegal.
Casino In Guatemala City
Till this day, casino gambling is illegal in the country. However, many businesspeople and investors still offer a number of casinos in the country.
Current Gambling Climate
Technically speaking, casinos, slot parlours, sports betting shops, and other gambling facilities-except bingo halls and lottery providers-in Guatemala are not licensed, regulated, monitored, or secured by the government. In fact, all forms of gambling except bingo and lottery are illegal according to the 1880 Penal Code of Guatemala.
However, owners of the gambling facilities in Guatemala pretend to pay no attention to the restriction. Couple their intentional negligence with the government’s nonchalance, and we have a country where gambling is illegal but still popularly active.
Moving on, there is a total of ten casinos in the country. Most of these casinos offer loyalty programs, cash giveaways, bingo sessions, and special monthly promotions. Guatemalans are generally friendly, so you are rest assured your visit to Guatemala will be an easy one. The gambling atmosphere is pleasing, peaceful and marked with outright tranquillity.
Casinos in Guatemala by Area
The largest gambling facility in Guatemala is Guatemala Princess Casino, which is located in Galerias Primma – a shopping mall in Ciudad de Guatemala, the country’s capital. The casino offers four poker tables, 282 gaming machines, 17 table games, and 19,375sq/ft gaming space. Meanwhile, all ten casinos in Guatemala are spread across three cities.
Golden Princess Video Loteria is located in La Aurora. Casino Crown Coloninial Guatemala, Crowne Plaza Guatemala, Fantastic Casino – Las Majadas, Fantastic Casino – Los Capitol, Fantastic Casino – Los Proceres, Fantastic Casino – Metronorte, Video Loteria Monte Carlo, and Guatemala Princess Casino are all located in Ciudad de Guatemala. Lastly, Fantastic Casino – La Pradera Xela is situated in Quetzaltenango.
Types of Casinos in Guatemala
Unfortunately, there isn’t a single racetrack or racino in Guatemala. However, the country counteracts this shortcoming with ten traditional casinos. Most of these casinos are parts of big hotels, resorts or shopping malls.
They offer a wide range of games ranging from slot machines and blackjack to Caribbean Stud poker, American roulette, Texas Hold ‘Em, roulette, Video Reel games, multi-hand poker, keno, and bingo.
Online gambling, on the other hand, is neither legal or illegal. The government’s stand on the legalization of online casinos is quite confusing. Concurrently, Guatemalans and visitors are not persecuted for gambling on foreign online casinos, online bookmakers, and online lottery operators.
Video lottery is quite popular in Guatemala. For one, Thunderbird Resorts have four distinct video lottery operators throughout the country. They are Fiesta Video Loteria Coatepeque, Video Lotería Real, Mazatenango Video Suerte, and Gran Plaza Video Lottery Parlor – all located in Ciudad de Guatemala. All these operators are reasonably large with some having more than 100 gaming positions while some have over 300 gaming positions.
List of Casinos in Guatemala
Below is a list of all casinos currently operating in the regions of Guatemala.
Casino Crown Coloninial Guatemala
Crowne Plaza Guatemala
Fantastic Casino – La Pradera Xela
Fantastic Casino – Las Majadas
Fantastic Casino – Los Capitol
Fantastic Casino – Los Proceres
Fantastic Casino – Metronorte
Golden Princess Video Loteria
Guatemala Princess Casino
Video Loteria Monte Carlo
Casino Guatemala City
Facts About Casinos in Guatemala
– Similar to most countries, the minimum gambling age in Guatemala is 18 years.
– According to the 1880 Penal Code of Guatemala, bingo and lottery are the two forms of gambling legal, licensed and regulated in the country. Therefore, sports betting, casino games, horse racing, bloodsports betting, and other forms of gambling are equally illegal.
– Leading international entertainment and gaming provider Thunderbird Resorts, Inc. has four different centers in Guatemala. However, none of them is a casino – they are all video lottery operators.
– According to the 1880 Penal Code of Guatemala, the National Lottery is meant to help poor Guatemalans by employing them and giving them a chance to win lottery draws.
– The strength of Guatemala’s strong economy is attributed to its tourism industry, which somehow includes the gambling industry.
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Guatemala, Central America land casinos listed by area: (In the Guatemala casino listings, gaming times, type of games, minimum bets, promotions, services, facilities etc., if shown, are indicative and may change.)
See useful information on Guatemala below on this page, at the end of the land casinos listing.
Guatemala City - There is 1 listed land-based gambling casino in Guatemala City.
Fantastic Casino,
Centro Comercial Los Proceres, Cuarto Nivel, Zona 10, Guatemala, PBX 2362-6000. Phone: +502-2362-6000, Email: fantastic@mayafun.com, Website: www.casinosdeguatemala.com/eventos.htm
Nearest Airport: Guatemala City La Aurora International Airport (GUA), 6 km
Minimum Gaming Age: 18
Entrance Fee: Free
ID/Passport: Required
Dress Code: Smart/Casual
Opening Times: Daily 10am to 2am
Games to play: Jackpot Slots/Video Machines, Electronic Roulette, Derby Horse Racing; Live table games: Card games
Facilities: Entertainment, Promotions
[December 2009 last update]
Useful Information on Guatemala
Capital city: Guatemala City
Official language: Spanish
Currency: The Guatemalan quetzal, also denoted by GTQ, is Guatemala's original national currency whose name stems from the country's official bird, the quetzal. The quetzal, which is divided into 100 centavos, acquired a parallel legal currency with the USD in May 2001, and the US dollar is the only foreign currency that is freely exchangeable in Guatemala. The major currency exchange rates (on January 17, 2010) are: 1 USD = 8.37 GTQ, 1 EUR = 12.03 GTQ, 1 GBP = 13.64 GTQ
General: Guatemala (República de Guatemala) is located in the northernmost of the Central American nations. Its neighbours are Mexico on the north and west, and Belize, Honduras, and El Salvador on the east. The country consists of three main regions: the cool highlands with the heaviest population, the tropical area along the Pacific and Caribbean coasts, and the tropical jungle in the northern lowlands (known as the Petén). The Mayan civilization flourished in Guatemala and surrounding regions during the first millennium A.D. After almost three centuries as a Spanish colony, Guatemala won its independence in 1821. International telephone country code: +502, Internet: .gt
Major cities: Guatemala City (capital city and largest), Mixco, Villa Nueva, Quetzaltenango, Escuintla
Major international airport: Guatemala City La Aurora International Airport (GUA). The airport is situated four miles (6km) south of Guatemala City, and about 16 miles (25km) from Antigua. There is an airport shuttle bus, which meets most flights and drops off at the major hotels. Bus 32 leaves for the city centre every 30 minutes and buses leave regularly from Guatemala City to Antigua (about 1 hour journey time).
Local travel: You can obtain up-to-date security information through INGUAT (see www.visitguatemala.com website, service available in English), the Guatemalan Tourist Institute. INGUAT’s tourist assistance service, ASISTER, can be reached on (502) 2421 2810 and (502) 5578 9836. You may also dial 1500 in Guatemala. Guatemala has one of the highest violent crime rates in Latin America. Although the majority of serious crime involves local gangs and does not occur in tourist areas, violent attacks on tourists, including carjacking, assault, armed robbery, murder and rape have increased in the past few years and can happen anywhere.
[December 2009 last update]
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Casino In Guatemala City
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