# Monte Carlo-ians Can't Gamble in Their Own Casino? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [July 27, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534 "2011-07-27T20:00:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![HeyHomie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heyhomie/32/207_2.png) [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 8:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/1 "2011-07-27T20:00:43Z")
[So says wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Carlo_Casino). What’s the reason for this, and what do the Monte Carlo-ians do for their gambling fix (IOW, where are the nearest legal casinos to Monte Carlo)? ---
**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/2 "2011-07-27T20:21:16Z")
The same is true of citizens and residents of the Bahamas. They have casinos there, but their citizens and residents can’t gamble in them. ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/3 "2011-07-27T20:25:30Z")
> [@Anne\_Neville](#): > > The same is true of citizens and residents of the Bahamas. They have casinos there, but their citizens and residents can’t gamble in them. I’ve never heard of this in the US - Are Jerseyites banned from gambling in Atlantic City, or Nevadans banned from gambling in Vegas? ---
**Author:** ![XT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/xt/32/456_2.png) [@XT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/XT)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/4 "2011-07-27T20:26:52Z")
[QUOTE=robert\_columbia] I’ve never heard of this in the US - Are Jerseyites banned from gambling in Atlantic City, or Nevadans banned from gambling in Vegas? [/QUOTE] Nope. You can gamble if you want to if you live in Atlantic City or Las Vegas. -XT ---
**Author:** ![Great\_Antibob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47c2d/32.png) [@Great\_Antibob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Great_Antibob)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2011, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/5 "2011-07-27T20:38:59Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > I’ve never heard of this in the US - Are Jerseyites banned from gambling in Atlantic City, or Nevadans banned from gambling in Vegas? Not that I know. In fact, there are casinos in Vegas that cater more to locals. They tend to have smaller house edges and are off the beaten tourist path. ---
**Author:** ![DxZero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e99b99/32.png) [@DxZero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DxZero)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 12:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/6 "2011-07-28T00:10:35Z")
> [@robert\_columbia](#): > > I’ve never heard of this in the US - Are Jerseyites banned from gambling in Atlantic City, or Nevadans banned from gambling in Vegas? Oh good heavens, no. No ban of any sort. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 1:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/7 "2011-07-28T01:58:12Z")
For the Bahamas, I think I can guess the reason: because rich foreign tourists don’t want to mingle with the mostly-poor locals, and the government is catering to the money. What’s the income level of the average Monte Carlo-ite? ---
**Author:** ![UDS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/ecae2f/32.png) [@UDS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UDS)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2011, 2:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/8 "2011-07-28T02:42:30Z")
The purpose of a casino is to raise revenue by exploiting stupidity and greed. The Monegasque government takes the somewhat praiseworthy view that it should not exploit its own citizens. Furthermore, to the extent that the purpose of the casino is to attract wealth into Monaco, clearly there is no point in having Moneqasque residents gambling there. ---
**Author:** ![Pablo\_O\_Malley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@Pablo\_O\_Malley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pablo_O_Malley)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/9 "2012-02-13T06:31:46Z")
in the bahamas most people are poor, the govt doesn’t want them throwing away what little money they have on gambling. increases crime, those on the dole, etc ---
**Author:** ![psychonaut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/psychonaut/32/4655_2.png) [@psychonaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/psychonaut)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 8:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/10 "2012-02-13T08:54:49Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > The purpose of a casino is to raise revenue by exploiting stupidity and greed. The Monegasque government takes the somewhat praiseworthy view that it should not exploit its own citizens. I’m sure exploitation didn’t figure into their decision at all, or else the government wouldn’t be exploiting its own citizens in other ways, such as employing them for a wage or salary. More likely they simply have a welfare state in place and don’t want unnecessary drains on it from citizens who’ve made themselves destitute through gambling. ---
**Author:** ![Tabby\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/6a8cbe/32.png) [@Tabby\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tabby_Cat)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 10:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/11 "2012-02-13T10:41:45Z")
> [@UDS](#): > > The purpose of a casino is to raise revenue by exploiting stupidity and greed. The Monegasque government takes the somewhat praiseworthy view that it should not exploit its own citizens. Furthermore, to the extent that the purpose of the casino is to attract wealth into Monaco, clearly there is no point in having Moneqasque residents gambling there. This, I should think. Singaporeans have to pay a $100 (about USD$80) per day “Government fee” if you want to enter Casinos, expressly for the purpose of deterring locals from gambling. This was a major argument point during the discussions on whether to allow casinos in Singapore - conservative groups and family welfare groups were VERY unhappy about the proposed casinos, and this “government fee” was part of the government’s plan to have everyone on board. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 12:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/12 "2012-02-13T12:07:27Z")
A lot of it had to do with the fact that Princess Caroline, who had come up with the idea of casinos in Monte Carlo after they had been banned in France and Germany thought that gambling was immoral, and it wasn’t something she wanted her citizens to be a part of. Foreigners, sure, because Monaco was broke and needed the money, but not her people. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/13 "2012-02-13T12:09:15Z")
😕 Which Princess Caroline? Can’t be the current one. ---
**Author:** ![postcards](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8e8cbc/32.png) [@postcards](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/postcards)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/14 "2012-02-13T15:10:01Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > 😕 Which Princess Caroline? Can’t be the current one. Nope. [Her great-great-something-or-other](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monte_Carlo_Casino#History). ---
**Author:** ![fiddlesticks](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fiddlesticks/32/18129_2.png) [@fiddlesticks](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fiddlesticks)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/15 "2012-02-13T15:57:43Z")
The locals are called Monegasques and are doing quite well, thank you very much. You probably don’t have to be a millionaire to live there, but if you aren’t you probably have long family ties to the area, because it is so expensive to live there. ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2012, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/16 "2012-02-13T16:15:05Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > What’s the income level of the average Monte Carlo-ite? Monaco (along with Nice) is basically France’s Florida, where the rich and old go to waith for death in the sun. ---
**Author:** ![Pablo\_O\_Malley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@Pablo\_O\_Malley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pablo_O_Malley)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/17 "2012-02-14T00:38:16Z")
there are casinos in france now…i wonder if their blackjacks games offer early surrender ---
**Author:** ![Duke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e8c25b/32.png) [@Duke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/18 "2012-02-14T01:10:43Z")
> [@Pablo\_O\_Malley](#): > > there are casinos in france now…i wonder if their blackjacks games offer early surrender _clap clap clap_ In Soviet casinos, you got only one card and the dealer always won. ---
**Author:** ![wheresmymind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/91b2a8/32.png) [@wheresmymind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wheresmymind)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2012, 5:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/19 "2012-02-14T05:57:16Z")
Does the ban on gambling apply only to citizens? I’m pretty sure most residents of Monaco are foreign nationals. ---
**Author:** ![joetoner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d78d45/32.png) [@joetoner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/joetoner)\ **Post date:** [October 2, 2012, 3:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534/20 "2012-10-02T15:50:53Z")
The ban on gambling only applies to Monaco citizens. All foreign nationals (Monaco residents included) are therefore allowed to gamble in Monaco. This law was created under the reign of Charles III who was the Prince of Monaco from 1856 until his death in 1889. It was intended to protect Monaco citizens from further indebtedness. It is important to realize that the gambling industry in Monaco was created to help the country regain economical stability by bringing money from richer countries; therefore, allowing its own citizens to gamble would have made no sense at all as it would have been counter productive. In fact, Monaco was not always as economically prosperous as it is today. In 1793, it was brought down to its knees following the Attack on the Tuileries during which France dethroned Honoré III and reclaimed his family possessions. In 1860, Monaco managed to regain its political independence; however, it had lost the vast majority of its land, and it was left with only 370 acres of territory. Fortunately, Charles III began to study the economical situation of neighboring countries, and he realized that the tourism industry was becoming a growing phenomenon. Highly inspired by gambling institutions in Germany and Belgium, he created the S.B.M. (Société des Bains de Mer) which successfully targeted the English high society. The profits generated by the S.B.M. stabilized Monaco’s economical situation, and they even managed to gradually clear Monaco’s national debt by 1869. The economical success was so incredible that Charles III also decided to abolish taxes as they were no longer deemed necessary to take care of the country’s social needs. Rengraçiamentu a Honoré III ! PS: Check out a panoramic view of the Casino of Monte Carlo and other virtual tours of Monaco at [http://www.monacoweb.com/en/map/61-virtual-tours](http://www.monacoweb.com/en/map/61-virtual-tours). [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/monte-carlo-ians-cant-gamble-in-their-own-casino/590534.md?page=2)