The history of the Kurhaus in Baden-Baden – the jewel of casinos the world over

A few centuries ago, gambling was considered the privilege of aristocrats. For example, Monte Carlo still has a strict dress code: female visitors are required to wear evening gowns and male visitors must wear suits. The Kurhaus Casino in Baden-Baden has been the most expensive casino in the world for centuries and is simply aristocratic and wealthy. But nowadays, casino owners are forced to create convenient alternatives to classic casinos – online casinos such as Betsafe Casino.

Fun in the suburbs

The small town of Baden-Baden is located in south-west Germany on the border with France. During the 18th century the village was known for its hot springs, but was not popular enough. That all changed in the 19th century, when the local authorities legalised gambling in 1801. The first recipient of the licence was a certain François Chevillier, whose business quickly took off due to the influx of tourists.

In 1821 a new manor house designed by F. Weinbrenner was built out of an old hotel building. A couple of years later it became the Courthouse and consisted of three parts interconnected:

• the left wing, intended for guests;
• the right one for the theatre;
• the central one was for meetings.

Games tables were located in the corridors. The manager was A. Schaber, who acquired the licence for 15 years. By 1825 the establishment had more than 8 thousand visitors and in 1831 Paganini himself played the violin here.

The Benazé management period

In 1938 the Schaber family period in the casino came to an end, with a new manager, the Frenchman Jacques Benazé, taking over. He managed to attract his compatriots to the casino. In addition, the enterprising man tried to improve the appearance and service of the town so that more tourists would come. For this he tried to build a spa on the springs, but the authorities did not agree, so Jacques set about increasing the Lichtentaler alley, which is three kilometres long. The Kurhaus under the Frenchman also underwent changes: more luxury goods and jewellery were added.

Benazé’s efforts to reconstruct the town were successful, new hotels were built and the town’s infrastructure expanded.

After Jacques the casino was run by his son Oscar, who was actively involved in the promotion of the resort. He spent a portion of the gaming revenue on the construction of new parkland, houses, churches, a theatre, railway and even a hippodrome.

Prominent personalities started coming to the spa town, among which can be mentioned:

• F. Dostoevsky;
• I. Brahms;
• I. Turgenev;
• K. Schumann and others.

The Russian spirit in Baden-Baden

For many visitors, the casino in Baden-Baden became a snippet of Russian culture. Encounters with eminent Russian figures such as Vladimir Zhukovsky and Nikolai Gogol were held here. The latter was a frequent visitor to the spa. In 1850 the resort received up to 5 thousand Russian tourists, taking into account the fact that the population of the town was less than a thousand people.

The most noteworthy guest from Russia was Fyodor Dostoevsky, who visited the glorious town on two occasions. However, the writer was not attracted by the hot springs and other attractions, and was busy playing at the table until late at night. Dostoevsky turned out to be a very gambling man: he lost his last money and got into debt.

Somehow he got in touch with F. Stellovsky, a moneylender, with whom he made a deal: in return for which Feodor Mikhailovich was obliged to write a book of 12 pages within a certain period, otherwise Stellovsky could publish his books absolutely free for the whole 9 years. Dostoevsky was able to write the story “The Gambler” in 24 days and even met his future wife, the stenographer Anya Snitkina, here.

The second time the famous writer came to the casino with his wife and again lost everything to save his marriage, the man promised his wife to give up gambling and kept his word.

The sunset period of the casino

Casino manager Oscar Benazé passed away in 1867. The man had no direct heirs and the establishment passed to a distant relative, J. Dupressoir. The rents skyrocketed and gambling was banned in Germany. But an exception was made for Baden-Baden by granting a grace period of two years. The establishment was closed in 1872. However, the town continued its existence as a resort.

The second life of the Kurhaus

The town’s coffers became considerably depleted and the authorities knew it would be worthwhile to reopen the casino as a major attraction of the spa. For this purpose the town authorities asked Hitler for permission to allow gambling at the Kurhaus. The latter agreed and the casino reopened its doors to guests in 1935. It remained open until 1944, when it was closed again due to the war.

The third life of the Kurhaus

The casino reopened in 1950. It underwent some renovations: three fountains, slot machines and a Wi-Fi zone were added. More than two hundred slots and thirty tables with poker, roulette and other games await visitors.

The aristocratic spirit remains, but in the hall you can meet a Duke from Europe as well as a Chinese man in a not-so-expensive jacket. The dress code on weekdays is not so strict as long as a guest buys at least €10,000 worth of chips.

On weekends, the rules for guests are much stricter. If the dress code is not respected, the guest will be sent to change. The Kurhaus is rightly one of the most beautiful casinos in the world. Apart from the slot machines and the tables, there is plenty to see and do, such as the chandeliers, the gilded fountains and the professional croupiers.

The casino also offers a sense of history. An old photograph hanging at the entrance shows three gorgeous women in chic evening gowns. It is an echo of the aristocratic grandeur and opulence of a resort that continues to be one of the best in the world. On weekends the place is jam-packed. At least once in a lifetime, everyone should visit this corner of luxury and excitement.