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I was very excited to visit the famous Genting Casino or Casino de Genting on my recent trip up to Genting Highlands. I haven’t been to the Genting casino for over 10 years already and my previous impression of it wasn’t too good. I found it small, smelly with cigarette smoke and looking a little tired and threadbare especially in comparison to the swanky Crown Casino entertainment complex I sometimes frequented with my friends while I was in Melbourne.

However, it seemed like some upgrades have been made to the Genting Casino as I found it a much better place this time. As the only casino in Malaysia, the Genting Casino attracts a huge number of gamblers and visitors from all over Malaysia and Singapore, especially over the weekends. It is split into several areas over two floors and is easily accessible from any area of the huge Genting entertainment complex. You need to be over 21 years of age to enter and may be stopped for identity checks at the entrance. Ladies are required to be properly attired while men are required to be in collared shirts with proper pants.

The two main areas in Casino de Genting is the Hollywood and Monte Carlo areas. There is also an exclusive International and VIP Room reserved for the big stake gamblers. The casino has a large number of automated slot machines and roulette for players who prefer to play with smaller stakes. A wide range of table games such as Blackjack, Baccarat, Roulette, Casino War and Poker is available in varying betting amounts. I found the croupiers a very entertaining sight as some of them had amazingly smooth moves when dealing the cards. It is quite a show especially for a non-gambler such as me.

I rather enjoyed my casino experience and it was amazing to realise how fast time can pass in the casino. The casino provides a variety of free hot and cold drinks and snacks within the casino so serious gamblers don’t have to leave their games. One grouse I had was how everyone smoked although there were clearly non-smoking designated areas. I left with smelly cigarette smoke clinging to my clothes and hair Nevertheless, it was a great night out especially if you make a little winnings along the way

Crown Casino in Melbourne often touts itself as one of the best casinos and entertainment centres Down Under. I used to be a student there and when it opened halfway through our course, we used to take every opportunity to head down there after every exam for all night long movies in their 24-hour cinemas, yummy cakes in their lovely little cafes or simply just to walk and admire their amazing fire display on every night.

It’s a hugely popular casino as well with the customary slot machines, poker tables and roulette tables, all in a huge and brightly lit area where there is no clock and where the patrons never sleep! It was interesting though to see how the majority of gamblers there were Asians! If you’re a broke student like us, you enter the casinos simply to take advantage of their really cheap buffets or to try your luck at the slot machine then quickly run away once you’ve made a dollar or two!

If you ever make a visit to Melbourne, don’t forget to visit Crown especially at night to catch the spectacular fireball display. It’s a really lovely complex with everything for the family from casinos to food and entertainment!