Castle Casino of Vaduz, Liechtenstein, is now open.

Officials in Liechtenstein's capital city of Vaduz, known as the city's pedestrian district, launched a new casino over the weekend. The casino is called Castle Casino.

The sum total of Liechtenstein's gambling establishments:

Since 2010, when it was legalised, Liechtenstein has been trying to lure gamblers from its neighbours by offering a wide variety of gambling options at its five casinos. However, due to the closing of 96 in Balzers and Casino Maximus in Shan, the overall number of casinos has lately dropped precipitously from 6 to 4.

The resumption of 5 casinos in Liechtenstein is due in no little part to this newest addition.

The casino's floorplan:

On Friday, December 16, 2022, the long-awaited Castle Casino finally opened its doors to the public after receiving its casino licence from the Office of Economic Affairs in Lichtenstein the previous day, on December 14.

There are 120 slot machines, 8 gaming tables and the longest bar in Liechtenstein across two levels.

The first Liechtenstein casino run entirely by locals:

Castle Casino, funded entirely by investors from Liechtenstein, is the sole casino in the whole country.

Michael Moosleithner and Thomas Banzer, formerly of Casinos Austria Liechtenstein, and Eros Ganzina, formerly of the Grand Casino in Bendern, make up the operational management team.

Rival casinos:

There was and is a sizable group in Liechtenstein that is against the notion of casinos, despite the fact that they are one of the most lucrative facilities for the state's gaming and non-gaming revenue.

"Liechtenstein does not need casinos and the money that they bring," said Hansjörg Frick, a former lawmaker and founder of an organisation opposed to the casinos, IG VolksMeinung. Not having anything to do with them is important to us.

Christian Frommelt, head of the Liechtenstein Institut (a think tank), made the following prediction about casinos: "Casinos are likely to remain a divisive issue." It is unusual for such a heated debate and level of partisanship to arise in tiny Liechtenstein.

The remote country's Catholic-rooted conservatism was challenged by the liberal economic policies that have helped make Liechtenstein a global financial powerhouse. The presence of casinos exacerbates tensions between the two cultures.

There is a chance that casinos may be outlawed in the country once a vote is held on January 29, 2023.

No new casino applications will be accepted by the Liechtenstein gaming regulator after December 31, 2025.