Casino Blankenberge Review

This is my review of the Casino in Blankenberge. For more information on this casino, please click here. On Sunday, July 1st, we visited three casinos, located in known summer resorts on the northern sea shore of Belgium: Knokke, Blankenberge and Ostend. Blankenberge was our second stop that day, after Knokke. I would like to start by saying that I liked the casino in Blankenberge very much. It combines a cozy Belgian pub atmosphere (lots of wood), neatness and traditional style. It is a classic casino for those Belgium folks that prefer traditional, informal style to the modern, snobbish style of the Casino Knokke.

The city of Blankenberge itself is very different from Knokke, our first stop that day, with its aristocratic and expensive atmosphere. In the streets surrounding the casino Blankenberge, you can find, traditional Flemish Pancakes houses, supermarkets and good old Belgian Frits stalls. On the seaside promenade there are typical Belgian cafés. These cafes offer the same selection as those in Knokke, and you can order a bottle of Champagne or Brut if you like, but at the same time they maintain their old style, traditional appearance and atmosphere. The Casino is located very near the beach. You can have a wonderful view of the sea from the restaurant area of the Casino.

The Casino Blankenberge is a real non-smoking Casino, which I liked personally especially since the Casino is located on the ground floor and cigarette smoke can easily spread around the room.

At the entrance we had to go through the normal entry procedure for Belgian casinos. A passport or valid ID is mandatory, the minimum age is 21 years and admission is free. I wouldn’t say the Casino Blankenberge enforces any real dress code. I was let in with my bright yellow Crocs sandals. However, I didn’t feel comfortable with my Crocs. Not because someone looked at me funny, simply because I was well aware that I wasn’t dressed to fit the occasion. I would say that jeans, dress shirt or polo shirt and closed shoes are ideal for a visit to the Casino Blankenberge.

Slots, Table Games, bar and restaurant on the same floor

At the Casino Blankenberge, slots, table games, bar and restaurant are located on the ground floor. Dark wood paneling dominates the atmosphere and makes the casino feel cozy and informal. The slots are spread around the Table Games area. We saw mostly 5 reel video slots, but also some traditional mechanical slots.

We entered the casino at around 19:00. Three roulette tables were open. The minimum is 10 € for simple chances and 2 € for plain / Carré / Cheval. The tables very crowded. If the casino had additional tables available, it would have been the time to open them. Each Roulette table also had the familiar electronic board showing the results of the last 20 spins in black and red.

There was also an open Casino Stud Poker (ante 5 €) table and a table of Blackjack with minimum 10 €. We played Blackjack for a while. Just like in Brussels, you can buy chips at the table. Next to us an elderly gentleman in a suit exchanged 500 € into chips. All very relaxed. We quickly realized that it was not our lucky day. Also, I made an embarrassing mistake. I thought I had a Blackjack, and told the dealer that he is yet to pay us. In fact it was the dealer who had the Blackjack and I had only 20. The dealer remained absolutely cool and did not get defensive at all. He simply corrected me and offered that we look at the video. I said that wouldn’t be necessary. I asked to cash out. We noted the professionalism with which all employees of the Casino Blankenberge handled the guests. From the wardrobe attendants, to the cashiers and dealers and the bar staff. Not over friendly, but professional and hospitable.

We then decided to sit at the bar for a while (I had a typical Flemish beer – Rodenbach – very tasty, a little sour), and observe. Next to the restaurant, we saw 5 Poker tables which were not yet in operation. The restaurant itself was open and offered a magnificent view of the beach, in addition to typical dishes such as carb or lobster.

We visited the casinos in Knokke and Ostend on the same day. The Casino of Blankenberge was definitely the most attended of all. But that may have been due the time of our visits.

Bottom line – Casino Blankenberge

Definitely my favorite Casino when it comes to comfort. The Casino is very well kept, the wall to wall carpet seemed to be brand new and, in my view, tastefully selected. The game tables were a bit aged and fit the “woody” atmosphere of the place. It is a completely different style from the modern, upscale style of the casino in Knokke. It is truly a traditional Belgian establishment.