Barbados Casinos & Gambling

Barbados is a sovereign island located in the Antilles in the western Atlantic Ocean, east of the Caribbean Sea. The island's neighbors include Martinique, and Saint Lucia to the northwest, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines to the west, Trinidad and Tobago and Venezuela to the southwest, and Guyana to the southeast. Its closest continental neighbor is Venezuela, about 1,076 kilometers or 669 miles to the SW.

True casino gambling is not currently allowed in Barbados, so you won't find roulette, craps, blackjack, or baccarat available in swanky seaside clubs. You will find well over a dozen slot machine arcades, a sports book, racetrack, and a popular lottery system powered by GTECH (IGT). Of course the main draw is the "Caribbean experience" including white sandy beaches, warm blue waters, colorful sea life, and tropical surroundings.

Slot Machines

Slot machines are found all along the western coast from the oft-visited Holetown to the St. Lawrence Gap stretch in Christchurch. The greatest concentration of arcades is near the intersection of Marhill and Broad Street (St Michael's Row) in the capital city of Bridgetown. You'll also find slot arcades further inland at Warrens (Eden Lodge) and Bagatelle. Many of the venues are chain restaurants or other franchises such as Lucky Horseshoe and Playfair. Most of the arcades, especially on Marhill, are open 24/7.

Parimutuel and Live Horse Racing

Horse racing is organized by the Barbados Turf Club and held at the Garrison Savannah. The racecourse is located in the historic Garrison District just outside Bridgetown.The Barbados Turf Club was formed in 1905. The facility puts on three seasons each year with a total of about 25 meets annually. The seasons are: January to April (Spring Season); May to September (Summer Season) and from November to December (Winter Season).

Sports Books

You won't have to wait for the seasonal meets to make parimutuel bets however as Tote Bookmakers in Bridgetown will take your action year around. They even take phone bets. The shop offers a minimum of 200 races per day across the USA, as well as UK and French horse racing. According to the Tote’s website, it is “the only betting shop in the World that pays 1/4 odds on all the Races.”

Lotteries in Barbados

World lottery giant GTECH (now IGT) is behind the many lottery games available in Barbados (as of 2016). Visitors can watch live draws on television or listen to radio announcements of winning lotto numbers. There are also many instant win and scratch games available.

Barbados Gambling in Conclusion

Barbados may not be a gambling destination per se, but if you want fun in the sun (outside of the principal Atlantic hurricane belt) along with a chance to play slots, bet the ponies, or win a lotto jackpot, it's a great choice for a mixed vacation.