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From Casino Royale to Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas to Molly’s Game, there are so many thrilling novels featuring the highs and lows of the casino world that make for some highly entertaining and enthralling reads.

 

The stakes are usually high, and there’s a cast of characters that many casino regulars will possibly recognise from the interesting and varied people they will have encountered, whether that’s at the slots or facing off at the poker table.

 

We wanted to look at some of the best novels that depict life in a casino, from roulette in 19th-century Russia to drug-fuelled investigations into the American Dream in 1970s Las Vegas, with tales taking us to Atlantic City, France, Greece, and Hollywood. Sadly no acclaimed casino-themed novels set in Blackpool… yet…

 

So if you’re looking for a riveting read on the beach this summer, here’s our selection of the best novels set in casinos.

 

Casino Royale by Ian Fleming (1953)

 

Casino Royale was Fleming’s first novel, and the first ever James Bond adventure, kickstarting the exciting world of MI6 Secret Agent 007 and paving the way for more than 70 years of spy action, including eleven novels and two collections of short stories from Fleming, as well as many other continuations of the story by other authors.

 

The story sees Bond involved in a rather intense game of baccarat at the fictional Royale-les-Eaux casino in Northern France, as he tried to bankrupt the villainous Le Chiffre, aided by sidekick Vesper Lund and CIA colleague Felix Leiter.

 

Of course, things take an unexpected, and violent turn, with betrayal and intrigue following on from the game. Casino Royale received a very positive response from critics and remains one of the most iconic casino-based novels of all time.

 

The Double and The Gambler by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1867)

 

This classic 19th-century novel is a must-read. Dostoevsky’s The Gambler is a rather short read and reflects the author’s own obsessions with gambling. It’s told from a first-person perspective, about the highs and lows of the roulette table, personal dramas, and tumultuous love affairs.

 

The novel provides a fascinating insight into casinos of that era, and you don’t need to be a fan of Dostoevsky to enjoy it. It feels as if it is almost autobiographical, and the events in the novel closely follow those of the author’s own life. It was written in only 30 days, and you’ll read it in far less. A highly recommended classic gambler’s tale.

 

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas - Hunter S Thompson (1971)

 

Thompson’s 1971 novel, fully titled Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas: A Savage Journey to the Heart of the American Dream, follows two men, journalist Raoul Duke (a thinly veiled caricature of Thompson) and attorney Dr Gonzo, through a drug-fuelled and addled mind-bending journey chasing notions of the American Dream, blending fact and fiction.

 

The duo witness all manner of chaos, as well as causing much of their own as they imbibe a heady cocktail of recreational drugs, reflecting on the cultural shift towards the end of the 1960s and the Summer of Love, as they rampage through Las Vegas hotels and casinos. The book has been compared to The Great Gatsby in its take on the search for the American Dream.

 

The House Always Wins by Brian Ruff (2017)

 

This lesser-known novel is more of a modern book, combining several genres, including a coming-of-age and a haunting ghost story. Our protagonist, Anna Christiansen, is a small-town girl, whose life is turned upside down when she moves into a haunted house in Las Vegas.

 

Anna ends up in a battle against a corrupt casino owner who is intent on buying her house, and the tale dramatically unfolds from there. It’s a fast-paced mystery thriller, packed with the highs and lows of the Las Vegas casino scene, and highly recommended.

 

Molly’s Game by Molly Bloom (2014)

 

“I wanted a big life, a grand adventure, and no one was going to hand it to. I wasn’t born with a way to get it. I was waiting for my opportunity, and somehow I knew it would come,” says 26-year-old Molly Bloom from Colorado in this riveting memoir about how she organised some of the largest no-limit underground poker tournaments in the world, on America’s east and west coasts.

 

Bloom was an overachiever and world-class athlete until injury ended her career, and propelled her into the world of poker, playing against tycoons and business barons all over the world, until she attracted the attention of the FBI.

 

The novel describes the private games she organised on behalf of the Hollywood elite, but also offers insight into reading poker tells, and how she developed her own mental strategies for playing the game, advancing from low-limit games up the ranks to extremely high-stakes games.

 

The Dark Side Of The Felt by Tyler Nals (2014)

 

Based on the author’s real-life gambling experiences in casinos, this fictional novel is a rollercoaster of a ride, with both humour and pain to accurately depict the journey of gamblers as they go from low-limit games to high-stakes, no-limit underground poker tournaments.

 

It’s an engaging, page-turning read that tells a story few people will have experienced outside of the relative safety of mainstream casinos, one that few poker players will know about. An adventurous ride, and some truly unbelievable stories.

 

Comped by Bill Kearney (2001)

 

Comped tells the story of a high-roller and life in Atlantic City during the 1980s, a time when casinos were a hive of activity, celebrities, and excess, and no one could imagine the rise of online gambling and the collapse of the massive, star-studded casinos that ruled the era.

 

It’s a dark and shady tale of the underbelly of Atlantic City, where celebrities frequented the casinos, doubling down led to all manner of trouble and strife and winning big brought fast cars and faster women, penthouse suites, and a free ride to anywhere you wanted.

 

All On Zero by Argiro Mantoglou and Don Nielsen (2014)

 

The story of lovers Stavros and Dawn, who meet in a casino and chase the biggest wins, as they continue to hide their true emotions from each other. Aspiring author Dawn leaves London and heads to Greece to make a start on her first novel, where she then meets croupier Stavros, and suddenly everything seems possible.

 

But they hide their true selves from each other and keep secrets close to their chest, gambling on their own existence and love. Will risking it all mean winning the jackpot of a lifetime?

 

All On Zero is a brilliant and engaging literary romance from Greek author Argiro Mantoglou, translated into English by Don Nielsen, and a thrilling read.

 

There you have it, a few brilliant novels about casino life, from the fictional to the factual, and some with a little of both! Do you have a favourite novel about casinos? Maybe you’ve thought about writing your own?

 

Why not visit Coral Island Casino to find a friendly face to the world of casinos, and see if you can spot any characters you might find in a novel?

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