The Monte-Carlo Casino is one of the finest and most luxurious gambling facilities in the world, but can you snap a few photos once you’re inside?
The Monte-Carlo Casino is infamous for its stringent anti-photography policy, and if you want to take any pictures while inside, you’ll need explicit permission from the management. In fact, the entire nation of Monaco more or less prohibits photography or video recording.
Read on to learn more about the Monte-Carlo Casino, and the rigorous photography laws that are in place around Monaco.
For Your Eyes Only
Monaco is a haven for the super-rich elite of the world, boasting a population of which a third are millionaires. It’s one of the wealthiest nations on the planet, coming equipped with certain income tax laws that make it a desirable home for celebrities with huge bank balances.
Since the mid-twentieth century, Monaco has been famed for its luxury, cleanliness, and extremely high levels of safety. It effectively has a zero percent homelessness rate, and crime is almost non-existent.
There are places on the planet as legendary as Monte Carlo when it comes to gambling, particularly where the Monte-Carlo Casino is concerned. It’s an old and ornate casino that was built to revive a flailing economy, and today, it’s the key destination for the entire country.
For tourists visiting Monaco, there is no better way to spend an evening or two than on the floors of the Monte-Carlo Casino. While you can’t gamble in the casino if you’re a resident of Monaco, the visitors to the nation are permitted to spend as much as they desire.
However, there are a strict set of rules that are in place where the casino is concerned, which kick in from the moment you approach the building. If you want to gain entry to the casino, you’ll need to adhere to a dress code that gets more strict as the evening goes on.
Then, there’s the entry fee which everybody must pay, regardless of whether or not you’re a member of the casino. There are no real restrictions to who can enter, provided they’re dressed suitably and have the entry fee in hand.
Once you’re in the casino, you’re absolutely prohibited from taking any photographs or recording any video. If you’re found to be taking pictures, you will be promptly ejected from the casino without a second thought.
It’s a law that is in place across most of Monaco, mostly because the high concentration of celebrities present demands a level of privacy. There’s definitely no paparazzi presence on the Monégasque streets, and you need a special permit to take any photographs.
Breaking The Law, Breaking The Law
Reportedly, there are four hundred CCTV cameras across Monaco, recording and capturing every inch of the micronation. Monaco covers a total land area of just two square kilometers, meaning nothing goes unseen.
Monaco’s police force boasts the largest presence out of any country on the planet. There are around five hundred police officers for just thirty-five thousand residents – meaning it’s proportionately the largest police force on Earth.
If you’re seen snapping pictures in Monaco without a permit, you can expect one of these police officers to have sharp words with you. Up to two weeks prior to your visit to Monaco, you’ll need to apply for a special photography permit if you’re intending to take any photographs.
There’s an entry-level application that you can fill out which will allow you to take general photographs around the country. However, even this low-level document requires identification, an equipment list, and information regarding your stay.
It’s said that you need express permission from the monarchy overseeing Monaco to snap photographs, particularly in some high-traffic places. For example, if you want to take any photographs in front of Monaco’s Royal Palace, you’ll need an official press pass from the Department of the Interior.
Furthermore, if you do want to take pictures in or around the Monte-Carlo Casino, you’ll need to present this pass before you can even enter. However, even with this pass, there are still several rules you need to follow.
Firstly, you can’t disturb any guests or players with your photography, and you can only take ‘honest’ photographs. Ultimately, at any point, the casino management reserves the right to ask you to either cease taking pictures or leave the establishment.
With all these rules in mind, perhaps it’s better to simply enjoy Monaco than it is to get those all-important snaps for Instagram. Is it really worth taking a selfie outside the Royal Palace, only to be apprehended by the overwhelming police force?