Secret agent vibes attest to the level of stealth wealth in the most famous casino in the world. The Monte-Carlo Casino is an institutional icon that has featured prominently in pop culture. Cue James Bond theme. A tuxedoed Pierce Brosnan pulls up to the legendary Casino de Monte-Carlo in a classic Aston Martin, gazes upon a red Ferrari parked at the entrance, walks in and takes a seat opposite a beautiful woman with a thick Russian accent and plays a game of baccarat.
That iconic scene from the film GoldenEye is pretty much what you can expect when you rock up to the most famous casino in the world. To protect its citizens from avarice, the citizens of Monaco, known as Monegasques, were forbidden from entering the gaming rooms β a ruling enacted on moral grounds and still in effect today. Curious visitors and tourists, however, are welcome to enter before 1pm each day and admire the Belle Epoque architecture and interiors of Casino de Monte-Carlo, which stands as a glorious specimen of the Gilded Age.
If these intricately-carved walls could talk, imagine the stories they would tell of the luminaries in time who have graced these gaming tables. The games rooms open at 2pm and come nightfall, high-rollers try their hands under the warm glow of Bohemian crystal chandeliers.
But it is the secrets held in the hidden passageways of the casino that hold the most intrigue. First, he shows me the side entrance that Prince Albert II and the royal family of Monaco use to access the casino from the inside of the wrought iron gate heaven forbid blue bloods fraternise with the hoi polloi , as well as the secret elevators used to whisk celebrities, crown princes and other dignitaries from around the globe to private rooms so they can play their hands away from prying eyes.
Barilaro taps on a digital keypad on a wood-panelled wall and voila, a mirrored section of the wall opens a portal to a private playing room called the English Hall.
