The first casino in Bulgaria

The casino industry today is worth hundreds of billions of dollars, and gambling traces its roots back to ancient times. The first official casino in the world was opened in the 17th century in Venice, Italy, and less than half a century after the liberation of Bulgaria from Turkish slavery, the idea of the first Bulgarian casino was born in our country.

This is happening in Varshets - a town that became the center of the Bulgarian elite after the Liberation. The history of the town is shaped mostly around the mineral extractions for which Varshets is famous, but with decisive steps and proper management, it becomes not only a place for healing, but also a place for endless feasting and, subsequently, gambling.

The idea for a casino is Dr. Damian Ivanov and his wife. The two are working hard to turn Varshets into a preferred destination for all more affluent Bulgarians (and foreigners as well), helping to turn Varshets into a modern city. They are building with two large bathrooms, buildings with hotels, villas and rest stations. At its peak, Varshets is a modern city with many visitors every day. And with a casino, whose doors opened in 1924.

The project started in 1920, led by Damian Ivanov, and the idea was to make the first balneotherapy ensemble with a casino. The idea was taken from Western Europe, and the goal is to complete the modernization of the city with a place where the wealthy elite of the country can have fun. Construction took 4 years due to the military nature of the era, but it was an absolute success for Varshets.

Before the Second World War, the casino was visited by hundreds on weekends, and in 1938, the first beauty contest in Bulgaria was held there. The building is a good replica of a casino in Baden, with a patisserie and live music restaurant added in the 1930s. It is said that one of the most regular visitors was Prince Cyril - a passionate card player and lover of this type of life. The casino was built in Baroque style and bears the sonorous name "Royal Casino".

Unfortunately, today it lies in ruins - the broken windows, the unpleasant smell and the overall view of the building do not speak of the stormy evenings spent there by the rich elite of Bulgaria. It is even more unfortunate that there appears to be no intention of the facility undergoing any kind of restoration.