Sanremo Casino
A historic municipal casino and entertainment venue on the Italian Riviera, known for gambling, theatre, concerts, and major cultural events.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Sanremo Casino, officially known in Italian as Casinò Municipale di Sanremo, is a historic gambling and entertainment complex in Sanremo, on Italy's Ligurian coast. The venue combines casino operations with theatrical and cultural programming and occupies an Art Nouveau building designed by French architect Eugène Ferret. It opened on 14 January 1905 after Ferret's design was selected from seven submitted projects. Ferret also became the first manager of the venue's gaming activities under an agreement concluded in 1903. The casino was initially conceived as a Kursaal, a resort-oriented social and entertainment establishment rather than solely a gambling house. Its early activities included theatre performances, concerts, dining, and hospitality for visitors, particularly foreign tourists drawn to the Italian Riviera. A tram connection was added in 1913, improving access and reinforcing the venue's role within Sanremo's growing resort infrastructure. The legal framework for municipal gambling changed in the late 1920s. A decree issued in December 1927 and converted into law in December 1928 gave the City of Sanremo an exceptional authorization to conduct gambling activities. The arrangement also supported the management of municipal finances and the execution of major public works. This framework helped the casino compete with gambling and resort destinations on the nearby Côte d'Azur. From 1927 to 1934, the casino was managed by Luigi De Santis, who was noted in historical accounts for his knowledge of gambling and the casino world. During the 1930s, the venue developed a strong cultural profile. Writers, composers, actors, and other artists associated with Italian cultural life visited or worked with the casino. The venue supported theatrical and literary initiatives, including the establishment of a resident theatre company associated with Marta Abba and Luigi Pirandello, as well as the Literary Mondays organized with the involvement of poet Francesco Pastonchi. The casino also hosted internationally significant intellectual and sporting events. In 1930, it was the site of a major international chess tournament won decisively by reigning world champion Alexander Alekhine. The venue has subsequently appeared in Italian and international popular culture, with films including Lucky Night, At the Bar Sport, Infelici e contenti, and Fortunata using the casino as a filming location or setting. The casino closed on 10 June 1940 during the Second World War. Although the building survived the war and two successive occupations by German and Allied forces without being destroyed, operations resumed seven months after the war ended. From the first edition in 1951 through 1976, the casino hosted the Sanremo Music Festival, one of Italy's most important popular-music events. The festival's association with the venue contributed substantially to Sanremo Casino's national cultural visibility, even after the event moved to another location. Today, Sanremo Casino remains an operating casino and entertainment venue. Its identity rests on the combination of regulated gambling, tourism, performance spaces, architectural heritage, and event programming. In 2025, the casino and the Municipality of Sanremo organized a year-long program marking the 120th anniversary of the building's foundation and opening, reflecting the venue's continuing importance to the city's tourism and cultural economy.
History
Sanremo Casino was created as part of Sanremo's development as an international resort on the Italian Riviera. The original concept was a Kursaal, a social and leisure venue that could serve visitors through a combination of entertainment, dining, concerts, theatre, and gaming. French architect Eugène Ferret designed the building in the Art Nouveau style, which was especially influential in France and fashionable in the resort culture of the period. Ferret's project was selected from seven proposals, and the building opened on 14 January 1905. He also became the first manager of its gaming activities under an agreement signed on 5 November 1903. The venue's early function extended well beyond gambling. It was a meeting place for visitors and residents and hosted theatrical programs, musical performances, and restaurants. In 1913, a dedicated tram connection linked the casino with Sanremo's urban transport network, helping integrate the building into the city's tourism infrastructure. For many years, Sanremo's gambling activity existed within a legally tolerated but not fully regularized environment. This changed in the late 1920s. A royal legislative decree issued on 22 December 1927 and subsequently converted into Law No. 3125 on 27 December 1928 gave the City of Sanremo an exceptional legal basis for operating gambling activities. The legislation also established arrangements concerning the municipal budget and public works. The measure was partly connected to the need to compete with neighboring gambling resorts on the Côte d'Azur. Luigi De Santis managed the casino from 1927 to 1934. Historical accounts describe him as highly knowledgeable about gambling and its surrounding social world. Under his management, the casino strengthened its links with cultural life. During the 1930s, figures such as Pietro Mascagni, Luigi Pirandello, Francesco Pastonchi, Francesco Cilea, Sem Benelli, Umberto Giordano, Franco Alfano, and Francesco Malipiero were associated with the venue or with Sanremo's artistic environment. De Santis invited actress Marta Abba to Sanremo and offered her the resident theatre company, with Pirandello involved as artistic director. The casino also supported Pastonchi's Literary Mondays, an initiative that brought literary activity into the venue's program. The management structure changed in 1934. On 14 April of that year, the operating company changed its name to Società Anonima Iniziative Turistiche, or SAIT. After De Santis died in October 1934, his shares passed to his wife, Maria Strambini. In early 1935, she sold them to Angelo Belloni, who assumed management of the casino. The building closed on 10 June 1940 during the Second World War. It survived the conflict, including two German and Allied occupations, without being destroyed. Operations resumed seven months after the end of the war. The postwar period brought one of the casino's most important cultural associations: from the first Sanremo Music Festival in 1951 until 1976, the event was held at the casino. The festival became a central institution in Italian popular music, and its early connection with Sanremo Casino helped make the venue nationally recognizable as more than a gambling establishment. The casino also hosted notable intellectual and sporting events. A major international chess tournament took place there in 1930, with world champion Alexander Alekhine winning clearly. In later decades, the building became a location for film productions, including Lucky Night from 1941, At the Bar Sport from 1983, Infelici e contenti from 1992, and Fortunata from 2017. In the twenty-first century, Sanremo Casino continued to operate as a gambling and entertainment complex while retaining its historic architecture and cultural role. Its 120th-anniversary program, inaugurated on 14 January 2025, brought together the casino, the Municipality of Sanremo, and local organizations for an exhibition and related activities continuing through the year. The anniversary emphasized the institution's long relationship with tourism, municipal life, entertainment, and the cultural identity of Sanremo.
- 2025
120th anniversary program
[1]A commemorative exhibition and related activities began on 14 January 2025 and were planned to continue throughout the year.
- 1976
Final Sanremo Music Festival edition held at the casino
[1]The casino hosted the festival through its 1976 edition, concluding a quarter-century relationship with the event.
- 1951
Sanremo Music Festival begins at the casino
[1]The first edition of the Sanremo Music Festival was held at the casino, beginning a venue association that lasted through 1976.
- 1945
Postwar operations resume
[1]The casino reopened seven months after the end of the Second World War after surviving the conflict without destruction.
- 1940
Casino closes during the Second World War
[1]The casino closed on 10 June 1940 as wartime conditions disrupted operations.
- 1934
Operating company becomes SAIT
[1]On 14 April 1934, the company operating the casino changed its name to Società Anonima Iniziative Turistiche.
- 1930
International chess tournament held
[1]The casino hosted a major chess tournament won by world champion Alexander Alekhine.
- 1928
Municipal gambling authorization formalized
[1]Law No. 3125 of 27 December 1928 converted the preceding decree into a legal framework allowing the City of Sanremo to conduct gambling activities.
- 1913
Tram connection introduced
[1]The casino received its own tram connection, improving access for residents and visitors.
- 1905
Casino opens
[1]The Art Nouveau casino building designed by Eugène Ferret opened on 14 January 1905.
Products and positioning
A heritage casino and entertainment destination combining regulated gaming with theatre, cultural events, tourism, and the architectural character of the Italian Riviera.
Gambling services · 1905
Casino gaming
The venue's core offering is regulated casino gaming. The available reference material identifies the institution as a gambling complex but does not provide a verified current list of individual table games, electronic games, or operating schedules.
Entertainment · 1905
Theatre and live entertainment
The building originated as a Kursaal and has historically accommodated theatre, concerts, and other performances. Its entertainment role remains central to the venue's identity alongside gambling operations.
Events · 1930
Cultural and special events
Sanremo Casino has hosted cultural, literary, sporting, musical, and commemorative events. Its historical program includes the 1930 international chess tournament, the Sanremo Music Festival from 1951 to 1976, and the 2025 120th-anniversary exhibition.
Recent events
- 2025
Sanremo Casino marks its 120th anniversary with a year-long exhibition and cultural program[1]
Other
The casino inaugurated an exhibition and anniversary initiative on 14 January 2025 to commemorate 120 years since its foundation and opening. The program was organized in cooperation with the Municipality of Sanremo and other local economic and social organizations and was scheduled to continue throughout the year.
Sources2 sources
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