For those addicted to the sound of a roulette ball bouncing along the wheel, or to the riffling sound of cards being shuffled, you'll find no lack of action in Costa Rica. There are numerous gambling casinos scattered about the country. Many large hotels have casinos, sometimes in the lobby as if this were a miniature Las Vegas. Some gambling casinos are found upstairs over night clubs or restaurants.

While I like to gamble, I also like to have a chance of winning. I have the distinct feeling that gaming in the average Costa Rican casino is not really gambling, merely donating to the profitability of the establishment. House rules make it highly unlikely that you will break even, much less win. The games aren't standard ones which can be easily understood games like poker or blackjack- Play is similar to Las Vegas or Reno, but the rules and payoffs are different, sometimes confusing, stacking the odds in favor of the house. Another disquieting thing about gambling in Costa Rica is that there is almost no government regulation. Although the house doesn't have to cheat, since the odds are so much in their favor, there is little or nothing to prevent them from doing so.

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