The Unconventional Poker Venues: From Space Stations to Deep Sea Submarines

Poker is a simple enough game. All you need is a few players, a deck of 52 cards, and a surface to put said cards on…or even just the software to replicate said attributes on the best real money poker sites. With that simplicity, the game can be played almost anywhere. We look at some of the more unconventional poker venues.

Poker on the Beach

Who doesn’t like the beach? Sure, sand can be troublesome but sitting on the beach when being hit with sunshine is an idyllic setting. Why not add in some poker vibes? That’s exactly what the World Poker Tour did as part of their Caribbean Series with the majority of tournament tables held on these bountiful beaches. While some poker players wear sunglasses all the time, they are needed for these games with the beaming sunshine.

What’s More Likely a Royal Flush or a Volcanic Eruption?

Back when PokerStars was an emerging brand and would do anything to capture attention, they would pull outrageous stunts like this – playing a poker tournament in a volcano. Adventure Park Volcania in Goričko, Slovenia attracted a group of mostly amateur players back in 2014, with all people in attendance required to wear a hard hat.

Nobility Above All Else

Ever watched Downtown Abbey? Ever wanted to play poker there? The closest you can get to such an experience is by visiting North Cadbury Court in Yeovil, England. This exceptionally archaic building resonates with typical English countryside. The casino itself is something of a James Bond villain lair with dimly lit rooms and enclosed spaces offering numerous casino games including a full poker setup.

All Aboard the Poker Train

The X-Train isn’t a part of the X-Men Series it’s a real-world attraction combining locomotive travel and casino experiences. Yep, this is a premium train service running between Los Angeles and Las Vegas where the passengers can play multiple casino games while onboard. Of course, it costs a little more than the usual $99 train fee, it’s about $500 for the privilege – but does come with a meal.

Cards on a Plane?

Just like the X-Train, the Casino Jet Lounge is another concept that combines live gambling with traditional travel means – as the idea is that budding jet setters could enjoy all the perks of aviation and gambling all at once. Sadly, Casino Jet Lounge is nothing more than a concept as the ideal never got off the runway.

Inside Nevada State Prison

Affectionately named ‘the Bullpen’, Nevada State Prison took the legislation of the outside world and brought gambling to the inmates within the facility. While today’s standards wouldn’t want to mix recreational gambling with convicted criminals, between the 1930s and 1960s that’s exactly what happened. Poker was a favorite of the prisoners, as was blackjack. Nobody ever left with too much money as the wagers were usually in the cents and pots very rarely went over a dollar.

In the Antarctic

In 1953 the Esperanza Base was built as a permanent hub for people working and researching the natural environment and science surrounding the sub-zero Antarctic conditions. It serves as a research station and as a town for those living there. As well as the bare necessities for a township, they’ve got a casino. They could wager in Argentine pesos (as the base was originally built by the Argentinian government) or maybe just blocks of ice.

Underground, Literally Under the Ground

Australia’s outback is often celebrated for exceptional heat, wilderness, and the occasional kangaroo. Well, this underground hotel will make you forget about all of that. The Desert Cave Hotel offers dug-out style accommodation meaning you can experience post-apocalyptic living. The on-site casino is very interesting too as you can have a bet being several miles beneath the world above.

VR Poker On Your Head, In Your Head

With the advent of virtual reality and augmented reality, there a brand new worlds emerging outside the traditional brick-and-mortar settings that are directly in front of you. All you need is to plug into a programmed headset, launch the software and you’re there in a new world completely, but it also offers the benefits of top online real money poker sites where you don’t need to travel and spend all your money simply getting to the table. Sounds a bit like the matrix, right? Anyway, such technology has allowed game developers to make games like PokerStars VR. This is where your online avatar presents your poker activity and you play the game with other people across the world who are also connected to this virtual reality.