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Casino Barrière Montreux
The legendary casino on Lake Geneva: birthplace of "Smoke on the Water" and home of the Queen studios.
📍 Vaud | 🏛️ A-Licence (unlimited stakes) | 🗓️ Opened 1881 | ✓ Updated: July 30, 2026
At a glance
| Address | Rue du Théâtre 9, 1820 Montreux |
| Canton | Vaud |
| Licence | A-Licence (unlimited stakes) |
| Phone | +41 21 962 83 83 |
| Website | Visit official website |
| Admission | CHF 10 for visitors without membership; with the free Club Barrière card, entry is permanently free. Valid ID (passport or identity card) required. |
| Dress code | Smart casual: neat casual clothing is expected; sportswear and inappropriate clothing are not permitted in the gaming areas. A jacket and tie are not compulsory. |
| Minimum age | 18 |
| Parking | The casino has its own car park directly at the building; further public car parks such as the Parking du Marché are a few minutes' walk away in the centre of Montreux. |
| Opened | 1881 |
| Operator | Casino Barrière de Montreux SA, part of the French Groupe Barrière |
| Wheelchair accessible | Not specified |
| Payment methods | ✓ Cash CHF Play is in Swiss francs. Currency exchange is available at the cash desk in the casino. |
Opening Hours
| Day | Opening hours |
|---|---|
| Sun–Wed | 09:00 – 03:00 |
| Thu | 09:00 – 04:00 |
| Fri–Sat | 09:00 – 05:00 |
| Table games | daily from 16:00 |
The casino is generally open 365 days a year, including public holidays.
Games on offer
350 slot machines
Jackpots: More than 350 slot machines, from classic reel games to modern video slots, including machines with progressive jackpots. Stakes start from just a few centimes.
| Game | Minimum bet | Maximum bet | Tables |
|---|---|---|---|
| English roulette | – | – | – |
| Blackjack | – | – | – |
| Ultimate Texas Hold'em | – | – | – |
| Punto banco | – | – | – |
| Texas Hold'em poker (poker room) | – | – | – |
Poker room
Cash games
| Variant | Blinds | Min. buy-in |
|---|---|---|
| No Limit Texas Hold'em |
Tournaments
| Tournament | When | Buy-in |
|---|---|---|
| Regular Texas Hold'em tournaments | several times a month, dates as published on the casino website |
The Casino Barrière Montreux has its own poker room, a rarity in French-speaking Switzerland. No Limit Texas Hold'em is played across several tables, both as cash games and in regular tournaments. Dates and buy-ins are published on the casino website.
Getting there & location
From Montreux railway station (SBB, Lausanne–Brig line as well as the GoldenPass towards the Bernese Oberland), the casino is around a 10-minute walk along the lakeside promenade. The local VMCV bus routes stop right by the casino on Rue du Théâtre.
Take the A9 motorway (Lausanne–Valais) to the Montreux exit, then follow the signs towards the centre and the casino. The drive takes around 30 minutes from Lausanne, about an hour from Geneva, and roughly 75 minutes from Bern via the A12.
Hotel & Restaurants
| Restaurant / Bar | Cuisine | Price range |
|---|---|---|
| Le Fouquet's Montreux | Elegant Paris-style brasserie with a terrace and lake view, serving French, Italian and Swiss cuisine | CHF 22–54 (main courses) |
| Le Palais Bonheur | Asian restaurant with Chinese, Thai and Singaporean specialities | $$ |
| L'Entracte | Casual venue for the later hours with homemade burgers, all-you-can-eat moules-frites, pasta and themed buffets | $–$$ |
Hotels nearby
| Hotel | Distance | |
|---|---|---|
| Eden Palace au Lac | approx. 300 m | Check prices |
| Fairmont Le Montreux Palace | approx. 600 m | Check prices |
| Hôtel Helvétie | approx. 500 m | Check prices |
| Grand Hôtel Suisse Majestic | approx. 900 m | Check prices |
Events & Promotions
| Event / Promotion | Date | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Poker tournaments | regularly | No Limit Texas Hold'em tournaments in the in-house poker room; dates and buy-ins as published on the casino website. |
| Shows, concerts and dinner evenings | ongoing | The casino regularly hosts live music, themed evenings and entertainment programmes in its restaurants and event spaces. |
| Queen: The Studio Experience | all year round | A free museum in the original Mountain Studios inside the casino, where Queen and Freddie Mercury recorded numerous albums. Donations go to the Mercury Phoenix Trust AIDS charity. |
Frequently asked questions
How much does entry to the Casino Barrière Montreux cost?
Entry costs CHF 10. With the free Club Barrière membership card, admission is permanently free. You must be at least 18 years old and present valid ID (passport or identity card).
What are the opening hours of the Casino Barrière Montreux?
Sunday to Wednesday from 09:00 to 03:00, Thursday until 04:00, Friday and Saturday until 05:00. The table games open daily in the late afternoon.
Is there a dress code?
Yes, smart casual: neat casual clothing is sufficient, and a jacket and tie are not compulsory. Sportswear and inappropriate clothing are not permitted in the gaming areas.
Can you play poker at the Casino Barrière Montreux?
Yes, the casino has its own poker room with No Limit Texas Hold'em cash games and regular tournaments. Ultimate Texas Hold'em against the house is also available.
What does the Casino Montreux have to do with "Smoke on the Water"?
On 4 December 1971 the casino burned down completely during a Frank Zappa concert, after a flare gun was fired in the audience. Deep Purple watched the smoke drifting over Lake Geneva and wrote the worldwide hit "Smoke on the Water" about it.
Does the Casino Barrière Montreux have an online casino?
No, not any more. The online platform GamrFirst operated from 2021 until October 2025 and was then discontinued by Groupe Barrière. The venue now focuses on its land-based offering in Montreux.
History & Background
The venue's history begins in 1881 with the opening of the Montreux Kursaal, designed by architects Ernest Burnat and Charles Nicati. In 1967 Claude Nobs founded the Montreux Jazz Festival here, and it was held at the casino until 1971. On 4 December 1971 a fire during a Frank Zappa concert destroyed the building completely; Deep Purple turned the event into the classic "Smoke on the Water". After rebuilding, the casino reopened in 1975, including the Mountain Studios where Queen and Freddie Mercury recorded numerous albums. The original studio rooms today house the free museum "Queen: The Studio Experience". In the early 2000s the French Groupe Barrière took over the venue, refurbished it extensively and obtained a Type A licence under the Swiss Gambling Act. From 2021 until October 2025 the casino also ran the online platform GamrFirst, which has since been discontinued.
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Responsible gambling: Gambling can be addictive. In Switzerland, those affected can have themselves excluded from all casinos and online casinos via the national exclusion register; applications can be made at any casino or online. Help and advice: Sucht Schweiz, tel. 0800 104 104 (free of charge). Only play with money you can afford to lose. You can find more information here. 18+
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