There are Casinos in most popular tourist areas and all of the large cities. They are usually part of a large hotel; however they are not huge casinos like in Las Vegas. They are fairly informal places, and dress codes are neat but casual. Minimum bets in most places start at 500 Colones (about $1).
The most popular Casino game is 21 also called “Rummy”, which is similar to blackjack but with tico rules. You get two cards, you can then ask for another card or stay with the two you have if you have 21 or close to 21. As in blackjack, the idea is to get as close to 21 as possible without going over, with face cards counting as 10 and aces counting as one or 11. All the rules just mentioned are just like blackjack. Here is where the game differs from the Las Vegas version: if your first three cards are the same, three of a kind, or a straight (6, 7, & 8 of the same suit), you have a ‘rummy’ and you are paid double. And if your three of a kind happen to be three sevens (which is 21), you get an even higher bonus. If you get 21 with two cards or get five cards without breaking 21, there’s no double bonus as you get in many other international casinos. Splitting pairs is allowed as is doubling down.
Some of the other games include roulette, where the numbers are drawn from a lottery tumbler rather than spun on a roulette wheel. There are also electric slot machines; however most are different than the Las Vegas style. There are also other, uniquely tico, card games you’ll need to learn before you can play
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