Dostoevski's fictional town of Roulettenburg serves as a microcosm of the addictive allure and ruinous consequences of gambling, encapsulating both the highs of fortune and the depths of despair. Through a vivid portrayal of settings like casinos, elegant hotels, and international visitors, the narrative highlights how the pursuit of wealth and status can lead to a loss of true happiness and identity. The novel's protagonist, Aleksei Ivanovich, is swept into a frenetic world of chance, losing sight of genuine love and fulfillment along the way.

Roulettenburg

Modeled after the German spa town of Baden-Baden, Roulettenburg stands as a symbol of the obsession with gambling, particularly roulette. The town's international atmosphere, marked by a mix of Russian, French, German, Italian, and Polish visitors, creates a sense of transience and rootlessness. This cosmopolitan mix, evident in the various currencies used and the hotel names like "Hôtel d’Angleterre," underscores a world where appearances and social status are pivotal. However, beneath the surface, identities are deceptive, and fortunes are as volatile as the spin of the roulette wheel. Dostoevski reveals the destructive folly of placing one's hopes on games of chance, as illustrated by Aleksei Ivanovich's obsession that blinds him to true love.

Casino

The casino in Roulettenburg is depicted as a frantic hub of desperation and deceit, akin to a hell on earth. Visitors crowd around gambling tables, and among them are those who have lost everything and those who prey on the vulnerable. A pivotal moment in the narrative involves an elderly Russian woman who arrives with the intention to use her wealth for noble purposes but instead succumbs to the lure of the roulette table, losing vast sums. Her family's anticipation of her death and the subsequent inheritance is upended as she learns humility and returns to Moscow. Aleksei Ivanovich, however, ignores the cautionary tale, ensnared by a significant win that only fuels his destructive addiction.

Paris

After his win in Roulettenburg, Aleksei Ivanovich accompanies the French adventuress Mademoiselle Blanche to Paris, a city epitomizing extravagance and superficial pleasures. Aleksei watches passively as Blanche frivolously squanders his winnings on luxury items, reflecting his deeper compulsion to return to gambling. Paris becomes a backdrop against which the emptiness of his victories is starkly evident, as his true desire lies not in material wealth but in the thrill of the gamble itself.

Moscow

Moscow represents a stark contrast to the morally dubious environments of Roulettenburg and Paris. Symbolizing traditional Russian values and spiritual steadfastness, it is where the elderly Russian woman returns after her humbling experience at the casino. Her retreat to Moscow highlights a yearning for stability and authenticity, a path Aleksei Ivanovich fails to take as his life spirals further into the chaos of gambling addiction.

Schlangenberg

Schlangenberg, or "Snake Mountain," is a dramatic peak near Roulettenburg that serves as a metaphorical and literal high point in the novel. Aleksei Ivanovich's proclamation that he would leap from the mountain at the behest of his beloved mirrors the biblical temptation of Jesus, underscoring his desperation and misplaced devotion. Schlangenberg epitomizes the extreme lengths to which he is willing to go, driven by a consuming passion that ultimately overshadows reason and genuine affection.