Iconic UK Casinos – Three of The Most Famous Casinos In The UK
Britain’s Three Most Iconic Casinos
When we take a look at the most iconic UK casinos, we have to take into consideration the island’s long history with all types of gambling. For over 1,000 years, gambling has been part and parcel of British culture. We know that the conquering Romans enjoyed playing dice. Later on, the upper classes took to horse race betting. Whilst the working classes enjoyed dice and card games in pubs up and down the country. It’s amazing to think that Queen Elizabeth 1st authorised the first National Lottery all the way back in 1569. It was a means of raising funds to defeat the Spanish Armada. Since then, the story of gambling has had many ups and downs. Thanks to the constant changes by lawmakers concerning the legality of gambling.
The UK Gambling Commission
Over the last few centuries gambling has been promoted by various governments. Or banned by others, at different points during its rocky history. Thanks to the advent of the internet, the last couple of decades has seen a boom in online gambling. This led to the establishment of a governmental organisation tasked with overseeing all gambling operations on the British Isles. The UK Gambling Commission is responsible for ensuring that casino operators are both fair and legal. They are also tasked with overseeing any mental health concerns that may come from gambling. They are constantly keeping gambling operators in check. Ensuring regulations are followed whenever they introduce new jackpot games or methodologies designed to raise more cash from bettors. They oversee online casinos, like our favourite, King Billy Casino.
Traditionally, as London is the capital city with the largest population, it’s no surprise that both the oldest, largest and most iconic UK casinos are there. Because London is one of the worldwide centres of culture, it’s also no surprise that many of these casinos are iconic. In the sense that they have a long history and have helped inspire an ever-expanding casino industry around the world. So, without further ado, let’s have a look at some of the most famous and iconic casinos in the UK today.
Iconic UK Casinos: Crockford’s, London
Thanks to its first opening in 1828, Crockford’s is one of the oldest casinos that has been continuously running in the whole of Europe. William Crawford opened the first upscale casino at number 30 Curzon Street, Mayfair. The money behind the initial venture came from its well-connected patron, the Duke of Wellington, The right Honorable, Arthur Wesley. As you can imagine, with such aristocratic backing, it opened its doors to great fanfare. For many years it was very much a playground for the rich and famous. Here they could party and gamble. At any time you could find royalty, celebrities and the aristocracy enjoying themselves.
Crockford’s – Image source: Ham / CC BY via Wikimedia Commons
In 1999, the Australian tycoon Kerry Packer managed to become the biggest casino loser in the UK after taking an £11million loss in one evening. This beat a previous record, also made at Crockfords by Greek millionaire Frank Saracakis, who lost £8 million. In 2012, the poker player Phil Ivy won 7.7 million whilst playing baccarat Punto Blanco. The casino refused to pay out as they accused Ivy of edge-sorting, which, though legal in the US, is considered illegal in the UK. Though he sued the casino, the case was ruled against him because edge sorting is viewed as “cheating under civil law.”
Although Crockfords still tries to maintain its pedigree of exclusiveness, business dictates that it is now open to everyone. Strangely enough, you would imagine that a door and dress policy would be strictly enforced. But today it’s easier to get into Crockfords than it is to enter many casinos in Monte Carlo. So, though you may be rubbing shoulders with aristocracy, on the whole, you will be surrounded by wealthy tourists. So, though it remains one of the most iconic UK casinos, you might not know it from the clientele.
Iconic UK Casinos: Resort World, Birmingham
One of the most ambitious casino projects to open in the UK was when Resort World opened its doors on the grounds of the Birmingham Exhibition Center in 2015. As a resort, it holds dozens of restaurants and bars with the boutique hotel boasting 178 en suite rooms. There’s an 11 screen Cineworld cinema equipped with IMAX, as well as the Vortex VR Gaming Experience. The Genting International Casino has over 60,000 square feet of gambling entertainment. As for gaming tables, you’ll find 14 for American roulette, 9 for blackjack, 4 for poker and 4 for baccarat. If slots are your thing, then you’ll be busy playing over 100 of their slots on the gaming floor.
You can look upon Resort World Birmingham as being a bold attempt to imitate a Las Vegas casino resort-style gambling experience. In many ways, it appears almost too new to be one of the most iconic UK casinos. But its sheer size puts it up against the best. The huge complex is themed in an ancient Chinese style and, in truth, there is something of the old-school James Bond glamour about the casino. The initial building cost was around £150 million. Today it brings in around £33 million annually in profits. And more importantly, provides around 1,100 jobs for the local community.
Iconic UK Casinos: Aspinall’s, London
John Victor Aspinall opened his casino in order to provide funding for his famous Wildlife Parks. Although the casino itself is a formal dress code establishment, it differs from the more stuffy Crockford’s in many ways. It doesn’t enjoy the long history and association with the aristocracy that Crockford’s offers. That’s because its history is much shorter, having only started in the Swinging Sixties. Originally it was the “Claremont Club” and was the first casino to gain a gambling licence in London. You’ll find it situated in the expensive, exclusive and glamorous Mayfair district of London, in 27 – 28 Curzon Street.
Its original members included no shortage of titled persons, including five marquesses, two cabinet ministers, five dukes, and nearly twenty earls. In truth, it’s more famous for its debauchery and scandals. The casino, along with its owner, is probably best known for the “long-con” they pulled over a number of years. Better known as “The Big Edge”, Aspinall and his financial director, John Burke, worked hand in hand to cheat wealthy players out of millions of pounds. They did this by hiring criminal elements who would play at the games tables, and skim profits in all sorts of underhanded ways, including marking the cards. Probably not the best jackpot winning strategies, but they certainly worked for the owner.
Today the casino consists of the main gambling floor, but additional six cosy private VIP salons, which can fit around 25 people or less. The table games on offer are roulette, three card poker, baccarat and blackjack. The wildlife park and Aspinall’s love of animals show in aspects of the decoration. It’s probably thanks to its outlandish history that it’s always on any list of iconic UK casinos.
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Iconic UK Casinos: What Makes a Good Casino a Great Casino?
As a gambler, if you’re looking for a land-based casino, then there are around 100 of them throughout the United Kingdom. Having said that, it can be difficult to choose a more upmarket casino. Especially from the huge number of gambling halls and other regular gambling institutions available. But if you look closely, you’ll find that there are certain tell-tale traits. Factors that have always separated the good casinos from the truly great ones. Of course, any institution can simply fill a room with a bunch of slot machines and gaming tables. For the discerning gambler, that’s not going to be enough. Here at Jackpotfinder.com, we suggest that you look into the following factors before jumping in your car and making your way to the nearest casino. Hopefully, these will help increase your jackpot winning chances.
First Impressions
Although they say you cannot judge a book by its cover, nevertheless there is some truth in the fact. You can certainly tell a lot about an establishment at the very moment you first set eyes on it. In fact, we should go so far as to say that your first impression is probably going to be the correct one. Simply put, if you stroll into any casino and you’ll find yourself in awe of all the glitz, glamour and gorgeous surroundings, then you’re probably going to stay and have a great time. On the other hand, if all you see are a bunch of tired-looking tables in a dark and dreary hall, that smells of old cigarette smoke and vomit, well, that’s the truth of the matter. So following your first impressions is probably not a bad strategy at the beginning.
Popularity
The popularity, or conversely, the unpopularity of a certain casino, can speak louder than words. If, when you first enter, you find that the gaming floor is busy and packed with busy gamblers, then it’s probably the place you want to be as well. On the other side of the coin, an empty casino, with staff and dealers looking bored, is probably not going to lend itself to you having an enjoyable and exciting time. If you want to enjoy a busy, full-on casino experience, then we suggest that you head over to King Billy Casino. Not only do they have a huge selection of games, with many of them being with live dealers, but they also offer all new players a bonkers welcome bonus of 151% up to €/$500 plus 51 bonus spins!
Reputation
Before you head off to a brick and mortar casino, it’s always a good idea to go online and check some reviews in order to see what other gamblers have to say about the place. It’s true that you can’t please everyone all the time. But you’ll get a feel as to whether the place is going to be a positive experience for you. Whilst you are at it, check out the casino’s social media pages. Many customers will comment on their experience thanks to many social sites offering instant reviews. You’ll also find all sorts of jackpot winning tips and tricks. More importantly, you’ll also see listed the special offers, promotions, bonuses and competitions that will be coming up.
