Betting in London
London’s history can be traced back to around 50 AD when the Romans founded a civilian town and named it Londinium. For two millennia, London City has been a cosmopolitan area and a central hub for culture, governance and economics. It is likely that gambling activities were present in the early days of the city due to the Roman legions fondness for playing a board and dice game similar to backgammon. Many forms of gambling and sports activities such as rugby, football, archery, horseracing and jousting have evolved in London throughout the years. The Jockey Club was founded in Pall Mall in 1750 before later relocating to Newmarket. The Football Association was established in 1863 and the Rugby Football Union in 1871.
In 1875, Sandown Park Racecourse was built and soon after, in 1888, Kempton Park racecourse appeared. This led to bookmakers such as Ladbrokes coming onto the scene - initially as a commission agent for horses. Today Ladbrokes operates thousands of betting venues throughout the world.
Casinos started to appear throughout London in the 19th century. In 1828, the Duke of Wellington funded the creation of Crockfords casino on Curzon Street. Victoria Sporting Club started shortly afterwards, as did the Clermont Club. The legacy of these old Georgian establishments still exists today.
Currently, the city is home to dozens of casinos. One company known as Gala operates several venues including Gala Casino Tottenham Court, Gala Casino Russell Square and Gala Barracuda Casino. They all offer round the clock gambling opportunities plus a loyalty initiative for cardholders - awarding points each time they play and have refreshments.
Crockfords in Mayfair is a flagship casino owned by Genting Casinos UK. They also own the Genting Casino Cromwell Mint, The Palm Beach, Maxims Casino Club and the Colony Club. Another large company known as London Clubs International is managed by Caesars Entertainment. They own the Playboy Club London, the Golden Nugget located in Piccadilly Circus as well as a casino at The Empire which is thought to be the U.K.s most active gambling venue.
Caesars Entertainment focuses on creating a Las Vegas-style environment within their casinos. Many Caesars casinos have live music and DJs whilst punters enjoy wagering on slot machines and gaming tables. London Clubs International establishments often feature luxury restaurants.
Another successful company known as Grosvenor Casinos operate the Grosvenor g Casino, Gloucester Casino London and Grosvenor Victoria Casino - which is their showcase venue. Aspinalls of London are another brand providing opulent gambling activities in the capital. The Aspers Casino opened in 2012. They offer customers 24/7 entertainment with over 200 slot machines, 55 games tables, poker games and a couple of bars. Also appearing in 2012, the Hippodrome Casino London provides slots, gaming tables and poker activities to patrons round the clock. Napoleons Casino & Restaurant at Queens House on Leicester Square offers 13 gaming machines and 18 table games. London has a proliferation of gambling venues dotted all over the city. Les Ambassaseurs casino can be found on Hamilton Place and has a restaurant, games machines, gaming tables and poker playing facilities. The large gambling property known as Crystal Rooms are located on Cranbourn Street and offer more than 100 games machines. Knightsbridge is home to The Park Tower Casino London, which focuses on punto banco, roulette, casino stud poker and blackjack. Leicester Square’s Napoleons Casino & Restaurant at Queens House provides table games and slots.
For those who enjoy bingo there are plenty of bingo halls available such as the Mecca Bingo on Hackney Road and Palace Bingo can be found on the junction of Elephant and Castle. The Wimbledon Greyhound Stadium is a favoured venue for dog racing and visitors can also enjoy the Star Attraction Restaurant.
