What Is the Oldest Casino in the UK?

The oldest casino in the UK has three correct answers, depending on what you mean. By founding date, it’s Crockfords in Mayfair, opened in 1828 and closed permanently in October 2023.

The first legal casino was Casino Club Port Talbot, which opened in 1961. The oldest still trading is most likely Les Ambassadeurs in Mayfair, though that title is disputed.

• Oldest by founding date: Crockfords, Mayfair. Opened 1828, closed October 2023 after 195 years.
• First legal casino: Casino Club Port Talbot. Opened 1961 under the Betting and Gaming Act 1960, since closed.
• Oldest still trading: Les Ambassadeurs, Mayfair. Gaming there since May 1961, with no official record to settle the claim.

Crockfords and the 1828 Claim

William Crockford was a fishmonger’s son who became one of the richest self-made men in England. The club that took his name opened at 50 St James’s Street in 1828.

The 195-year record is contested. The original club shut in 1845, a year after Crockford died, and the name then lay dormant for more than eighty years.

In 1928, breakaway members of the Almack’s bridge club revived it at 21 Hertford Street, after one of them read that the first Crockford’s had opened a century earlier. That club added casino games and later moved to Curzon Street. Its link to Crockford’s own business was the name and nothing more.

Britain’s First Legal Casino

The Betting and Gaming Act 1960 legalised commercial gaming in Britain, on strict terms. Casinos had to operate as members-only clubs, and games fell under an “equal chance” rule that prevented the house from banking them for profit.

Casino Club Port Talbot opened in 1961 on the first floor of George Alfred James’s own shop in the South Wales steel town. It’s widely regarded as Britain’s first legal casino.

James paired gaming with a bar, restaurant and cabaret, then opened further venues in London and Southport. The Gaming Act 1968 further liberalised the law. His Port Talbot club traded for more than fifty years before closing.

Which UK Casino Is the Oldest Still Open?

Les Ambassadeurs at 5 Hamilton Place is the strongest candidate. Its Le Cercle gaming room opened in May 1961, and the club still holds a casino licence today, but the Gambling Commission’s register only reaches back to 2005, and anything earlier comes from the clubs themselves. It’s why no two lists agree.

UK Oldest Casino FAQs

When did Crockfords close?

Crockfords closed permanently in October 2023, after 195 years. Genting UK cited a combination of factors leaving high-end London casinos at a competitive disadvantage. Around 100 staff faced redundancy or relocation. The closure followed those of the Ritz Club and the Clermont Club.

When did casinos become legal in the UK?

Commercial casinos became legal under the Betting and Gaming Act 1960, which came into force in 1961. Venues had to operate as members-only clubs under an equal chance rule. The Gaming Act 1968 liberalised the law further and introduced oversight by the Gaming Board.

Two centuries on from Crockford’s gaming tables, our new casino games are a slightly different proposition.

18+. Please gamble responsibly. For free, confidential advice and support, visit begambleaware.org.