In our rundown of historic casinos and some of the best we can find on the market, few of us will realize that we have multiple casinos in one. Because of the possibilities offered by the space in which it is built, or simply because of the fondness for playrooms, such cases sometimes occur. And we’re moving to a less explored country like the UK.
The Hippodrome Casino is located in central London.. A place with a long history, full of renovations, changes of ownership, openings and closings etc until it became what it is today. A gaming room considered one of the best in the world, hosting multiple shows and variations and hosting up to three individual casinos with very different styles on its five floors.
History of the Hippodrome Casino
The history of this casino dates from the year 1900, when the Hippodrome area was first built and opened. Architect Frank Matcham was hired to develop the project as he was a specialist in theater construction and live music venues. He was hired by Moss Empires and it was there that the first shows were produced, in a room decorated like a ship’s saloon.
In the years that followed, Matcham redesigned the main hall to allow jazz concerts and famous shows such as circuses or renowned plays to come to London. But from the 1950s, the racetrack underwent a radical change and the interior was almost completely torn down. In 1958 businessman Bernard Delfont renamed it a nightclub entitled “The Talk of the Town”. Many personalities dropped by his room to present variety shows, but when that way of life became obsolete, the bar had to close.
In 1983, just a year after its closure, it reopened as a nightclub but also had ideas of a restaurant. After passing through several hands and gradually losing popularity, it lost its license to sell alcoholic beverages in 2005 and was closed again, although it was converted into a place destined for the arrival of the circus.
From 2006 the casino function was further developed. The magnate Charmaine Haig was the one who laid the groundwork for acquiring a license for the circuit to be turned into a casino in the near future. A recent remodeling restored the building to the spirit Matcham originally gave it, although it continued to be used for private events and shows.
AND It was the Thomas family who founded today’s Hippodrome Casino in 2009. His company sold its chain of bingo halls and invested £40m to convert the building into a gaming hall, due to open in 2012 as it is known today. In 2013 it won the award for best land-based casino at the Totally Gaming Awards and in 2015 it was recognized as the best European casino operator.
Surroundings of the Hippodrome Casino
The location of the Hippodrome Casino is ideal for attracting customers as it is in the heart of London, close to the River Thames and in the Westminster area. A very busy area where customers flock from all over to shop for produce in the Carnaby Street business district and where tourists can tour Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square and Big Ben or immerse themselves in the culture of historical figures such as Charles Darwin.
The arcade is on the corner of Cranbourn Street and Charing Cross Road. The street is known for its Irish pubs and for the casino itself, maybe that’s the reason for this location is the host of the UK & Ireland Poker Tour. The area is also known for its specialty and antique shops.
Hippodrome Casino
The Hippodrome Casino features a Playing area of almost 7,000 square meters with a capacity of more than 1,300 seats and a good number of standing places who can enter the rooms. And it is that in this multi-casino there is not only one, but three casinos in one. We have them on the ground floor GrandCasino, with 360 degree view of the auditorium. It’s one floor down, in the basement Lola’s Casino, with a more secret atmosphere and with the only back-to-back craps tables in the country. And this is on the third floor Cranbourn Clubwith access to the smoking terrace for players looking for more tranquility.
In total, over 100 slot machines and electronic machines with the most outstanding games on the market are distributed on all levels. There are gadgets with different games, live games, electronic wheels and even variants that combine bingo with other modalities. We are talking about the Franco Tómbola Roulette. Among the developers of these machines, Novomatic stands out. Jackpots and progressive jackpots can win you up to £20,000.
With regard to the game tables, the following variants are available to us:
In blackjack games, the Hippodrome includes an exclusive side bet. In this, If your first two cards total eleven, you win a progressive jackpot. But don’t worry if you need more information, because at the corners of the tables you will find brochures where you can learn all the ins and outs of this and other games. They even have a feature that allows you to self-exclude from the casino if you have addiction problems. It is part of their commitment to society.
The box office of the theater hall, which hosts exclusive events and presentations in the English capital, is also located on the ground floor. On the first floor we find restaurants, a cafeteria style tea room and the theater itself. Apart from that we have on the fourth floor the poker deck from Pokerstars Live. The Room of the Gods referred to this game, which is among the best in London and where the casino has an agreement with one of the most famous brands worldwide to offer exclusive promotions and content.
The drinks bars and shop complete the five floors, which are allowed to host conferences, corporate events, business events in private rooms and even rooms with large screens for watching major sporting events. You can even play online at the site, with live games and access to the players’ club.
