London Hits the Jackpot: Europe’s Top Casino City Revealed
London is not just a cultural and historic powerhouse. According to a Gambling.com study of Europe’s most visited cities, it is also the number one destination on the continent’s casino bucket list, and a fresh reader poll has now crowned the capital’s favourite venue.
The study, based on Google Reviews and tourism data, ranked the leading casino in each of Europe’s ten most visited cities. London took top spot, placing the UK capital at the centre of European casino tourism and ahead of rivals in Paris and Vienna. For players who prefer to stay in, our guide to the best online casinos covers the licensed sites worth knowing.
London Claims Europe’s Top Spot
In the study, Grosvenor Casino, St Giles led the field with a Google Review rating of 4.8 out of 5. Located in the heart of Theatreland, it blends entertainment, gaming and luxury, with a floor running American roulette, blackjack, three-card poker, Punto Banco and dice games.
Its position near West End and top dining spots makes it a natural pre- or post-show stop, and that mix of high-end gaming, prime location and modern facilities is exactly why London topped the European list.
Paris And Vienna Close Behind
Hot on London’s heels was Club Circus Paris, rated 4.5, a stylish venue with 31 poker and dealer tables near the Parc des Princes and Roland-Garros.
Third place went to Casino Baden near Vienna, rated 4.4, which trades modern glamour for classical grandeur in a historic building.
Madrid’s Casino Gran Vía Poker Room (4.2) and Amsterdam’s Holland Casino (4.1) rounded out the upper half, with Barcelona’s Casino Barcelona and Rome’s Slot Palace Le Palme Roma tied on 4.0. Athens, Milan and Venice completed the top ten, the last represented by the Casino di Venezia, the oldest casino in the world.
London’s Favourite Casino, According To Readers
If the study crowned London as Europe’s top casino city, a separate reader poll has now named its favourite venue. In voting for the 2026 International Casino Awards, players were asked to pick the best casino in London, and one name ran away with it.
The Hippodrome Casino took 68% of the vote, more than four times its nearest rival. Grosvenor’s Victoria Casino came second on 16%, with the Empire Casino third on 10%. The results in full:
| Casino | Share of vote |
|---|---|
| Hippodrome Casino | 68% |
| Grosvenor Victoria | 16% |
| Empire Casino | 10% |
| Genting Casino Chinatown | 3% |
| Aspers Casino Stratford (now Genting Casino Stratford) | 1% |
| The Colony Club, Mayfair | 1% |
Inside London’s Top Casinos
London’s licensed casinos range from Victorian landmarks off Leicester Square to Britain’s largest gaming floors. Here is what sets the poll’s leading names apart.
The Hippodrome Casino
Opened in 1900 and designed by Frank Matcham, the Grade II-listed Hippodrome hosted the likes of Harry Houdini and Judy Garland before a £40 million restoration reopened it as a casino in July 2012. Today it is London’s biggest and busiest casino, spread over three floors with two restaurants, private dining rooms and eight bars, including a rooftop terrace overlooking Theatreland. The main floor houses around 45 tables for poker, blackjack, roulette and more.
Grosvenor Victoria Casino
Known to regulars simply as "the Vic", the Grosvenor Victoria on Edgware Road is home to one of Europe’s most storied poker rooms and hosts the GUKPT final, one of the biggest tournaments on the UK calendar. A recent refurbishment has widened its appeal beyond the card tables.
Empire Casino
A few steps from the Hippodrome on Leicester Square, the Empire fills a former ballroom with 55,000 sq ft of gaming across two floors, one of the largest single gaming floors in central London. The mood is high-energy and unashamedly Las Vegas, with four bars and a sports bar keeping the party going around the clock.
Genting Casino Stratford
Formerly an Aspers Casino, the 65,000 sq ft Genting Casino Stratford sits on the third floor of one of the UK’s biggest shopping centres. It offers more than 150 slot machines and 55 table and poker games, plus a sports betting shop, making it one of the few UK casinos where you can bet on football at one end and play live roulette at the other.
A Casino Scene Like Nowhere Else In Europe
What lifts London above its European rivals is sheer density and variety. The major national chains run multiple venues across the capital alongside fiercely independent flagships and a world-class collection of private members’ clubs.
Grosvenor, operating since 1970, is the UK’s largest casino brand and runs eight casinos across London, from the West End to Knightsbridge and Bayswater. Genting, in the UK since 2006, adds sites in Chinatown, Kensington and Mayfair, while Metropolitan Gaming, whose roots trace back to London Clubs International, runs flagship venues in Mayfair and Marylebone.
Above the open-door casinos sits a tier of exclusive Mayfair clubs, including Crockfords and Les Ambassadeurs, members-only institutions with centuries of history. It is a spread no other European capital can match.
Plan Your London Casino Trip
Every casino in London is licensed and regulated by the Gambling Commission, and the legal gambling age is 18. Venues may apply their own dress codes and entry policies, so it is worth checking ahead before you go.
As with any night out, set a budget before you start and treat any losses as the cost of the entertainment.
Check out our guide to responsible gambling.
