OK- here is an interesting question we have been asked regarding admission and memberships of UK casinos.
Prevuiosly in the UK (prior to October 2005), UK law required landbased casinos in the country to register their clients as members of a club and ask them to wait 24 hours before being permitted to play any games. This law wass abolished on 1st October 2005. You can now head into a casino in the UK and play right away. (There still seems to be alot of confusion on this point).
Some private casino clubs may still require you to apply for membership first, as before.
From December 2007 the requirement for all visitors to casinos to become members was lifted. You just need to register your name, your date of birth and the casino must take a photo of you for their records
You no longer need an Passport ID, but in most cases you will be asked for some kind of ID- generally a driving licence is fine. If you happen win abig amount, the casino will probably may ask you for ID anyway- so it´s as well to take it. Previously all UK casinos were deemed as clubs. You had to become a member first by submitting a passport or photo ID or bank card with a household bill (gas, electricity for example). Membership was normally approved within 24 hours. So the new system is obviously alot simpler.
Casinos in the UK are regulated by the UK Gaming Board and those operating in Great Britain must meet certain standards: they must provide a variety of games for example (in which the house edge is regulated), serve food and drinks and have adequate toilet facilities.
The games generally include Roulette, Blackjack, Craps, Baccarat and Caribbean Stud Poker , as well as slots & video poker machines of course. You might also see roulette machines.
If you are playing roulette, most UK casinos offer European Roulette and play the ‘La Partage’ rule (you only lose half your bet on the even money bets if the ball lands on zero.
How to Dress in a UK Casino
We can´t stand the phrase, but we would say at a minimum “Smart Casual” (chinos then!). No shorts or flip flops (not that you are able to wear shorts for long in the UK.
To Tip or Not To Tip?
Previously this was prohibited- but UK casinos now follow a more Las Vegas line. you can tip if you like.
How to Make a Complaint in a UK Casino
If you feel you have been “diddled” in a casino in the UK, you have quite a few options.
First off, talk to the dealer of course.
Then raise it with the Floor Manager
If this gets you nowhere, hunt down the Casino Manager
If you are still feeling short changed, contact the senior management of the company
If all this fails, you have the “Nuclear Option” which is the Independent Panel for Casino Arbitration (IPCA) :
IPCA, PO Box 5698, London, W1A 7AW.
The panel is made up of retired senior members of the Gambling Commision & other independent casino industry experts. A list of panel members can be found at the British Casino Association.
The IPCA will only handle disputes received in writing and after they are entirely satisfied that all possibilities of an internal solution have been fully explored. So use this as your very last option, and make sure you document everything.
