The Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square has started broadcasting its own tables to gamblers around the world, after striking a partnership with the gambling technology giant Playtech to launch a live-streamed offering called ‘Live from London’. Whilst live casino games beamed out from a studio are nothing new, what marks this one out is that the cameras are pointed at the actual, working casino floor, rather than a purpose-built set somewhere else entirely. That means that punters logging on from abroad are, literally, watching a casino in Leicester Square.
The initial line-up includes Dual Roulette and Studio Core Roulette, alongside Blackjack and Baccarat, with Playtech saying that the portfolio is expected to grow as the partnership beds in. It is a neat bit of brand extension for a venue that has spent more than a century pulling in visitors to that corner of the West End, fitting a pattern that Playtech has been building for a couple of years now.
Part of a Wider Playtech Strategy
‘Live from London’ is not Playtech’s first attempt at broadcasting from a working casino, rather than a studio in which an approximation of a casino has been built. The supplier struck a similar arrangement with MGM Resorts International back in the June of 2024, putting live roulette and baccarat tables on the floors of the MGM Grand and the Bellagio in Las Vegas for players outside of the United States of America.
That partnership grew further in the August of 2025, with a dedicated glass-walled studio and the launch of Family Feud Live, which was billed as the first interactive game show broadcast live from a Vegas casino floor.
Marat Koss, Playtech’s Chief Interactive Gaming Officer, said,
As we continue to expand Playtech’s Live Casino portfolio, partnering with iconic gaming destinations remains a key part of our strategy. ‘Live from London’ merges the authenticity of a premium land-based casino and our technology to provide an engaging experience across multiple regulated markets.
Meanwhile, the Hippodrome’s Director of Online Gaming, George Constantinou, was equally upbeat about what the tie-up means for a venue better known for red carpets and roulette wheels than streaming technology. Constantinou said,
The Hippodrome has been entertaining guests in the heart of London for more than a century and has become one of the most recognised casino destinations in the UK.
Partnering with a leading technology provider in Playtech enables us to extend that experience beyond our venue and introduce our unique atmosphere to audiences around the world through high-quality live casino content.
Where This Might Go Next
Quite how far Playtech intends to take this model remains to be seen, although the direction of travel looks fairly clear. It is likely that the plan is to take a casino floor that already has a recognisable identity, whether that’s the neon sprawl of Las Vegas or the old-school glamour of Leicester Square, and turn it into content that can be streamed to regulated markets well beyond the venue’s own four walls.
There is an argument that the likes of Monaco, Macau or Atlantic City could be next in line for the same treatment, although neither Playtech nor the Hippodrome has said anything of the sort publicly, and for now, ‘Live from London’ is as far as the agreement has gone.
In fact, both companies were at pains to stress that responsible gambling protections apply across whichever regulated market happens to be watching, which is noteworthy given how much of the appeal for punters rests on making a real, in-person casino feel accessible from a laptop or phone screen on the other side of the world.
Whether that is able to translate into meaningful extra revenue for the Hippodrome or turns out to be more of a marketing curiosity is not yet clear, but as a statement of intent for how Playtech wants its live casino arm to grow, ‘Live from London’ is an exciting and unambiguous one.