Poker has always been a popular card game for people to play, though that popularity undoubtedly increased thanks to the likes of the World Series of Poker. London, as the capital of the United Kingdom, boasts more than a few poker rooms where you can show off your skills at the likes of Texas Hold’em, seven-card stud and Omaha. Each of them offers something different, with some being standalone venues and other being located within one of the city’s many casinos. Which type you’ll prefer will be a matter of personal preference, but we’ll tell you about them all.
If you want to play some casual poker then there will be a poker room that will allow you to do just that. If you’d rather sit down at a table with serious players and get your teeth into a proper game, you’ll be able to do that, too. There are some poker rooms that offer high stakes betting, whilst others tend to be a little more ready to welcome guests with smaller budgets. As you might imagine, the majority of the poker rooms in London are to be found within casinos, which offers you the chance to engage in some other table games as you look to enjoy your evening to its fullest.
List of Poker Rooms in London
This site also contains information about the like of football grounds and dog tracks in London, as well as in-depth look at the city’s casinos. There may well be some overlap between that last piece and this one, given the fact that so many of the poker rooms in the capital are located within such venues. Regardless, we’ll tell you where the poker room is located, giving you the postcode to help you find it, as well as the nearest tube station for your convenience.
| Poker Room | Postcode | Nearest Tube |
|---|---|---|
| PokerStars LIVE at the Hippodrome | WC2H 7JH | Leicester Square |
| Les Ambassadeurs | W1J 7ED | Hyde Park Corner |
| Aspers Casino Westfield, Stratford City | E20 1EJ | Stratford |
| Empire Casino | WC2H 7NA | Leicester Square |
| Eltham Terrace Club | SE9 6SF | Eltham Train Station |
| Grosvenor Casino Bayswater | W2 4QH | Bayswater |
| Grosvenor Casino St Giles | W1T 7RG | Goodge Street |
| JW Marriott Grosvenor House | W1K 7TN | Marble Arch |
| The Poker Room | W2 2DT | Edgware Road |
| Forty Five Kensington | SW7 2EF | South Kensington |
| London Hilton on Park Lane | W1K 1BE | Hyde Park Corner |
| Crown Aspinalls | W1J 7TJ | Hyde Park Corner |
PokerStars LIVE at the Hippodrome
The fact that this poker room is found in one of the most central of casinos in all of London – the Hippodrome – certainly adds to the manner in which people enjoy spending time here. It is great for lovers of cash games, not least of all because of the fact that it is something of a tourist hotspot and the chances of eating up a few fish will be high, depending on when you go. You can spend some time in the rest of the casino, which has plenty to offer, but if it’s the poker that you’re particularly keen on then you’re in luck as the action is fast and loose and everyone is there for some fun.
Les Ambassadeurs
Given the fact that this is one of London’s most exclusive casinos, it is fair to say that not everyone will get to experience the joys of playing poker here. For those that do, the buy-ins are going to be high enough to make most people’s eyes water. That being said, if you can go to Les Ambassadeurs in the first place then the likelihood is that you’re going to be able to afford it. The venue is the definition of class, from the upholstery to the carpets via the clientele and the people working in it. If you want to play top-end poker then there’s nowhere better in London.
Aspers Casino Westfield, Stratford City
When the Aspers Casino in Westfield opened, it was one of the biggest casinos in the country. It is perhaps no surprising, therefore, that a poker room was included. It isn’t just any old poker room, however. The company itself describes it as East London’s ‘biggest 24/7 nightlife venue’. The good news for relatively newbies is that you’ll be made to feel as welcome as a seasoned pro, up to and including the fact that you can get some help with the game if you’re not too sure how to play it. There is also a house jackpot, which grows with each cash game and is triggered by hitting a diamond Royal Flush.
Empire Casino
Another casino located in the heart of London, this Leicester Square-based venue is where you’ll find one of the most luxurious poker rooms in the capital. That might come as something of a surprise given the manner in which Empire Casino is open to anyone, but you can spend hours here and be just as comfortable at the end of the night as you were at the start. That is thanks to the reclining seats on offer, with the bad-beat jackpot also making it easier to stomach an unlucky defeat. You shouldn’t let its tourist hot-spot location fool you; some serious poker gets played here.
Eltham Terrace Club
This is a members only sports club, but that doesn’t mean that it’s exclusive. You can apply to join and you’ll find that the private nature is as much to do with licensing as anything else. You will get a warm welcome and can take part in a game of pool or some darts in between poker hands. The poker on offer is a lot more relaxed than you’ll find in a lot of places, so staff are always happy to let you know how to play if you’re not too comfortable with the rules. There are often tournaments on the go that are aimed at all sorts of bankrolls, so make sure you register to join 48-hours before turning up to avoid disappointment.
Grosvenor Casino Bayswater
When it comes to Grosvenor casinos, they are a chain so you will experience much the same thing wherever you go. That being said, the poker room at the firm’s Bayswater location allows for plenty of games to be played and many opportunities to get some favourable hands. Just because it is located inside a wider casino doesn’t mean that the poker isn’t taken seriously by those who play it. There are always more than a few punters looking to win their hands at your expense, so you need to make sure that you’re on your game if you want to avoid being taken to the cleaners.
Grosvenor Casino St Giles
Unsurprisingly, the Grosvenor Casino St Giles’s poker room has a lot in common with the Bayswater location. There will be numerous different types of game on offer, so keep an eye out for the schedule if you’re more of a fan of Omaha than Texas Hold’em. This isn’t necessarily the place to go if you want some high roller action, but if you’re looking for a slightly more gentle introduction into the world of poker rooms then this will be for you. That being said, there will still be the requisite amount of people taking the games seriously if you want to be focussed in your play.
JW Marriott Grosvenor House
The JW Marriott Grosvenor House is one of London’s more exclusive hotels, so it is perhaps not a shock that the poker played here tends to be at the top level. In fact, when the World Series of Poker comes to London, it is often at the Hyde Park hotel where some of its games are played. They tend to be for the high rollers, so if that’s not the category that you fit into then you might well want to look elsewhere. We are talking top-class at the JW Marriott Grosvenor House, up to and including the fact that it is a cashless venue, so you should expect the best of the best to be here.
The Poker Room
The fact that this venue is known as ‘The Poker Room’ in London probably tells you everything that you need to know about it. If you want to play poker in the capital then this is the place to do it. It is located above the Grosvenor Victoria Casino on Edgware Road and offers 35 poker tables, which promises plenty of room for some of the biggest competitions around. Indeed, it is the home of GUKPT, which is the largest poker tournament in the country. You will get all of the trappings of the casino itself underneath, all whilst playing some serious poker against top players.
Forty Five Kensington
Formerly the Genting Casino Cromwell Mint, Forty Five Kensington can be found, as the name suggests, in the Kensington area of London. The gaming space itself offers state-of-the-art electronic games to be played alongside table games, whilst those who to specifically engage in some poker will find that the Queensbury Room offers high stakes games to those who can afford to play them. Poker isn’t the main thought of Forty Five Kensington, so if that is specifically what you are after then you might want to consider one of the other locations on our list. That being said, games can be found here from time to time.
London Hilton on Park Lane
The London Hilton on Park Lane is, as you might imagine, a hotel. That doesn’t mean that you can’t enjoy some poker here from time to time, however. That is because it is often used as the location for the likes of the Triton Super High Roller Series, which is, as the name suggests, a series of games aimed at high rollers to go up against one another for the biggest of wins. Obviously you need to find out ahead of time whether there is a tournament taking place here, but if there is then you can expect yourself to be part of one of the most exciting poker experiences in the city.
Crown Aspinalls
If what you are after more than anything else is an exclusive experience, you’d be hard pushed to find somewhere else in London more exclusive than Crown Aspinalls. There are six private salons here, which means that you barely even know what someone else is playing let alone how much they might be staking. Poker tournaments aren’t necessarily all that common here, but when they happen you’ll often find the creme de la creme of London society taking part in them. Those without large bankrolls need not apply, but those that do will be delighted with the experience.