UK casinos

In the UK (England, Scotland, (probably) Northern Ireland), there are 2 types of casinos:
- Slot parlors (ie: Admiral, Merkur, Leisure Time)
- 'Real' casinos with table games (ie: Grosvenor, Genting)

All the above casinos were the ones i went to and are chains.
I did not see any independent real casinos but saw several independent slot parlors advertised as amusement (video games) with a slot machine section in the back for 18+.

For all slots in the UK, the help menu will list the return % of the game.
For some games, the higher bets will have higher returns. (see below)
If it says just one #, then all denoms of the game has the same return.



I don't recognize any of the the slots in the slot parlors. None look vulturable and i didn't try.

In the real casinos there were LOTS of roulette, both tables and stadium type e-Roulette. (All single 0 with European rules for 1:1 bets)
They also had BJ. From what i saw, all were 3:2 and s17 (stand soft17).
Grosvenor also had some sort of stud poker type table game. (no pic)
Genting had this:



There werent alot of slots. A vast majority of them were the same type as the slot parlors.
There were a few multi-game cabinets with slots seen in America but it's not vulturable.

ie:
- The bubbles in OM disappear in the next spin.
- The # of coins needed to activate the bonus in KEYs is random every spin. (I've seen the # go between 3 and 5.)



All the 'American' slots in the real casinos were at least 92% but because there's no persistent state, it was feast or famine.

In the KEY game, it was 94% return but the payouts during regular spins suck just like in the game found in the US.
You had to get the bonus else it's famine. I put in $60 at .50/spin and never got the bonus. (I walked away)

I'm assuming it's the same for all games that would be vulturable in the US.

Quote: 100xOdds

In the UK (England, Scotland, (probably) Northern Ireland), there are 2 types of casinos:
- Slot parlors (ie: Admiral, Merkur, Leisure Time)
- 'Real' casinos with table games (ie: Grosvenor, Genting)

All the above casinos were the ones i went to and are chains.
link to original post

You should have pinged me if you came to blighty. I'd have love to have bought you a beer.

I think all casinos here are in chains, mostly Grosvenor which is owned by Rank Org or Gentings. The indies got snapped up long ago. Without checking, I think the machines limit is 20 per casino. They have some roulette terminals which are linked to live tables elsewhere.
The Admiral places are what we tend to call amusement arcades. They used to have mostly video games, but they are less popular in the bigger towns. Coastal resorts have bigger amusement arcades which are mostly games machines with a separate adults gambling area.
There are also several chains of high street bookmakers, which cover live sports but have some gambling terminals.

Something I've always wondered about:

Are gambling winnings taxable for UK citizens?

Quote: Ace2

Something I've always wondered about:

Are gambling winnings taxable for UK citizens?
link to original post

Gambling winnings are completely non-taxable for us as players. Our HMRC (like your IRS) don't want to know. No deductions though if we lose. Gambling businesses are taxed as regular businesses, of course.

I thought I'd dropped that bit of info before a gazillion times..

Yes it was a bad attempt at a joke

Quote: Ace2

Yes it was a bad attempt at a joke
link to original post

I thought so.

Did I mention our NHS?

Now that's how it's done $:o)

Wait, there's national health service there? I bet it costs a fortune...most people can't afford it

I’m going to be in Scotland and Ireland in August and hitting up casinos. Dublin has a lot of casinos while Edinburgh and Glasgow each have 3 casinos I plan on checking out. Northern Ireland doesn’t have any “real” casinos.

Quote: PokerGrinder

I’m going to be in Scotland and Ireland in August and hitting up casinos. Dublin has a lot of casinos while Edinburgh and Glasgow each have 3 casinos I plan on checking out. Northern Ireland doesn’t have any “real” casinos.
link to original post

if you like Mah Jung, the Genting casino in Glasgow has a room full of tables and asian players

Quote: 100xOdds

Quote: PokerGrinder

I’m going to be in Scotland and Ireland in August and hitting up casinos. Dublin has a lot of casinos while Edinburgh and Glasgow each have 3 casinos I plan on checking out. Northern Ireland doesn’t have any “real” casinos.
link to original post

if you like Mah Jung, the Genting casino in Glasgow has a room full of tables and asian players
link to original post

I have no idea how to play sadly. Do they play for money?

Quote: PokerGrinder

Quote: 100xOdds

Quote: PokerGrinder

I’m going to be in Scotland and Ireland in August and hitting up casinos. Dublin has a lot of casinos while Edinburgh and Glasgow each have 3 casinos I plan on checking out. Northern Ireland doesn’t have any “real” casinos.
link to original post

if you like Mah Jung, the Genting casino in Glasgow has a room full of tables and asian players
link to original post

I have no idea how to play sadly. Do they play for money?
link to original post

Don't know. I just glanced at the room as I walked past.
I would assume there's $ involved.

Also, have no idea how the casino takes a rake.
Maybe timed rake?

Quote: OnceDear

Quote: 100xOdds

In the UK (England, Scotland, (probably) Northern Ireland), there are 2 types of casinos:
- Slot parlors (ie: Admiral, Merkur, Leisure Time)
- 'Real' casinos with table games (ie: Grosvenor, Genting)

All the above casinos were the ones i went to and are chains.
link to original post

You should have pinged me if you came to blighty. I'd have love to have bought you a beer.

Next time I'm in England. :)

Quote:

There are also several chains of high street bookmakers, which cover live sports but have some gambling terminals.
link to original post

interesting. Thought those sports book stores just did sports bets.
What kind of slots? (I'm assuming the same as the slot parlors?)


Also, why is England soooooooo big on European Roulette?
It seems like 50% of the casinos floor space is roulette, including stadium seats for e-Roulette.

For those gamblers loving odd/even or red/black bets (1.43% house edge), why aren't they betting Banker in Baccarat instead? (1.06% HE)

Duplicate

Quote: 100xOdds

Also, why is England soooooooo big on European Roulette?
It seems like 50% of the casinos floor space is roulette, including stadium seats for e-Roulette.

For those gamblers loving odd/even or red/black bets (1.43% house edge), why aren't they betting Banker in Baccarat instead? (1.06% HE)
link to original post

To me it seems that Roulette is the game of choice in Europe and blackjack/craps are the favored table games in the USA. Most people play the games/bets they like even though there are lower edge games available. Otherwise, everyone in the casino would be playing don't pass with 3-4-5 odds...I believe it's the lowest edge available at 0.27% <a>

Though black/red, banker and passline (without odds) are essentially coin flips with a low edge, they are very different gaming experiences.

<a>Caveat: there might be a few high minimum blackjack tables with all the most favorable rules (like dealer stands on S17) that have edges comparable to 0.27% or possibly even a few bips lower. Perfect basic strategy required at all times to realize that low edge

Quote: 100xOdds

interesting. Thought those sports book stores just did sports bets.
What kind of slots? (I'm assuming the same as the slot parlors?)


Also, why is England soooooooo big on European Roulette?
It seems like 50% of the casinos floor space is roulette, including stadium seats for e-Roulette.

For those gamblers loving odd/even or red/black bets (1.43% house edge), why aren't they betting Banker in Baccarat instead? (1.06% HE)
link to original post

I don't go into bookmakers so I asked my Sister In law who works in one. Her gaff has 4 multigame slots and two sports bet self service terminals.

Most of our casinos are TINY. So they might only have one or two roulette tables and maybe 3 BJ tables plus a few tables with Baccarat and some other game. BJ requires at least a bit of knowledge of the game, so is less popular than roulette, which, face it is not a game of skill. Yes. many e-roulette tables too. Baccarat not very popular.
My local provincial place usually has only one live BJ table and one live roulette table open from 3pm . Only e-games before that. Maybe roulette gets the space because it has a higher hold.

Quote: OnceDear

I don't go into bookmakers so I asked my Sister In law who works in one. Her gaff has 4 multigame slots and two sports bet self service terminals.
link to original post

More like FOBT's, or.more like fruits?

Quote: PokerGrinder

I’m going to be in Scotland and Ireland in August and hitting up casinos. Dublin has a lot of casinos while Edinburgh and Glasgow each have 3 casinos I plan on checking out. Northern Ireland doesn’t have any “real” casinos.
link to original post

I was last in Ireland 3 years ago. The casino's usually contain only slots, or only table games, with a few exceptions where they have both. Along the river in Dublin there are a few of the slots places, filled mostly with these kind of MHB progressives: https://wizardofodds.com/games/slots/mystery-jackpot-ainsworth/

In the short time I was there it seemed like it would be a miracle to get a seat at a machine in a +EV state, as the regulars were prepared to play them to completing from very low numbers.

If you're into counting, most of the blackjack tables were shoe dealt 6 deck with good rules, house edges varying between 99.79% and -0.24%. Sadly there was a sign indicating the game which was EV+ off the top was going to be replaced soon, so it might not be there anymore. Either way the penetration wasn't bad, some of the dealers were error prone, and there were some decent progressive countable sidebet jackpots.

Also Dublin is an awesome city to visit.

Quote: Dieter

More like FOBT's, or.more like fruits?
link to original post

FOBT's. All bookies contain exactly 4 of them. The machines in Ladbrokes, Coral and independent places are the same brand you will find in most slots parlours, and they each have a handful of potentially +EV variable state games on them.