History of Casinos in the UK

The history of gambling, across the entire world, not simply within the United Kingdom has always been a controversial issue; plagued with links to the mafia it was usually considered to be an underground and illegal activity. Even nowadays, any form of gambling, particularly when it is practised to excess is socially frowned upon. However where as in various states in the United States, namely Nevada casino gambling had been legalised by 1931, in Britain it remained illegal up until the 1960s.

However, the fact that casino gambling was illegal did not mean that it did not occur on the other side of the Atlantic. The casino craze of America quickly chased over to England, and gambling instantly became a thriving underground activity. Of course, in order to gamble, a disposable income with which you could afford to take great risks was essential and for this reason, the notorious secret gambling parties invariably took place in the homes of the more wealthy members of British society, and London was the undoubtedly the epicentre for illegal gambling activity during the immediate post war years, with figures such as John Aspinall proving very significant. It was only when the illegal gambling establishments owned by Aspinall were raided and a high profile court case ensued, that gambling was finally legalized in Britain. The Betting and Gambling Act of 1961 made gambling a legal activity in Britain, and understandably the result of this legislation was an incredible upsurge of new gambling establishments. In fact casinos were initially opening at a rate of hundreds every week, hoping to seek a profit in this newly lucrative 'legal' business that was gambling.

However, the Betting and Gambling Act ultimately had disastrous results for the British social stability. It was the vague wording and of the 1961 legislation which meant that in reality anyone could open a casino or similar gambling establishment in the United Kingdom. This meant that casinos easily became a cover up for criminal activity, especially associated with the mafia and gang activity. In fact a strong link between the mob gangs of New York City and those in London has now been identified, and this link was sustained principally through the medium of the casinos, for the transfer of money and funds between different 'mob' organisations.

It was in 1970 that the British government was finally forced to act. With Roy Jenkins, the Home Secretary at the forefront of the campaign, the Betting and Gambling Act of 1961 was reformed and replaced by the Gaming Act of 1970. This new legislation closed all of the loop holes left in the previous Act and imposed much tighter conditions on the casino industry within the United Kingdom. Its most important condition was that all gambling establishments be answerable to the newly founded Gaming Board, which in turn was controlled directly by the Home Office, meaning that there was much tighter regulation of the industry. The impact was incredibly significant and casino numbers fell dramatically. The Gaming Act also strictly monitored and restricted the advertisement of gambling activities and establishments within the United Kingdom.

There was understandably quite a lull in the gambling and casino industry, but with the beginning of the eighties, corporate gambling companies began to revamp the image of the whole industry, creating a much more appealing image, and hoping to present it as an acceptable form of recreation. Moreover the internet has revolutionized the casino industry within the United Kingdom, since customers are able to place bets and gamble online, in virtual casinos, twenty four hours a day and all year round.