From yearly light shows through to Kiss-Me-Quick hats, Blackpool is the quintessential British seaside resort. One of the key things on offer when you walk along the beach front is an abundance of amusement arcades, more than a few of which offer you the same sort of electronic games that you could find in a casino, yet they are not casinos.
When it comes to actual full-blown casinos, Blackpool has surprisingly few. There is a National Gaming Academy where you can learn the job of working in a casino, but there are only three true casinos worthy of the title. Even that is touch and go, as you’re about to discover.
The Casinos
Of the casinos, only Coral Island is questionable as to whether it should be on the list or not, which we’ll explain in more detail below.
Grosvenor Casino, Bar & Restaurant
The Grosvenor chain of casinos is one that’s well know in the United Kingdom, so it’s no surprise that they’ve for a venue at the ‘Las Vegas of the north’. Those responsible for its running and maintenance are aware that they’re competing against some bright lights and noisy gaming venues elsewhere in Blackpool, so they’ve opted to ensure that they have plenty to offer.
They have ensured that the casino is still an appealing place to head by promising all of the usual table games are on offer, such as roulette and blackjack, as well plenty of popular slot games. There’s also an exceptional card room, which is considered good enough to have hosted tournaments for the country’s best poker tour, the GUKPT.
On top of that there’s a restaurant that offers decent food, with the rib-eye steak being a particular favourite. The lounge allows you to relax with a drink whilst football and other sporting events are shown on a big screen. Of course, it’s the gaming options that you’ll doubtless be most interested in, so the town’s largest selection of slots should keep you busy.
Genting Casino
If there’s a town or city with chain casinos on offer then the Genting chain won’t be too far away from the action. Such is the case in Blackpool, where the Genting is located in an iconic building not far from the promenade. Inside the venue you’ll find all of your favourite casino games, with three-card poker joining the likes of roulette and blackjack.
There are more than a few electronic machines that promise jackpots as high as £20,000, whilst Texas Hold’em poker and Kalooki competitions are regularly occurrences. If you like to attend casinos even if you aren’t betting then you’ll want to keep your eye out for the murder mystery nights held in the Fahrenheit Restaurant.
Even when people are pretending to have been murdered, the restaurant offers decent food and there’s a bar that promises a standard drinks collection combined with the ability to get snacks if the restaurant’s shut. The venue might not be Blackpool’s flashiest, but there’s plenty to recommend it if you fancy a grown-up flutter away from the amusement arcades.
Coral Island
Does Coral Island class as a proper casino? It’s a matter of some debate, given that it is predominantly a venue filled with amusement arcades and given a pirate theme. Yet there are definitely table games on offer for punters and slot machines aplenty. Roulette and blackjack are the most popular offerings, along with electronic auto-roulette.
It’s an open door policy, which might be off-putting for some people. It’s for over-eighteens only, but it’s still located in the middle of a venue that is predominately aimed at families. That means that there are plenty of facilities elsewhere in the building, of course, but it also discourages serious gamblers from taking advantage of what’s on offer.