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My name is Rhys, a first time dad blogging about my adventures and experiences of being a parent. [email protected]

Gambling in Wales – Live Casinos Versus the Online Alternative

Are you relocating or visiting Wales? If you like to play online casino games, you’ve already asked yourself whether there are any impressive casinos to visit in the country or whether you should play online casino instead.

Les Croupiers Casino in Cardiff

While the outside of the Les Croupiers Casino (affectionately known as Croups) isn’t beautiful, the inside will transport you to downtown Las Vegas. The place is decked out in luxury carpet and general casino décor, rivaling Caesar’s Palace. This place has all the games you could ever want to play and is worth a visit if you want a wager while in the Welsh capital city.

Casino Lounge at the Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl

The Palace Fun Centre in Rhyl might have something for everyone. This entertainment complex now boasts a casino lounge with a few slot machines, offering up to £500 jackpots. While it is not the most exhaustive or comprehensive casino experience there’s little else to compete with in North Wales.

Club 3000 Bingo in Cardiff

Calling Club 3000 Bingo a casino is a stretch – but so is going to Wales with the idea that you will have the Las Vegas experience. Club 3000 sits on the outskirts of the city and has daily bingo games to play in. If you don’t want to play the main game, there are plenty of bingo machines or even a few standard slots.

Merkur Casino in Cardiff

As the capital city, Cardiff has by far the most choice when it comes to live casino options. Merkur Casino is a UK casino brand with two branches in Cardiff alone. Both are heavily slot machine orientated, meaning table game fans might want to look elsewhere.

The Grosvenor Brand

Grosvenor Casinos is probably the most prominent casino chain operating in the UK. There are over 50 branches across the country with two in Wales, one in Cardiff, and another in Swansea. While neither will win aesthetic contests, they offer entry-level stakes and relatively cheap entertainment. While the Grosvenor Casino brand is a chain operation, it is one of the better-regarded brands with decent games. The branches are typically larger-scale venues with enough space to present the casino experience. This is at odds with many high street casino/slot shops, where they are very pokey and shabby.

There was another brand like this called Rainbow Casino, which had a branch in Cardiff, but it has since closed down. Now, the nearest branch is in Bristol, which isn’t too far away from Cardiff on the train but might not be the Welsh adventure you dreamed of.

Hire a Casino Experience

Given the lack of live casino venues, if you really want the tangible experience of playing roulette, blackjack or another game but don’t want to play on your phone – you should look at hiring a casino experience. You’ll need a function room or space to host the casino in, but a few companies host such casino-led experiences. These guys will bring all the casino elements and games to you so that you can live like you’re in Las Vegas or Macao when, in reality, you’re in Wrexham.

Online knows few limits.

If you don’t like the idea of any of the above casinos or you’re not going to be visiting one of the significant Welsh cities, then you should look at this online casino selection. Wales is governed by the United Kingdom, which has pretty lenient rules on online gambling. Well, not as lenient as Malta, but less draconian than the US.

Many online casinos offer 24/7 games for you to play at your convenience, whether in the Welsh countryside, in your hotel room or anywhere else. One of the only issues with this method is that many UK-based sites need customers to verify their identity with an official document. If you’re visiting from overseas, you might not be able to obtain a valid ID document. However, you can use any of the offshore casinos…

While rural Wales is fantastic for taking time out, and cities like Cardiff and Swansea are busy metropolitan hubs that rival their English counterparts, sadly, the casinos aren’t at the industry standard. Many are chain casinos with little character or are very tired-looking buildings overall; if you want to play casino games while in Wales, it might be best to play online.

Gambling statement

Underage gambling is an offence. You must be over 18 years old to gamble.

Any form of gambling should always be fun, playing in a way that is right for you. It’s good to set limits, take time out or set up reminders.

Please gamble responsibly and in moderation.

For more information on the tools available to help to keep you safe or if you want advice or support you can call the National Gambling Helpline on 0808 8020 133 (England, Scotland and Wales or visit Gamblingtherapy.org).