Playboy Casinos in the U.K.
A brief history of the Playboy Casinos which operated in the U.K. courtesy of Tom Stroh.
First opened in late June 1966, the London Playboy Club and Casino was the first and longest running Playboy casino. Housed on five floors of a new five story building at 45 Park Lane across from Hyde Park, the building, as originally laid out, actually contained four separate gaming areas with 28 tables offering Craps, Blackjack, and Roulette. The first floor or entrance level leads to the Playmate Bar and gaming room. The second level housed the discotheque, buffet and the Cartoon Corner Casino. The third level, the VIP Room and Casino. The fourth, the Playboy Cabaret. The Penthouse Casino occupied the entire fifth or top floor with the exception of management office space. The layout was soon remodelled to provide a Club separate from the casino which provided a place for those club members waiting out their "48 hours" before being allowed entry into the casino. Operating for sixteen years, it was closed in 1982.
In the spring of 1972 a second London casino was acquired when Playboy Enterprises purchased the Clermont Club at 44 Berkeley Square. The Clermont Club occupied a Georgian Mansion built by Crown Prince Frederick of England. Annual membership was £100. In the first few weeks of operation visitors included the likes of Joe Frazier, Roger Moore, Tony Curtis, Peter Sellers, and Princess Margaret all of which mingled in with oil rich Arabs, who, supplied the operating profits. It was sold with the other UK properties in 1982 and is still in operation under another owner. Cheques were marked with the words "Playboy Clermont"
There had been a Playboy Casino Club located in an old, historic five story building at 10 Canal Street Manchester since December 1973. The casino offered Twenty-one, Craps, and Punto-Banco as well as a 70 seat restaurant and VIP rooms. In operation for nine years, it closed with the other UK properties in 1982.
There had been a Playboy Casino Club located in Portsmouth since mid-February of 1973. It was actually located in a suburb called Southsea. A very small casino, there were four Roulette tables, one dice and three blackjack tables. There was also a small bar and restaurant. On the roulette tables the minimum bet was 25 pence cheques and the maximum was £10 which was occasionally raised. It closed with the other UK properties in 1982.
Portsmouth Roulettes
Portsmouth Roulettes were much like the London roulettes. Jetons were used on the French roulette tables and clay chips with no denomination on the American roulette tables. In the following colour illustration there are two images of roulette jetons from the Portsmouth Playboy Casino Club. There is no denomination and both sides are identical and read "Portsmouth Casino Club". One is a yellow-green color with a rabbit head trademark and lettering in red, the other, grey/silver with black details.
Acquired by Playboy UK in August 1979 from Britain's largest casino operator, Norwich Enterprises, after they ran into legal problems. Playboy had difficulty getting license approval from the beginning largely due to the reputation of the previous management. The British Gaming Board finally granted license approval in February 1981. When the casino license approval was finally granted, both, old Victoria Sporting Club cheques and the new Playboy cheques were used. The Playboy Victoria Sporting Club was located in Knightsbridge, London. It was at the time, the largest casino in England. There were five dice tables, ten blackjack tables, sixteen roulette and one French roulette table. European style jetons and plaques were used on the French roulette table. Roulette table minimum bets were 50 pence and the maximum was £100. Playboy closed the casino in 1982. Cheques, chips and tokens from the Playboy Victoria Sporting Club are rarely seen on the market.
Go to London Playboy Club chip list and details.
Go to Playboy Clermont Club chip list and details.
Go to Manchester Playboy Casino Club chip list and details.
Go to Portsmouth Playboy Casino Club chip list and details.
Go to Victoria Sporting Club chip list and details.
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