UK Cyber Casinos

English Casinos

Casino gambling is legal in England, but there aren't any great public gambling houses as there are on the Continent, much less pleasure places, as in Las Vegas.

Gaming in England is still a very private, subdued affair, basically what it always has been, whether legal or illegal. Dress is formal by American standards - jackets and ties for men - and, as in Puerto Rico, if you want to drink, you'll have to go to the bar.

Most important, gaming clubs in England are private: You have to become a member before you can play. This isn't like being accepted into a country club, however, since the waiting period between registering for membership, and being allowed to play, is only two days.

Nevertheless, even this very short "cooling-off" period kills a lot of impulsive betting, as you might as well imagine - just the kind of government-imposed rule that gives Nevada casino owners bad dreams.

The odds on craps and roulette in England are better than in the U.S... English clubs use the European roulette wheel (with only a single zero) and turn back half your bet on even-money wagers when zero comes up.

But even with the house odds reduced to less than two percent, roulette remains a game that relentlessly grinds down the individual bettor.

Blackjack, on the other hand, is harder to beat in England than in the States, because the cards are dealt face up from a box or 'shoe' containing several decks. Rules on doubling down and splitting are a bit different.

You may only double down on 9, 10, or 11, which are the only blackjack hands a good player would want to double on. Fours, fives, and tens may not be split, nor can you split again after the first split.

You are allowed to buy "insurance" only if you have a blackjack on the first deal, a foolish bet under any circumstances.

There are two truly weird features of blackjack, as played in England, that should be mentioned. First, other people can bet on your hand; if having somebody read over your shoulder makes you nervous, this practice will drive you wild. Secondly, the dealer doesn't deal their hole card until all the other players have played their hands.

This gives them a very slight advantage over the American system, but mostly it tends to confuse players who aren't used to the English system.

Besides these standards, English casinos offer a variation of baccarat, and two, yes, two, slot machines per club. To those of us who accustomed to the ranks of slots lined up near the entrances of big American casinos, this limitation radically alters the atmosphere of a gambling establishment.

For one thing, you never see those standard figures, the little old ladies with the pockets full of quarters. In fact, this is the reason for the restriction on slots and the forty-eight hour waiting period for membership.