Casino Giant Genting to Revitalise London Trocadero With New Casino and Leisure Hub
The global casino operator, Genting, has recently unveiled plans to revive the London Trocadero and put it back on the map for tourists by introducing a new casino and leisure centre to the historic building. The company's aims were revealed on their website, along with the targeted opening date of October 2026. The casino will be built in a currently unused 37,000 square feet of space within the building.
Traditional Casinos Vs Online Platforms
Although traditional casinos, such as the one Genting plans to build, receive a lot of attention from gambling enthusiasts, many prefer to utilise the numerous online alternatives instead. These platforms have the unique ability to bring all the excitement of the traditional casino world right to players' fingertips, massively increasing the accessibility of casino gaming.
On top of this, online casinos are also able to re-imagine one of the most popular gambling games out there, slot machines. The many UK online slots sites explained by online casino expert Viola D’Elia offer incredible bonuses and incentives to their players, alongside countless themed slots for every gambler's tastes.
Plans For the Project
Despite this, many people believe that nothing quite beats the authentic casino experience, and those who agree with this sentiment are sure to be excited by Genting’s announcement. Genting’s hopes to redevelop the space has been agreed with the building’s owner, Criterion Capital, but it still needs to obtain planning approval, listed building consent and all of the casino and gambling licensing required for brick-and-mortar casinos in the UK before any official building work can commence.
Speaking on the plans, Genting stated that the initiative had multiple purposes. The construction of the building itself, along with the staff who will be required to work there, will lead to new jobs, and the tax the casino pays will help contribute to the local economy. On top of this, Genting hopes that the casino will ‘bring a vacant space back into use’, help revitalise the Trocadero itself and attract visitors both locally and from overseas.
Trocadero’s Entertainment History
The Trocadero has a rich and impressive history within the entertainment industry. It was first opened in 1896 as a single humble restaurant. Since then, it has worn many faces, including a cinema, shopping arcade and amusement centre. In 1990, it hosted an impressive indoor theme park known as SegaWorld, which saw visitors attending from far and wide. The building has also been home to a Cineworld cinema and a Funland.
Genting, it seems, resonates with the commitment to leisure and entertainment that Trocadero has always brought to the people and visitors of London, and is honouring this with the planned creation of the casino. They have assured fans of the Trocadero that the building’s external architectural heritage will be preserved as the casino itself is built around the space and not in place of it. This being said, there will be some changes to the interior of the building to allow for a more contemporary use.
The Layout of the Casino and Leisure Centre
Genting aims to establish a new casino within the basement, ground and first floors of the Trocadero. There are plans for the gaming floor to extend up to around 16,000 square feet. There will also, naturally, be space for staff facilities and back-of-house operations in part of what used to be the basement of the building. There will also be a range of restaurants and bars to complement the casino and keep all visitors refreshed during the duration of their stay. However, the eateries will operate independently from the casino itself, so they will be a welcome sight to visitors who are not gamblers themselves. As for the casino itself, Genting has proposed that there will be food and beverage offerings within the casino complex designed to serve gamblers directly.
The new casino is likely to become part of what is colloquially referred to as the ‘London Strip’ of casinos, joining other giants such as The Hippodrome, Horizons casinos and Empire Casino. Genting has, as could be expected, shared its aim to obtain a 24-hour license, meaning that this casino will be accessible to gambling enthusiasts at any time, day or night.
