Leicester Square by day, cash-game floor by night: how one evening at Empire Casino actually plays out
Empire Casino sits right on Leicester Square, in the middle of London’s West End, and it’s one of those places I’d walked past for years without ever going inside. For anyone weighing up Empire Casino reviews before a first visit, my honest takeaway is that this isn’t one single “casino experience” so much as a 24-hour building with several different rooms stacked inside it: a gaming floor, a dedicated poker room, a Chinese restaurant, a sports bar and a couple of smaller bars. I’d use the Official website for online casino London updates before heading out, especially for current events, food-service times, promotions and any changes to the poker or tournament schedule.
Arrival & exterior
Leicester Square itself is loud, bright and constantly full of people, so Empire Casino doesn’t announce itself the way a standalone gaming hall in a quieter part of town might. What stood out to me was how naturally the entrance blends into the square’s general mix of cinemas, chain restaurants and late-night bars — you find it by name rather than by any obviously “casino” look from the pavement. Once inside, the building opens out across multiple levels, which is where the actual scale of the place becomes clear; from the square itself, it just reads as one more entrance among many.
Getting there & parking
There’s no dedicated car park attached to the casino itself, so I’d treat this as a public-transport visit rather than a drive-in one — Leicester Square Underground station is more or less on the doorstep. For anyone who does need to park, Q-Park Leicester Square and Q-Park Chinatown are both nearby, and Metropolitan Rewards members can get a reduced rate at Q-Park Leicester Square. I wouldn’t assume free parking or validation beyond that, so it’s worth checking current rates before you commit to driving in.
First impression inside
Honestly, the first thing I noticed was the noise level shifting depending on where I stood. Near the entrance and the main gaming floor it felt busy and a bit theatrical, closer to a Vegas-style hall than a quiet local casino, with rows of tables and machines under low, warm lighting. Head further in toward the poker room or one of the bars and it calms down considerably — the sports bar has its own energy from the screens, while the smaller bars felt more like a pause than part of the gaming floor. For me, it worked best treated as several distinct zones rather than one continuous space.
The gaming floor
What stood out to me was how much is genuinely running at once, 24 hours a day: live tables, a full poker room, slot machines, electronic roulette and a separate electronic gaming space. I didn’t feel rushed at any table I sat at, and there was no pressure to move quickly between areas — it’s built for people to settle into one part of the floor for a while, whether that’s cards, a machine, or just watching from the sports bar.
Table games
American Roulette, Blackjack and Punto Banco make up the core live-table offer, and they’re spread across both the main floor and the Dragon Lounge, a separate area for eligible Metropolitan Rewards cardholders looking for higher stakes. I found American Roulette the easiest table to drop into casually, since the published starting stake is low enough not to feel like a commitment. The Empire Casino minimum bet isn’t something I’d guess in advance, though — Blackjack’s active minimum is only shown at the table itself, so I’d check it before sitting down rather than assuming it matches the other games.
| Game | Minimum bet | Opening times / details |
|---|---|---|
| American Roulette | From £2 | Available 24 hours; also offered in the Dragon Lounge |
| Blackjack | Shown at the table | Available 24 hours; also offered in the Dragon Lounge |
| Punto Banco | From £5 | Available 24 hours; also offered in the Dragon Lounge |
Poker and poker-style games
The Empire Poker Room is really its own space within the casino, with a dedicated bar, HD sports screens, electronic card shufflers and phone chargers built into the tables — small touches, but they made a longer session feel less like an afterthought. Cash games run more or less around the clock depending on how many tables are active, and there’s a regular tournament schedule with buy-ins starting from £74, alongside bigger buy-in events on top of that. Three Card Poker is also on offer separately as a poker-based casino game against the dealer, played both on the main floor and in the Dragon Lounge; I stuck to the cash tables myself, mostly because that’s what I’d come in for. Empire Casino online reservation is not available for the current poker offer — seats are managed through the room’s live availability rather than an advance online booking system, though the operator’s Bravo Poker Live app lets you check what’s running before you arrive.
| Offer | Opening times / details |
|---|---|
| Cash games | Available around the clock depending on active tables |
| Poker tournaments | Buy-ins from £74, with larger buy-ins offered on top |
| Three Card Poker | Played on the casino floor and in the Dragon Lounge |
- Poker tournaments available: Yes, based on the current tournament schedule.
- Reservation and registration: Handled through the poker room’s live table and tournament availability rather than a booking system.
- Online booking available: No — Empire Casino online reservation isn’t offered for the current poker room, though the Bravo Poker Live app shows live game and waitlist status.
Slots & electronic gaming
The slots lounge and the machines on the upper level felt bright and fairly busy without being overwhelming, and I didn’t have trouble finding my way around — everything is grouped by type rather than scattered. What I found genuinely worth a look was the Aristocrat gaming space, which the operator describes as the first dedicated area of its kind in the UK; the curved 44-inch screens on titles like Book of Ra Expanded are noticeably more immersive than a standard cabinet. Electronic roulette terminals cover the same core game as the live tables for anyone who’d rather play without a dealer, and there’s a pager system at the machines for ordering food or drinks without leaving your seat.
| Offer | Details | Opening times |
|---|---|---|
| Slot machines | Dedicated slots lounge plus upper-level machines, including wide-screen and curved-screen formats | Open 24 hours a day |
| Electronic roulette | Terminal-based roulette, also available in the Dragon Lounge | Available during the casino’s 24-hour opening |
| Aristocrat gaming space | Dedicated area with curved HD-screen machines | Available during the casino’s 24-hour opening |
The gaming offer can vary by venue, time and availability.
Food and drink
Food and drink here felt like a genuine break from the floor rather than an extension of it. I went for a plate of Cantonese roast duck at 7th Cat Chinese Kitchen, mainly because it’s the kind of food that works whether you’ve just cashed out or you’re about to head back in — simple, filling and not something that needed much thought. Kings Sports Bar is a different proposition entirely: big screens, a sports-pub atmosphere, and food that leans casual rather than restaurant-style. The smaller bar with the balcony-style view over Leicester Square worked well for a slower drink between sessions, and there’s also a players’ menu for ordering food and cocktails without stepping away from the tables or machines.
| Offer | Opening hours | Booking / details |
|---|---|---|
| 7th Cat Chinese Kitchen | Daily, 12:00–04:00 | Cantonese and Asian dishes including dim sum, roast duck and noodles |
| Kings Sports Bar | Open 24 hours | Live sport on large screens, food and drinks available |
| Balcony bar over Leicester Square | During current bar service hours | Drinks with a view over the square |
| Casino bars and players’ menu | During current service hours | Cocktails, beer, wine and food orderable while playing |
Activities & visitor benefits
Beyond the tables and machines, there’s a fair amount going on: Kings Sports Bar covers football, NFL, cricket, tennis and Formula 1 on its screens, Electro Darts runs technology-assisted group sessions, and there are dealer-led Learn to Play sessions for Blackjack and Roulette if you want a short, guided introduction before playing for real. Poker also gets its own running promotions, from hand-based giveaways to leaderboard events tied to the tournament schedule. I’d check the website for whatever’s actually running on the night you’re planning to go, since the exact mix of events and promotions shifts over time.
Membership through Metropolitan Rewards is free and worth doing before you arrive rather than at the desk — new members get a complimentary drink and a £5 free bet on signing up, on top of ongoing points for playing, dining and drinking, 10% off food and drink, and tier-based benefits. The Empire Casino bonus programme can include member promotions, loyalty rewards and selected visitor offers when active, so I’d treat the exact terms as something to confirm on the day rather than fixed. The rewards scheme also runs through Metropolitan’s own app, which is where account access, points tracking and app-only offers actually live rather than sitting solely on a physical card.
| Category | Description |
|---|---|
| Live entertainment | Football, NFL, cricket, tennis and Formula 1 on screens in Kings Sports Bar |
| Poker events | Hand-based giveaways and leaderboard promotions tied to the tournament schedule |
| Learn to Play | Dealer-led Blackjack and Roulette sessions for newer players |
| Rewards / loyalty | Metropolitan Rewards points, tier benefits, 10% off food and drink, welcome offer for new members |
| App features | Account access, points tracking and app-only rewards through the Metropolitan Rewards app |
Entry dress code & practical rules
Entry is free and you don’t need to be a member to get in. What I’d flag is the ID rule: a random search and ID-check policy runs around the clock, and valid photo ID is specifically required to enter after 9pm each day — during the day it can still be asked for at the bar or restaurant if you look under 25. You need to be 18 or over throughout. The dress code is smart casual and genuinely relaxed about it: no jacket required, and neat jeans and trainers are fine as long as they’re not scruffy. Wheelchair access, disabled toilets and entrance assistance are all available if that’s relevant to your visit.
Final verdict & tips
What worked for me was the sheer range packed into one 24-hour building — a proper poker room, a decent spread of live tables, a genuinely different electronic gaming area, and food options that don’t feel bolted on as an afterthought. What felt less convenient was the lack of any dedicated parking and the fact that a few of the smaller spaces, like the balcony bar, only make sense once you already know your way around the building. I’d say this suits someone who wants a longer, flexible night out — moving between poker, tables and food — more than someone looking for one quick, focused session.
Before you go, it’s worth keeping a few practical points in mind: bring valid physical photo ID, especially if you’re arriving after 9pm; check the poker and tournament schedule ahead of time rather than assuming a seat will be free; sign up to Metropolitan Rewards before you arrive to pick up the welcome drink and free bet; and set a budget for the machines before you start, since the Aristocrat space in particular is easy to lose track of time in.
| ✅ Pros | ❌ Cons |
|---|---|
| 24-hour poker room with regular cash games and tournaments | No dedicated casino car park nearby |
| Empire Casino app through Metropolitan Rewards for points and app-only offers | Blackjack minimum bet only shown at the table, not published in advance |
| Genuinely varied food options, from Chinese kitchen to sports bar | No Empire Casino online option connected to this venue |
| Dedicated Aristocrat gaming space with curved HD-screen machines | Balcony bar and Dragon Lounge easy to miss on a first visit |
| Central Leicester Square location, easy to reach by public transport | Entrance not visually distinct from the surrounding square |
Nice venue and friendly people, but I would be cautious with the electronic roulette. I had repeated technical issues and felt that winnings were not handled properly.
I’m sorry you had that experience. With any electronic game, I would stop playing as soon as a fault appears and ask for the specific game round to be checked before continuing.
The place feels a little worn compared with some London casinos. Dealers were pleasant, but table drinks could take a while, stepping outside meant leaving drinks behind, and the cash-machine fees were another annoyance. Security, at least, were polite.
That is a fair set of practical observations. None is dramatic on its own, but together they can noticeably affect a long session, especially when the casino is busy.
Great football lounges, drinks and a lively atmosphere 💰 …
I had a very good Hold’em session. The pit team were sociable, several dealers made the table enjoyable, and the food was much better than I expected. Your poker section made me want to share that.
Thanks for adding it. Empire’s poker room is one of the reasons I see it differently from many central London casinos: the poker offer is a major part of the venue, not just an add-on.
The poker action can be excellent — plenty of tables, strong players mixed with casual ones, professional dealing and usually a short wait for a seat.