Overview of Gambling in Reading
Berkshire’s county town, Reading is a quick hop from London (just 38 miles by road) but it still retains something of a rural feel with plenty of open spaces, parks, and nature reserves. The town has lots of history and some fascinating historic buildings to visit as well as some surprisingly good shops and restaurants for its size.
While there are no casinos in central Reading itself, there are three just a short drive away – the A4 runs straight past the town centre on its way into the capital and the M4 is also nearby providing easy access to other casinos across Berkshire, Surrey, Hampshire, and beyond. We’ve listed those below along with a selection of poker rooms, bingo halls, and racecourses – plus a link to our feature page about the .
You can jump straight to the different sections within this Reading casino guide by using the quicklinks above – otherwise, keep reading for an in-depth analysis of your gaming options in and around this historic market town.
Casinos in Reading
There are currently three bricks and mortar casinos within 10 miles of Reading – and one of them is operated by Grosvenor, the UK’s largest casino operator with 55 venues dotted all over the country. As such, you can usually tick Grosvenor Casino Bracknell off your list card if you’ve seen one, you’ve seen them all.
That’s not quite the case with the two Genting Casinos in the area. Genting are a true international casino resort operator, running huge integrated resorts in Malaysia, the Philippines, and Egypt as well as several smaller casinos in the UK. Their Ascot casino is housed inside a stately old mansion and boasts all the glitz and glamour you’d expect from a traditional European casino while their smaller Reading outpost has a more intimate vibe and focuses on American-style games like Roulette, Craps, and Texas Hold’em.
casino apps real moneyOutside of those three, there are no dedicated brick and mortar casinos in Reading itself but there are two Grosvenor poker rooms attached to local sports bars. And if that’s not enough land-based action for you, some interesting options lie just outside the county in neighbouring Oxfordshire and Hertfordshire…
Genting International Casino Ascot
The biggest and best of Genting’s quartet of Berkshire casinos, Ascot is a truly luxurious establishment located in a beautiful old mansion house on the edge of the town. There’s a full complement of traditional casino games including Roulette, Blackjack, Baccarat, Three Card Poker, and Carribean Stud Poker as well as plenty of electronic terminals for Roulette, Blackjack, and Baccarat.
Ascot also has the highest table limits in Berkshire with games starting at just 50p and rising to a maximum bet of £20,000 and a jackpot slide that offers prizes up to the £1m mark. There are plenty of promotions and events too, including poker cash games and tournaments, live music and entertainment, plus top name comedians and actors performing intimate shows in the onsite theatre.
- Roulette
- Blackjack
- Three Card Poker
- Carribean Stud Poker
- Electronic Roulette
- Baccarat Electronic
- Super Stud Poker
- Casino War
- DJacks or Better
- Spin & Win
- Lotto Madness
Address: Brook House, Brook Street, Sunninghill, Ascot, SL5 7DZ
Phone: 01344 623 300
Website: https://ascot.gentingcasinos.co.uk/
Genting Casino Reading
Genting’s second Berkshire venue could hardly be more different from its flagship Ascot casino. Where Ascot is a large club situated in a vast old mansion house, Reading is a much more compact operation tucked away on the first floor above a sports bar.
This intimate setting works particularly well for American-style casino games like Roulette, Craps, and Texas Hold’em. There are also terminals for slots and electronic Roulette, plus a selection of Fixed Odds Betting Terminals (FOBTs).
Like all Genting Casinos, Reading operates a membership scheme though you can join at the club itself (you’ll need to show some ID). Members get access to special promotions, events, and comp points while non-members can still play most games but won’t be eligible for prizes exceeding £500.
- American Roulette
- Craps
- Live Roulette
- Electronic Roulette Terminals
- Texas Hold’em
Address: Genting Casino Reading, 2nd Floor, The Capitals, Forbury Road, RG1 9LB
Phone: 0118 958 6333
Website: https://reading.gentingcasinos.co.uk/
Grosvenor Casino Bracknell
Grosvenor Casino Bracknell is typical of the Grosvenor brand – a smart, modern operation with all the big casino game hits. Like most Grosvenors, it is attached to a major restaurant and bar chain so you’ll often find it busy with groups out celebrating birthdays and stag/hen dos.
No Deposit Bonus Casinos in The USA (2023) - Free Chips & GamesHowever, there are plenty of gaming options with Jackpot and Electronic Roulette stations sitting alongside traditional tables, similar arrangements for Blackjack, plus Slots, Super Wheel, 3-Card Poker, and exclusive Grosvenor games like Vegas Craps and Swap the Flop Texas Hold’em.
Like all Grosvenor casinos, Bracknell operates a membership scheme. It’s free to join and you can even sign up online to save time. If you don’t want to commit to a members card, you can still play most games but will be limited to wins and jackpots below £500.
- Roulette
- Slots
- Blackjack
- 3-Card Poker
- Vegas Craps
- Super Wheel
- Swap the Flop TX Hold’em
Address: Lexicon Centre, Charles Square, Bracknell, RG12 1DF
Phone: 01344 424 717
Website: https://www.grosvenorcasinos.com/local-casino-bracknell/bracknell
Other Casinos Near Reading
If you’re happy to travel a little further afield, there are some fantastic casinos within easy reach of Reading. Down in Surrey, the Aviator in Farnborough and The Empire in Barnes collide glamorous casino gaming with fine dining and high-end drinking experiences. Head north instead and you’ll find the huge Caesars Casino at the Compass in Hemel Hempstead.
- Ascot – The biggest and best of the four Genting casinos in Berkshire, this swanky operation is located in a beautiful old mansion house on the edge of Ascot. Check out our full review for opening times, membership info, and a complete listing of table limits and games.
- Bracknell – Another solid, dependable Grosvenor joint with all the usual jackpot slots, roulette, blackjack, and novelty games plus a sports bar and restaurant next door if you get peckish.
- Reading – Tiny but perfectly formed, this Genting joint specialises in American-style casino games like Roulette, Craps, and Texas Hold’em plus there are FOBTs if you just want to drop in for a quick flutter.
- Woking – Just across the border in Surrey, this cavernous Genting casino has all the glitz and glamour of the Ascot venue but with a bigger selection of games, higher table limits, later opening hours, and regular visits from international poker star Karan Grover.
Poker Rooms in Reading
Poker purists may be disappointed to learn that there are no independent poker rooms in Reading but there are two Grosvenor poker rooms attached to local sports bars.
These aren’t dedicated tournament spaces like Poker Stars Live’s old room at the Empire Casino in Leicester Square but rather basic setups with a few tables in the corner of a pub-style sports bar. However, they do host occasional live tournaments and cash games plus, if you fancy a break from poker, you can watch live sport on enormous HD screens, enjoy a meal or a couple of drinks, and maybe even catch some live poker action.
Below you’ll find our mini-guides to both venues. Click through for location details, opening times, tournament listings, and a full rundown of cash game options, promos, and membership requirements.
Grosvenor Poker Cheltenham
Tucked inside a Marston’s family pub, Grosvenor Poker Cheltenham is an unobtrusive poker room situated towards the back of the ground floor seating area. You won’t miss a minute of the action from the numerous HD TVs doted around the walls and there’s a decent menu if you get hungry during a session.
Home to a lively local player base, Cheltenham primarily focuses on weekly cash games with buy-ins starting at £25 and peaks of £200 during peak times on weekends and evenings. Occasional tourneys are added to the schedule too - check the website or in the room for upcoming dates and buy-ins. Non-members can play in cash games but must leave contact details and will only be eligible for prizes up to the £500 mark.
- Nightly cash games
- Occasional tournaments
Address: Marston’s, Gloucester Road, Cheltenham, GL52 2NX
Best AOL Games to Play Online - 2023Phone: 01242 222 571
Membership: All players must be signed up to the Grosvenor Gravity app and either be members of the casino (it’s free to join) or non-members who have played a session in the last 90 days.
Website: https://www.grosvenorpoker.com/local/cheltenham/
Grosvenor Poker High Wycombe
Attached to a Harvester restaurant, Grosvenor Poker High Wycombe is another small poker room located in the corner of a family-friendly sports bar. Again, you can watch live sport on huge HD TVs, enjoy a meal or a few drinks, and perhaps even take part in a spot of poker if inspiration takes you.
High Wycombe hosts weekly cash games on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays. Buy-ins start at £25 and climb to a maximum of £200 for the higher evening stakes games. Tournaments are less frequent but there’s a nice mixed event later in the month priced at just £10. Non-members can play in cash games but must leave contact details and will only be eligible for prizes up to the £500 mark.
- Weekly cash games
- Occasional tournaments
Address: Harvester, King's Field, West Wycombe Road, HP11 1PA
Phone: 01494 783 288
Membership: All players must be signed up to the Grosvenor Gravity app and either be members of the casino (it’s free to join) or non-members who have played a session in the last 90 days.
Website: https://www.grosvenorpoker.com/local/highwycombe/
Reading Bingo Halls
It was sad news for bingo fans when Reading’s last bingo hall shut up shop in 2018 but there are still plenty of great venues within a short drive of town. To the south-east in Bracknell, you’ll find a pair of Mecca bingo halls separated by a single gentlemans club. Heading north instead, there are more Meccas in High Wycombe and Beaconsfield plus a lone, independent Kidling Hall bingo operation.
Below, you’ll find quick links to our guides for each of these bingo halls. Check them out for session times, ticket prices, special offers, and details of any linked online bingo sites where you can pre-buy your tickets, enter prize draws, and earn cash bonuses for every time your cards win on.
Michigan Online Casinos That Offer Bonuses with No Wagering Requirements in 2023Reading Racetracks and Greyhound Stadiums
One of Britain’s oldest and most famous racecourses, Reading was first used for horse racing in 1780 and staged its first recorded official meeting in 1812. The track closed in 1883 after a number of fatal accidents but reopened in 1896 and hosted the Henley Gold Cup between 1928 and 1966. These days, it stages around 16 race meetings a year in the summer months (April to September).
There are no greyhound stadiums in Reading but there is a major track at nearby High Wycombe. Known as Monmore Green, it closed in 2014 following a outbreak of kennel cough among the dogs. A multi-million pound refurbishment programme was then conducted and the track reopened in autumn 2016 with improved facilities for punters, staff, and pooches alike. Today, it stages 29 weeks of racing per year.
Below you’ll find direct links to our course guides for Ascot and Kempton Park. Check them out for the latest fixtures, ticket info, hospitality packages, and live-streamed racing on Big Screen HDs. Alternatively, click the respective banner below for detailed greyhound track guides, live streaming, results, statistics, and betting tips.
Top Reading Hotel Options
If you’re looking for a place to stay in or around Reading and don’t fancy a late night drive home after a big night at the tables, we’ve got a few suggestions based on price, reviews, and convenience. Being relatively close to Heathrow, many of the major global hotel chains have properties in or around Reading so you can bag yourself a bargain if you shop around.
- Park Inn by Radisson Reading – This smart modern hotel sits right next to Reading train station so you can arrive by plane, hop on a shuttle bus, and check in without a car. The Ascot casino is just five miles down the road while Bracknell and the two Genting venues are both under ten miles.
- Dean Court Hotel – Situated on the western side of Reading, just a mile from the M4, this stylish boutique hotel is owned by actress and TV presenter Dawn Auerbach. It’s only got 28 rooms so book early and you’ll find plenty of independent character. Ascot is six miles to the east, Bracknell is eight miles due south, and the two Genting casinos in Reading are both within two miles.
- Holiday Inn London - Heathrow Ariel – Technically just outside Reading in the neighbouring county of Greater London, this Holiday Inn sits right next to Heathrow Airport and offers great value rates for anyone flying in from abroad. It’s 13 miles from Ascot, nine miles from Bracknell, and roughly the same distance to the two Genting joints in Reading.
Top Reading Restaurants
With such a diverse population drawn from all walks of life, you can eat absolutely anything in Reading irrespective of your budget. From sushi to kebabs, Indian roagues to hearty British grub, pizza to tapas, you name it, you can eat it in Reading.
To give you a flavour of what’s on offer, we’ve picked out five very different eats that should cover most bases. Whether you’re splashing out on a special occasion or keeping costs low, you’ll find some great places to chow down in and around Reading.
- Makatcha – This casual eatery in Caversham serves up tasty Malaysian street food in generous portions at reasonable prices. Think dim sum, satay skewers, curries, stir fries, soups, salads, and rice dishes.
- La Tasca – With its vibrant décor, bustling atmosphere, and classic Spanish dishes, La Tasca transports you straight to the heart of Andalusia. Try the paella, tapas, chorizo, patatas bravas, seafood cataplana, and pitchers of sangria.
- The Flower Pot – Located in a converted coaching inn, The Flower Pot serves inventive modern European cuisine made with fresh locally sourced produce wherever possible. Expect creative twists on old classics, extensive wine list, cosy interiors, wood burning stove, and attentive service.
- Francesco’s Italian Kitchen – This casual trattoria is popular with locals thanks to delicious homemade pasta dishes, pizzas cooked in a wood-fired oven, antipasti, risottos, and daily specials written on the blackboard. Reasonably priced kids menus available too.
- Purple Turtle – If you’re on a tight budget, check out this cute little café serving up healthy vegetarian and vegan eats. Choose from burritos, salads, bowls, smoothie bowls, fresh juices, coffee, and cake in a bright, friendly atmosphere.
Noteworthy Events in Reading’s History
Inhabited since at least the 6th century BCE, Reading has a long and varied history with evidence of Roman occupation, Viking raids, medieval markets, royal charters, and industrial revolutions. By the 20th century, it had become a commuter town for London thanks to its excellent transport links via the Great Western Main Line railway and the M4 motorway.
Today, Reading remains a thriving commercial centre and cultural hub with notable residents ranging from actor Sir Michael Caine and TV chef Heston Blumenthal to radio DJ Chris Evans, boxer John McDermott, and musicians Ian Astbury (The Cure), Jon Gomm, and Chas & Dave.
Here are just a few key moments in Reading’s colourful history. For a more comprehensive timeline, visit the official Reading Borough Council site.
- 6th century BCE – The earliest evidence of human habitation in the Reading area comes in the form of Iron Age hill forts near Caversham and Emmer Green.
- AD 43 – The Roman conquest of Britain leads to the construction of a fortified camp known as Calleva Atreburium roughly two miles west of modern-day Reading.
- 871 – According to the Anglo-Saxon Chronicle, Viking warlord Ceolwulf occupies Reading.
- 1121 – King Henry I grants Reading a Royal Charter allowing it to hold a weekly Thursday market and an annual three-day fair.
- 1361 – The Plague strikes Reading, killing roughly half the population.
- 1555 – Convicted heretic Bishop Nicholas Ridley is imprisoned and later executed in Reading prior to being burned at the stake in Oxford.
- 1671 – An act of Parliament establishes the county boundaries of Berkshire, encompassing Reading.
- 1753 – Thomas Young opens the Forge, the first of many notable Reading breweries.
- 1840 – The Great Western Railway opens, connecting Bristol and London with a station at Reading.
- 1901 – The census reveals Reading has a population of 47,500.
- 1936 – The M4 motorway is proposed, slicing through land at Woolham Wood and sparking protests from local farmers.
- 1961 – Ken Kesey’s One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest is set in a mental institution outside of Portland, Oregon. In actual fact, the author based his novel on his experiences working at the Little Critter Center in Wendress, near Reading.
- 1972 – The world’s first operating system, named BASIC, is developed at Reading University by Tim Bertelsmann and Bill Masterton.
- 1998 to 2018 – Reading’s last remaining coal mines close, bringing an end to more than 100 years of deep mining in the area.
More on Gambling in England
If you wanted to, you could gamble every day of the year in England and never visit the same venue twice. That’s obviously impossible but it does highlight the sheer scale of the gambling industry in England and the diverse range of gaming options open to consumers.
We hope you’ve found this guide to gambling in Reading useful. If you’d like to know more about the wider gambling scene in England, check our other regional guides. From historic casinos in London and Brighton to bingo halls in Birmingham and horse racetracks in Newmarket, we detail the best gaming hotspots across the country.
PrimarySources
Bibliography
- Cliffe, Richard. A Dictionary of Reading. The British History Online, 2004. Web. 28 July 2021.
- History of Reading. Reading Borough Council, 2021. Web. 28 July 2021.
- Huscroft, Paul. A Concise History of England. Palgrave Macmillan, 2012. Print.
- Kelly, Michael. Brewing in Berkshire 1562-1962. W. Seager, 1963. Print.
- The National Archives. Act for dividing the County of Berkshire (1671). The National Archives, n.d. Web. 28 July 2021.
- Newman, David. The Story of Reading. Tempus, 1997. Print.
- Reading Past and Present. Reading Museum, n.d. Web. 28 July 2021.
- Stevenson, Robert. Historical Account of the Parish of Reading. J Johnson, 1808. Print.
