Hippodrome Boss Makes Case for London's First Casino Quarter

_{Simon Thomas Executive Chairman of the Hippodrome Casino. (Image: Simon Thomas/Linkedin)}

Simon Thomas, executive chairman of the Hippodrome Casino, has publicly called on London's authorities to formally designate the area around Leicester Square as a Casino Quarter, arguing that a cluster of five licensed venues already operating there warrants official recognition from the Greater London Authority and Westminster City Council.

The call, made via LinkedIn, follows sustained investment by multiple operators in the area, including the Empire Casino, Horizons Casino, and the Rialto, alongside the Hippodrome. A fifth venue is due to follow: Genting UK received Westminster City Council planning permission in October 2025 for a £40 million casino and leisure redevelopment of the historic Trocadero on Coventry Street, targeting an October 2026 opening.

The timing gives Thomas's proposal a concrete foundation. With a fifth 24-hour venue now approved and under development, the case for formalising what developers have already called a 'London Strip' of casinos has moved from aspiration to near-reality

'Not Just Gaming'

Thomas opened the Hippodrome in July 2012 with a deliberate brief to move beyond traditional casino formats. 'When we opened the Hippodrome in July 2012, the intention was always to do something different,' he wrote. 

'Not just gaming, but a full, experience-led offer with theatre, restaurants, sport and late-night energy, something that gives people a reason to come into central London and to stay longer.'

That model, he argues, is now being replicated across the square. 'Within a very tight footprint, you now have a group of venues that are actively redefining what a modern casino can be, large, professionally run operations, significant employers, open late, heavily regulated, and used to managing high volumes of customers safely, every single night.'

The Hippodrome alone entertains more than 32,000 customers a week and employs over 820 people, making it one of the largest single-site employers in the area. It offers players a range of gambling activities including poker, roulette and blackjack as well as offering shows like ‘Magic Mike and a top class restaurant and roof garden.
 

A Policy Gap in the Night-Time Economy

Thomas's argument centres on what he sees as a disconnect between existing policy ambitions and what is already happening on the ground. Both the GLA and Westminster City Council have stated intentions to develop a stronger night-time economy, yet no formal framework exists to recognise or promote the casino district that has taken shape.

_{Simon's Ai Vision of Las London. (Image: Simon Thomas/Linkedin)}

'Both the Greater London Authority and Westminster City Council are planning to strengthen the night-time economy and building a genuine 24-hour city, one that is innovative, experience-led and commercially sustainable,' Thomas wrote. 'That ambition is right. But it only works if it recognises what is already working on the ground.'

He argued the case for designation is straightforward: 

'Recognising a Casino Quarter wouldn't be a favour to operators. It would simply be acknowledging reality, and using it to strengthen the West End's global offer. Other cities would do that without hesitation. London should too.'

Industry Support, no Official Response Yet

The post drew backing from across the sector. Ryan Livingstone, a casino executive at Horizons Casino said the cluster represented 'a concentrated set of licensed, highly regulated, international-grade venues helping drive footfall, dwell time and investment in the West End', and called on the GLA and Westminster to lead rather than observe.

Steve McNamara, general secretary of the Licensed Taxi Drivers Association, also backed the idea, describing it as 'brilliant for London, tourism and tax revenue' and suggesting a well-maintained, security-funded district 'really could work'.

No response from Westminster City Council or the GLA had been published at the time of writing. For a Casino Quarter designation to move forward, it would likely require formal engagement from both bodies, including consideration of planning policy, licensing frameworks, and any dedicated marketing or infrastructure commitments.

Thomas has form in this arena. In January 2026, Casinos.com reported his call for urgent reforms to Leicester Square's public realm and safety environment, warning that fragmented decisions around policing, transport, and enforcement risked damaging London's reputation with international visitors.

Whether policymakers choose to act on the Casino Quarter proposal could determine whether the Leicester Square cluster consolidates into a recognised, marketed destination or remains an informal grouping with no coordinated public backing. With the Genting Trocadero set to open in October 2026, the window to get ahead of that moment is narrowing.