Wynn Resorts Acquires London’s Aspinalls Casino, Rebrands to ‘Wynn Mayfair’
Posted on: June 6, 2025, 07:44h.
Last updated on: June 16, 2025, 05:21h.
- Wynn Mayfair bridges London and Gulf high-roller markets
- Strategic move ahead of Wynn Al Marjan 2027 launch
US casino giant Wynn Resorts has completed the acquisition of Aspinall’s Casino and renamed it the Wynn Mayfair, after the swanky London district where it’s located.
The opulent and exclusive member’s only casino has long been a favorite with wealthy visitors from the Gulf states, and Wynn sees the property as a strategic bridge between London and the Gulf. The company is currently building a $5.2 billion resort in the UAE, the Wynn Al Marjan Island, slated to open in 2027.
Aspinalls offers a direct link to some of the world’s most lucrative clientele — and Wynn is now positioned to serve them not just in London, but back home in the Gulf as well.
“Acquiring this iconic property gives us a foothold in a global gateway city and creates a pathway for Wynn guests to explore our resorts, particularly Wynn Al Marjan Island,” Wynn Resorts CEO Craig Billings said in a statement when the deal was announced in January.
Origins of the Mayfair Landmark
Aspinalls was founded in the 1960s by John Aspinall, an eccentric zoo owner, who spent the vast fortune he earned from Europe’s decadent aristocrats on building his huge collection of exotic animals.
On his death in 2000, aged 74, The New York Times suggested Aspinall had “done as much for redistributing the wealth in Britain in the 1960s as the social programs of the liberal intelligentsia who regularly excoriated him for his extreme right-wing views.”
Aspinalls was acquired by Australia’s Crown Resorts in 2011 as part of its European expansion plans. In 2022, Crown was taken over by US private equity giant Blackstone, which has streamlined the company’s property portfolio as it seeks to focus on the Australian and Asian markets.
High Rollers Thin Out
Spanning two historic Georgian townhouses, the Wynn Mayfair remains one of London’s most exclusive private casinos. But the acquisition does not come without risk. The British capital has faced something of a high-roller drought in recent years, and the wealthy Arab demographic has recently thinned out.
A contributing factor is the UK government’s decision to eliminate the duty-free shopping scheme for international tourists following Brexit. Before this, foreign visitors were able to claim back the 20% value-added tax (VAT) on goods bought in the UK.
Casinos have felt the impact of regulatory changes too, particularly the UK Gambling Commission’s prohibition on gambling with credit cards.
In recent years, several upscale private casinos in London — including the Ritz Club, the Clermont, and Crockfords — have shut their doors.
No comments yet