Casinos as popular as ever with London young professionals

Westfield London 2012
Westfield London 2012
Westfield Centre, Stratford - home of the UK's largest Casino

One in three London professionals have stated they enjoy visiting casinos at least once every two months, according to a survey by LondonlovesBusiness. The research polled 500 middle managers in London, with one in six (17%) saying they spend more than £500 a month on gambling.

Sitting side-by-side with another survey on the site, which revealed that one in two London managers are worried about a ‘double dip’ recession, the results can appear more surprising at first glance than they actually are. Putting the figures into perspective, they simply reflect gambling as one of many popular forms of entertainment in the capital.

The survey also found that London’s youngest professionals are spending the most in casinos, suggesting that visiting casinos is just as popular as ever and seen as a stylish experience. The results show that one in two 18-24 year-olds visit a casino at least once every two months spending £421 per month on gambling. Again, hardly surprising. In relation to how much a young professional would spend on boozing in the capital – we bet one in two young London Managers spend plenty more than £421 a month on hitting the bars. At £8 a pop for your average cocktail in London, it’s not that hard to believe.

Sophie Hobson, editor of LondonlovesBusiness.com, said: “It’s no secret young professionals work hard and play hard in London. The research clearly indicates that casinos are still seen as a fun, desirable place to be, perhaps to relieve the stress of intensive professional environments.”

Last week, the UK’s largest casino opened at Westfield Stratford City, London – with four times as many expected visitors attending. This will only ensure gambling remains a popular form of entertainment in the capital for years to come.