I know of 4 other 'proper' poker rooms in the UK, and this is how they operate.
1. London Victoria (within the casino) - approx 12 tables. Primarily tournys (played with generic hot stamp chips hence Ive never bothered getting any) - some low limit cash games are played, but only while people are waiting for tournys. No casino 'dealer' - players deal themselves, there is no rake. Casino allows this to keep customers happy. Only ever seems to be one table for 50% of the time anyway. The old gaming rules do permit poker rooms to charge the usual 'add-on' even though they couldnt rake cash games.
2. Casino at the Empire (within the casino) - 6 tables. Tournys only. Room is closed the rest of the time.
3. GutShot Club (stand alone poker room in east London, within an operation including bar, restaurant, internet cafe and business centre). Primarily tournys but for the cash games you pay an 'entrance fee' which supposedly is for food & drinks with the poker free I read recently that the UK gaming board are currently investigating them for trying to get round the rules.
4. Loose Cannon (stand alone poker room in the railway arches of London Cannon Bridge station - hence the spelling). Players just pay a monthly membership fee to use the club.
Interestingly enough, an application was made to my local council about 2 years ago, to open a large poker room near me which would have operated along the lines of the GutShot. Such an application could have been approved by the council alone without needing an application to the gaming board. However they could not convince the council that they were not going to make any money out of the poker and it was turned down
The people involved came to see me a couple of times about involving me in the logistics prior to the application. I told them it wouldnt work
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