Despite being born and bred in England, there are still a handful of big cities I’ve yet to visit, and Nottingham was one of them.

To be perfectly honest, I wasn’t fully clued up on the gambling scene in Nottingham before I planned my trip, so I was pleasantly surprised to see a handful of casinos that looked well worth a visit.

As part of the Metropolitan Gaming Group, the Alea Casino Nottingham is just one of two casinos opened under the Alea brand throughout the UK – with the other being the Alea Casino Glasgow.

After doing a little bit of research on the gambling scene in Nottingham I learned that the Alea Casino is one of the top-rated casinos in the city. 

So, armed with this knowledge, I went along to the Alea Casino with fairly high expectations to see exactly what this place has to offer.

The Alea Casino opened its doors back in 2007 following a £15 million investment and has continued to make improvements and incorporate new additions to the building to become the venue it is today.

One such addition came in 2012, when celebrity chef Marco Pierre White opened up a steakhouse at the casino which has gone on to become one of the most popular restaurants in the city.

Another feature that draws people to this casino is the on-site Spanish style bar, Bar Esquina. Featuring live music and premium cocktails, it’s another attractive addition for sure.

The overall feeling that you get is that this place is contemporary, though not pretentiously so.

In fact, with its beige patterned carpet, cream painted walls and soft lightning, it feels comfortable and relaxed, but while boasting a spirited atmosphere.

Location

Alea Casino is located at 108 Upper Parliament Street, right in the centre of town.

There’s plenty of advantages to a city centre casino but perhaps one of the main ones is that it makes it easily accessible.

Arriving by car

I was seriously impressed to find out that this casino offers a free of charge car park.

The multi-storey car park is located on Wollaton Street, with level -1 being more suitable for disabled or less able customers and level -2 being suitable for everybody else.

Just remember to enter your registration details into the parking iPad, located at the cash desk inside the casino otherwise you will receive a fine.

Arriving by train

Nottingham railway station has direct links to Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham, and London and is located just a 15-minute walk (or a few minutes on the tram) away from the casino.

Arriving by bus / tram

For more localised travel, there are an abundance of buses that run right outside the casino. 

Some services include the 77, running from Nottingham central to Strelley, the 28, running from Nottingham central to Bilborough, and the 33, running from Nottingham central to Wollaton.

Similarly, the tram stop is just a minute’s walk from the rear of the casino on Wollaton Street and provides travel all around the city.

Alea Casino Nottingham is spread out over two floors and measures in at 19,000 square feet.

It is a 24-hour casino, and while I appreciate a casino that is so accessible, the cleanliness and overall tidiness can sometimes take a hit as a result.

However, I’m pleased to report that the Alea Casino was clean throughout and I noticed that staff members kept on top of things throughout my visit.

Table Game Selection 

The range of table games at the Alea Casino is fairly standard, with punters being able to choose from roulette, blackjack, baccarat, and three card poker.

There are over 20 tables in total and pretty much all of them were being manned during my Friday night visit, as is to be expected.

I decided to sit in for a few hands of blackjack before moving on to the roulette table. The dealers I interacted with were great and they managed to remain professional despite quite a rowdy crowd.

Slots

I was quite disappointed with the slot selection here to be honest. With only 20 to choose from, it’s not exactly a slots enthusiasts paradise.

Having said that, it should be noted that is due to British gambling regulations and at least the slot machines that are there offer plenty of titles to play.

Plus, there are some progressive jackpot slots on offer too, including Fort Knox and Flexi-Link which offer jackpots of up to £20,000, so it’s not all bad.

The main problem with the limited number of machines is that it can be difficult to secure one, especially on the weekend when the casino is at its busiest.

Unfortunately, that’s pretty much what happened to me during my visit. There were a couple of machines free but there were so many people crowded round that I decided to skip this section entirely.

Of course, I did visit at peak time, so that’s something to consider.

Electronic Table Games

The main focus in the electronic table game section of this casino is electronic roulette.

There are dozens of machines available and you can choose to play one connected to the live tables or to an automated wheel depending on your preference.

I’m not usually the biggest electronic table game lover, but I decided to give it a go to try and fill the void of missing out on the slots.

It turns out it was a good decision as my luck drastically improved once I was on the terminal in comparison to the live table – perhaps this might become a regular thing!

Poker

Poker fans will be glad to know that Alea Casino is home to a rather impressive poker room.

I was surprised at the size of the poker room actually; with 13 tables able to seat up to 130 players at any one time, it was much bigger than I anticipated.

Personally, I tend to prefer smaller poker rooms as I like the intimate feel that comes with them however, I did really enjoy the vibrant atmosphere here.

In fact, once I’d sat down at a table I lost track of time all together. I must have spent a couple of hours in there in total, so that counts for something.

Cash games are available daily from 7pm and there’s a £40 minimum buy in and a £300 maximum buy in.

There are also regular tournaments held here and you can take a look at the tournament schedule by contacting the casino directly.

As is common with UK casinos, the Altea Casino does not have an on-site hotel.

However, thanks to the casinos central location there are an abundance of hotels well within walking distance to choose from.

Some of my top picks include the Lace Market Hotel, Roomzzz Aparthotel, Crowne Plaza Nottingham, and Hart’s Hotel and Kitchen.

I decided to stay at the Lace Market Hotel, situated just a 10-minute walk away from the casino.

You can choose from a range of standard rooms and suites and with a jointly owned pub next door, how could I resist?

If you feel like really pushing the boat out, the Crowne Plaza Nottingham offers a choice of contemporary rooms alongside multiple eateries, an indoor pool and spa, and fitness centre. 

Some budget options nearby include the Premier Inn Nottingham City Centre and the Travelodge Nottingham Riverside Hotel.

Food and Drink

So, the good news for the foodies amongst us is that Alea Casino claims to be serious not only about gaming but food too. That's great, as land based casinos need to make the most of the ways they stand out from the best online casinos, and quality on-site food is certainly one of them. 

When it comes to the food on offer, the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse and Grill is undoubtedly the star attraction at this casino. In fact, it’s rated as one of the top restaurants in Nottingham.

Marco Pierre White restaurants are located up and down the UK but I’ve never got round to actually eating in one. So, I jumped at the chance to finally try it out during my visit to the Alea Casino.

The restaurant itself is modern and boasts a really relaxing and hospitable atmosphere – the staff, for one, can’t do enough for you. 

The menu keeps things simple, mainly consisting of grilled meats and side dishes to accompany as well as a traditional roast on Sundays.

I felt like indulging, so I opted for the fillet steak and I’m glad I did as it was absolutely delicious. I topped off the experience with a baked cheesecake and all I can say is, I think it’s worth a return visit just for that alone to be honest.

If you’re looking for somewhere to relax with a drink or a lighter bite, Bar Esquina is the place to go.

Located within the casino but away from the hustle and bustle of the casino floor, Bar Esquina is Spanish themed and big on cocktails. On top of a classic cocktail menu, there’s an extensive range of premium spirits, lagers, and shots too.

The food menu includes things like burgers, pizzas, wings, and sandwiches, so this is your best bet if you’re feeling more inclined to a casual bite to eat.

Experiences

The Alea Casino offers different experience packages which include:

• Learn to Play
• Poker Experience
• Cocktail Masterclass

The Learn to Play package, as you can probably already guess, offers the chance to sharpen up your skills at roulette and blackjack.

There are three levels to this package: Play It, Play It In Style, and Play It Deluxe. 

At £20 per person, Play It offers a 40-minute session, one house drink and a £5 free bet.

At £30 per person, Play It In Style offers all of the above with added pizza and chips to share.

At £65 per person, Play It Deluxe offers all of the above, apart from it substitutes the pizza and chips for a three-course dinner at the casino restaurant. 

The poker experience on offer follows the exact same structure, except the lesson here is actually a private two-hour tournament with a dealer who will teach you all the tricks of the trade.

Finally, if mixology is your thing, the cocktail masterclass will teach you how to make all your favourite cocktails. Again, you can choose whether to add on pizza and chips or a three-course meal at the restaurant for an extra fee.

Entertainment

Bar Esquina seems to be the social hub of this venue and as such, you’ll find that any entertainment offerings usually take place here.

Live music is normally on offer most weekends and you can also expect to see things like DJ sets, quiz nights and even Spanish dance lessons on offer.

Even without any form of scheduled entertainment though, this place has a very lively atmosphere and you’ll most likely find people up dancing and generally having a good time until the early hours of the morning.

Smoking

Smoking is strictly prohibited anywhere within the building but there is a smoking area available to guests. 

Alea Casino is fully accessible to wheelchair users and there are dedicated disabled toilets.

For any specific assistance, contact the casino directly.

Met Card Rewards

As part of the Metropolitan Gaming group, Alea Casino is part of the the Met Card rewards scheme – a loyalty programme that rewards customers with Met Points every time they eat, drink or play at any one of the 13 Metropolitan Gaming casinos throughout the UK.

Met Points can they be redeemed for free play and food and drinks inside the bars and restaurants inside the casino. 

The scheme comprises of four levels: Jack, Queen, King, and Ace, with the idea being that the higher the level, the better the rewards.

Singing up is completely free and on top of receiving Met Points, members will also benefit from exclusive invitations to events, discounts on food and drink, and entry into exclusive Met Card promotions.

Promotions

There’s usually something going on at the Alea Casino. In fact, there tends to be new promotions added every month to switch things up.

Remember, promotions are subject to change but I’ll include some of the ones on offer during my visit so you can get a feel for what to expect:

• Alea House Hand – Play a cash poker game and win a pot with 10/8 suited to receive a rake free pass,
• Quad Ex: Progressive Quad Bonus – Hit a quad whilst playing poker to receive a base reward of £150. The bonuses will increase as more quads remain unclaimed.
• Blackjack Heatwave – Land hot cards 10 and 8 as your two starting cards for a chance to win a prize. Plus, if anyone at your table lands a Blackjack, you will receive a prize draw ticket to win £100 in free play.
• New Online Member Offer – New online customers will receive 500 spins and a £20 free play voucherwhen they sign up with bonus code ‘500MET’ and make their first deposit.

All in all, I really enjoyed my visit to the Alea Casino Nottingham.

I’m glad that I chose to visit on a weekend as I found the atmosphere to be one of the best things about this place. However, I was informed by a local that this place tends to be fairly steady even throughout the week, so it may well just be a good choice for those that appreciate a bit of a buzz.

I found the gaming options to be sufficient. There’s certainly enough here to keep you busy for the night.

My main gripe is that there aren’t enough slots. While I appreciated the variety in the ones that they do have, there just simply isn’t enough of them, especially when the casino is close to full capacity.

I feel like the casino somewhat makes up for the lack of slots with its epic poker room. I had a blast playing poker in there during my visit so I guess I can forgive the slot situation – you can’t have everything, right?

One major highlight of my visit was dining in the Marco Pierre White Steakhouse Bar and Grill and I cannot recommend a visit here enough if you find yourself at the casino.

I found that the Alea Casino Nottingham offers everything you need for a good day out.

Specifically, I think people who appreciate a bit more of a lively atmosphere will enjoy this place, especially with Bar Esquina in the mix too.

The only casino-goers I perhaps wouldn’t recommend this casino to are those who look for a good range of slots, but otherwise, I think the Alea Casino is a solid choice for those visiting Nottingham.

I, for one, would absolutely return in the future.