I’ve always been a fan of a Grosvenor casino and when I found out that the Grosvenor Casino Swansea was in fact Swansea’s only casino, well, I couldn’t wait to see what was in store.

Plus, after recently visiting the Grosvenor Casino Cardiff, I was looking forward to comparing the two and identifying any major differences.

In this review, I’ll take you through what time spent at the Grosvenor Swansea Casino looks like, leaving no stone unturned by investigating the games on offer, the customer service, and even the food that is served there.

With a convenient spot right on the high street, Grosvenor Casino Swansea is easy to reach by car, train or bus. As somebody experiencing Swansea for the first time, I had no bother in finding the place at all due to its central location.

With over 50 casinos in the UK and a reputation spanning over five decades, Grosvenor is one of the most established casino chains in the country. It might therefore be of interest to learn that the Grosvenor’s Swansea Casino is one of the oldest in the chain – certainly one for the history buffs to check out.

Upon arrival, you are greeted by a receptionist who will check your ID and permit you entry to the casino floor upstairs. While I wasn’t asked in this case, I know from prior experience that you can also become a member upon your first visit. I’ll delve into the benefits of doing so later on, but if that’s something of interest to you all you need to do is ask the staff.

The casino floor space isn’t the biggest. However, you’ll still find all the old favourites that you’d hope to see in any casino. 

I’ve always been a fan of roulette, even if most of the time roulette isn’t a fan of me. I was therefore pleased to find five roulette tables along with 24 electronic roulette stations for my choosing. It’s worth noting that not all the tables were manned, but this was hardly surprising given the time of my visit.

There were also four Blackjack tables and plenty of slot machines to choose from, including firm favourites such as Super V+ Gaminators.

It became apparent very quickly that this particular casino is big on poker. A dedicated poker room awaits players on the casino floor and I was impressed to find out that the venue hosts poker tournaments every single day of the week, along with various other poker-related promotions too. 

I wasn’t feeling particularly lucky on the day of my visit so I only sat through a few hands, but the tables were clean and the dealers were pleasant. I left with the feeling that the poker room was almost the central hub of activity within the place – or at least it would be during evenings and particularly weekends.

After expressing an interest, I was actually informed by the dealer at my table to check out the Grosvenor Swansea poker Facebook page to keep up to date with the poker offerings. I thought this was a great touch and would most definitely do just that if I am ever back in the area.

There is no on-site hotel but, as you’d expect, there are plenty of hotels within walking distance from the casino. The Grand Hotel, the Premier Inn Swansea City Centre Hotel, and the Morgans Hotel, for instance, are all within a ten-minute walk.

Now, a spot right in the middle of the high street does come with some drawbacks. I noticed immediately that the venue, in comparison to many other casinos I’ve frequented, is relatively small. I visited mid-week during the afternoon so I didn’t get to experience the feel of it anywhere near full capacity, but I imagine that it could feel a little poky, say, on a Friday and Saturday night.

I decided to scrutinize the customer service with extra diligence and I am pleased to report back that I encountered no issues whatsoever. Every member of staff I encountered, which included the receptionist, a couple of attendants on the casino floor, and a waitress, was pleasant and happy to answer any questions I threw their way.

In relation to opening times, the Grosvenor Casino Swansea is open seven days a week, from 2pm to 4am Sunday to Thursday and from 2pm to 5am on Fridays and Saturdays. Table opening hours are from 2pm to 4am daily.

Food and Drink: Just off to the right of the casino floor you’ll find the restaurant and bar. It was quite quiet during my mid-week visit but I didn’t mind this as it allowed me to find a table and take my time having a look over the menu. 

The menu offerings were about what I was expecting: steaks, hot dogs, loaded fries, pasta, burgers, and an impressive selection of desserts too. Certainly enough choice to keep everybody happy anyway. 

As I’d already eaten earlier that day I opted for a lonely portion of the loaded fries, admittedly more so to check out the service than anything else. The waitress was friendly when taking my order and my food was delivered in a timely manner, so no complaints there from me. 

It was a little early in the day for me for a tipple, however I did have a glance over the drinks menu and was happy to find an extensive range of options, from cocktails to beer and from cider to spirits, you’re sure to find your poison at the Grosvenor Swansea Casino bar.

Entertainment: All the biggest sporting events are shown at the bar and in the lounge area, making it a good place to take a break from the action of the casino floor. Having said that, there is a projector which can be seen from the casino floor too, making it possible to keep tabs on a game of interest whilst enjoying the range of table games and slot machines.

I was told that live entertainment tends to be few and far between at this venue now, which is a shame. I certainly didn’t see any during my visit. 

Dress Code: A smart/casual dress code is in place at this casino and I felt like this was very relaxed. Just try to avoid loungewear type clothing and shorts if you can and you’ll be fine.

Smoking: Unsurprisingly, smoking is not permitted inside the property. Upon arrival, I noticed a couple of people outside the venue having a cigarette before heading on in, which appeared to be the thing to do should you want one. 

Accessibility: Wheelchair users are catered for throughout the building, with a lift in the lobby to take you up to the casino floor (which is all on the one level) and access to disabled toilets.

As I mentioned earlier, if you are new to Grosvenor Casino’s then you can pick up a membership card upon arrival. By going online, you can then upgrade your membership and create a Grosvenor Casino online wallet, making it easy to jump between playing at the land-based casino and Grosvenor online. Plus, other small benefits, such as fast track entry into the casino, are then to hand.

Undoubtedly, land-based casinos tend to be stingier when it comes to bonuses and promotions when compared to the best online casinos. However, as I said before, I was seriously impressed with the daily poker offerings and would advise any poker fans to see what’s available before planning your visit.

In total, I spent around three hours in the Grosvenor Casino Swansea and left just as things were beginning to pick up a little. I got the impression from overhearing snippets of conversation and remarks between customers and staff that this place is home to quite a few locals> Hardly surprising considering it’s the only casino in the area. 

While I’m sure the ‘touristy’ feel will ramp up come the weekend, I actually didn’t mind this at all. In fact, it gave the place a homely feel to it – a place that felt relaxed and unpretentious.

Granted, the décor was a little outdated and tired and would perhaps dissuade a certain number of younger clientele from returning due to it not being especially ‘instagrammable’ (Is that a word?).

But, to be honest, I’m just glad they haven’t ripped it all out and turned one of the oldest casinos in the Grosvenor chain into a modern wonder. However, that’s not to say that a little revamp would go amiss sometime in the near future.

I can’t say I spent a larger amount of time on one thing than I did the other. I was in a picky mood and fancied trying out a little bit of everything and that’s exactly what I did. My findings were that all of the slots I played, tables I sat at, food I ate, and staff I spoke to were great.

⭐ Standout Moment

Without a doubt, the poker offerings were what jumped out at me during my visit. I thought the offering of daily tournaments which, by the way, are open to all levels of expertise, was fantastic.

As the only casino now left in Swansea, I felt the Grosvenor Swansea Casino delivered on what a casino is supposed to deliver. 

Admittedly it’s a far cry from some of the more modern new casinos you can find up and down the UK, but the range of table games, slot machines, and electronic table games meant its primary purpose was served. Think ‘no frills’ and you’ll be on the right line.

Would I recommend popping in? Absolutely. Granted, if you’re hankering for a gambling session in Swansea then you don’t have much choice. Regardless of this, though, I found the bar and lounge area to be pleasant enough to enjoy a drink and watch the game and the atmosphere relaxed enough to draw me back in.

🧭 How to get there

Any centrally located venue tends to be easy to get to and the Grosvenor Swansea Casino is no exception. 

While there is no dedicated parking attached to the casino, people wishing to drive can, and tend to I’m told, park in the NCP multi-story carpark located just behind the venue on Orchard Street. There are over 500 spaces and I thought the prices were extremely reasonable for just under £7 will get you a 24 hour ticket.

Those wishing to take the bus are probably best taking a service to Swansea Bus Station, which has 20 stands for local bus services and three stands for national coach services. The station is just over a 10-minute walk from the casino so is mightily convenient. There is also a bus stop directly outside the venue which supports the services 16, 26, 30 and 34.

For those who prefer to travel by train, Swansea train station is just under a ten-minute walk away.