Getting In: How Registration Works When You Arrive
The casino is at 43-45 Cromwell Road, South Kensington, London SW7 2EF. There is no app to download, no online pre-registration, and no waiting list. You walk in, speak to reception, show your ID and, in normal conditions, you are on the gaming floor a few minutes later. When I went on a weekday evening, the entire process took less than ten minutes, from walking through the door to sitting at a table.
Genting Casinos UK Limited runs the venue under UK Gambling Commission licence number 000537. That licence covers non-remote casino activity under both the 1968 and 2005 Gambling Acts, with the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea acting as the local licensing authority. In practice this means reception follow set procedures every time you show up, even when it is quiet. Staff do not have the option to be casual with ID checks or age verification.
My experience of arriving and registering went roughly as follows:
- I went straight to the reception desk, which is staffed throughout opening hours.
- I handed over a valid government-issued photo ID.
- The team checked my age and confirmed who I was, in line with UK anti-money-laundering rules.
- I filled out a short form with basic details like name and contact information.
- Those details were added to the venue’s internal system as my membership record.
- I was allowed through to the gaming floor.
Once you are on file, coming back is quicker. They already have your details, so it becomes a simple “show ID, quick confirmation, and through you go” routine.
One practical quirk worth having in mind before turning up: the venue has operated under three different trading names over time. On the Gambling Commission register it appears as Genting Casino Cromwell Road. Before that it was Cromwell Mint. After a major refurbishment, the branding switched to Forty-Five Kensington. Same operator, same door, different names. That history explains why online searches can throw up mixed results and out-of-date references.
What ID To Bring
UK gambling law requires that every visitor has their age verified. There is no flexibility on that point; staff cannot just “let it slide”. The documents that work here are the usual ones you would expect in the UK.
| Document Type | Accepted for Entry |
|---|---|
| UK Passport | Yes |
| UK Driving Licence (photo card) | Yes |
| EU/EEA National Identity Card | Yes |
| Utility Bill (alone) | No - photo ID required |
| Student Card | Venue discretion |
A utility bill can sometimes help confirm an address, but on its own it will not get you into the casino. You need something with a photograph. If you are in doubt about whether a specific ID will be accepted, I would phone ahead on +44 (0)20 7589 4041. That is the direct line to the venue and, in my experience, someone usually picks up without too much delay.
One general point that has saved me time more than once: if you are heading to any licensed venue for the first time, carry your main ID rather than a secondary document. Backup cards and less common IDs slow things down and sometimes are simply not good enough. It is easier to plan for that than find out at the reception desk.
Opening Hours and Getting There
According to the official Genting webpage for this location, the casino opens daily from 12pm to 5am, with live table games starting from 2pm. Plenty of third-party sites list slightly different times - I have seen 3pm opens and claims that it runs 24 hours - but I would ignore those. The official page is the one that actually matters. If you are planning to be there right after midday or close to 5am, it is sensible to make a quick call to confirm the current schedule.
The SW7 2EF postcode will take you to the right entrance when you plug it into navigation. Some directories give the address as “43-45 Cromwell Road,” others cut it down to “45 Cromwell Road”. In reality you end up at the same building complex either way. I stopped worrying about the number variation after the first visit; it does not change where you need to go.
What You Can Play After Registration
Once reception have set up your record and let you through, you have access to the full gaming floor. Live tables are available from early afternoon. The poker room tends to come alive later on; the Texas Hold’em cash games and the tournaments usually get going around 19:30 and keep a steady flow of action into the night.
The main table games on offer include:
- American Roulette
- Blackjack
- Punto Banco (Baccarat)
- Poker-based table games
- Electronic Roulette terminals
- Slot and jackpot machines
The big refurbishment that came with the Forty-Five Kensington brand brought a noticeable lift to the interior. The space now feels like a deliberately premium spot within South Kensington. It also happens to sit a short walk from the Natural History Museum and the V&A, which is useful context if you want to pair an afternoon in the museums with an evening playing cards. There is bar service, sit-down food, and during poker sessions there is table-side service running, which I found handy when the game was busy.
From what I have seen, the poker room is the strongest draw for regular visitors. Cash games run most evenings, and the tournament schedule gives the room a rhythm that makes repeat visits feel familiar rather than random. The vibe in there later in the day is quite different from the main table area earlier in the afternoon. The slots and electronic section is smaller than at some of the larger London casinos, but post-refurbishment it feels looked-after and not like an afterthought.
