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No members means more visitors for pioneering Aspers venue
The Aspers casino in Swansea, Wales, says going membership-free has helped it to grow customer numbers to more than three times the average for venues outside London.
Footfall at the casino in Salubrious Place rose by 13 per cent in its second year of operation, with Aspers welcoming some 35,000 visitors during October alone.
And those growing crowds are betting more, too, with individual gaming spend rising by 15 percent.
General Manager Paul Braithwaite said: "When I was brought in, in July, it wasn’t just a case of riding out the financial storm but critical to keep moving things forward with new ideas, promotions and innovations.”
Those have included participating in celebrations like Chinese New Year and community activities such as business networking events and local charities, as well as offering karaoke and live music. On the food and beverage side, Aspers has responded to the changing economy with offers such as a 99p ($1.70) “credit crunch lunch”.
“We’ve seen a big increase in numbers since Paul joined the team and we scrapped memberships and started attracting new visitors,” said Richard Noble, Chief Operating Officer of Aspers.
“There’s a lot of myths around casinos so by relaxing our membership and opening our doors, we’re hoping to dispel some of those. People don’t have to gamble when they visit the casino – 50 percent of our visitors don’t.
“It’s an entertainment complex which offers something for everyone. This is reflected in the fact that 35 percent of our customers are women and the national average for casinos is only three,” added Noble.
Swansea’s Aspers was the first British casino to abandon membership requirements, according to the firm. Its latest attraction is a new electronic roulette table, which joins 15 gaming tables, electronic games and a poker room.
Meanwhile, the Aspers at The Gate location in the English city of Newcastle upon Tyne is the first British site to offer Live Draw Poker, already popular in the U.S. The casino is giving the game, which has its origins in the Wild West, a six-month trial.
"This game is legendary, but until the advent of the new AccuPlay table, it was simply too complex to be managed by a single dealer," said Alan Barnes, Head of Gaming at Aspers at The Gate. "This system keeps track of the game for the dealer, with all betting and payments managed electronically.”
