The London Playboy Club opened in 1966 and immediately became a smash hit. Actors and musicians mingled with nobility, artists, and the cultural elite while glamorous waitresses and croupiers hosted festivities in their iconic Bunny uniforms.

Opened following the legalization of gambling in the UK in January 1961, the London Playboy Club became a hub of the Swinging Sixties. Although gentlemen’s gambling clubs had existed in the city for more than 150 years, venues such as the Playboy helped to create a modern space focused on fun and freedom.

Playboy London Casino: The swinging sixties and a jet-set crowd

The story of the Playboy Club in London begins with Victor Lownes. Following the establishment of successful Playboy Clubs in the US, Lownes sensed a grand opportunity across the pond. He asked to be sent to London and spent several months planning the launch of the first UK Playboy Club.

There was a significant amount of pressure for the London Playboy to succeed, especially with the ongoing success of the Chicago Playboy Club, which, after being established in 1960, had quickly become one of the most popular global nightclubs. In fact, in the period between October and December 1961, more than 132,000 people passed through its doors, making it the busiest nightclub in the whole world. Lownes was determined to make the London Playboy even more iconic.

Despite the fact that there were plenty of casino options in the city, thanks to the recent legalization, London’s first Playboy Club opened its doors on July 1, 1966. With no other casino to match Playboy’s blend of sophistication and magnetic energy, the gambling establishment was an instant success.

Golden years of the Playboy Club 1966-1981

The Playboy Club’s position overlooking Hyde Park quickly earned it the nickname of ‘Hutch on the Park’. It was patronised by some of the most famous celebrities of its time. Movie stars such as Sean Connery, Warren Beatty, Michael Caine, and Judy Garland were regular patrons along with George Best, Frank Sinatra, and The Beatles. Writers and artists also made frequent appearances, elevating the Playboy Club to a chic new level, where the tables became a prime setting not only for blackjack and poker chips but also for intellectual debates.

Following the likes of other high-end European casinos in Monte Carlo and Monaco, the Playboy Club focused on elegance and luxury, but with its own iconic brand twist. Playboy Bunnies served as waitresses and croupiers while dressed in classy yet playful tuxedo-inspired ensembles of fitted corsets and bunny ears, directly paying tribute to Playboy’s rabbit logo.

UK expansion 1970s

Following the success of the London venue, more Playboy Clubs with casinos were opened in Manchester and Portsmouth in 1973. Playboy also acquired the famous Clermont Club in Berkeley Square, whose members included Lord Lucan and Ian Fleming, the creator of James Bond. In fact, a nod to the company was made in the film version of Diamonds Are Forever (1971), in which James Bond switches his wallet, containing his Playboy Club Member Card, with a diamond smuggler. 

By 1981, the Playboy Club in London had become the most profitable casino in the world and contributed $32 million towards the Playboy corporation, around 70% of the total global revenue.

At the same time, Playboy was establishing its presence more and more around the world, opening Clubs not only in more US cities, but also in Japan, Canada, and other countries in Asia and Europe. Some of these, particularly the US venues, were nightclubs only, while others included casinos too. 

Despite Playboy’s success throughout the 70s, the Playboy dream was not meant to last.

UK expansion 1970s
While its London branch was being established, Playboy was making a serious effort to extend its empire by opening its first dedicated casino in Atlantic City, New Jersey. The brand operated nightclubs in many US cities, but the only other site that offered gambling-style entertainment was the Lake Geneva Playboy Club in Wisconsin.

Playboy spent a fortune fitting out the Atlantic City venue to recreate the feel of its London Club, with intimate tables, plush interiors, and jazz tunes to set the background. Again, this was not to last, and the efforts would soon go to waste. The casino was granted a license by the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement (NJDGE) in 1981, but a year later, it was denied a permanent license. Playboy sold its stake, and the venue became the Atlantis Hotel and Casino.

Following the loss of the London Playboy Club and the Atlantic City casino, Playboy casinos went into a decline. Between the late 1970s and 1990s, all of the US Playboy Clubs closed, and in 1991, one of the largest international Playboy Clubs, in Manila, also shut its doors. 

2000s revival

Since 2000, there have been various attempts to revive Playboy Clubs, but these have all been short-lived. In 2006, a Playboy Club was opened at the Palms Resort in Las Vegas, and in 2010, Clubs were opened and closed in Cancún and Macau. 

Similarly, in 2011, the London Playboy Club was reopened in a new site on Park Lane, and featured a casino, nightclub, sports bar, and cocktail bar. This has now been permanently closed.

What does the future hold?

The original London Playboy Club was a celebrated part of the Swinging Sixties vibe and helped to set the tone for other casinos and clubs in the capital. Stuffy, elite gentlemen’s clubs were gone, and playful, inclusive spaces that welcomed everyone were very much in fashion. 

Since the 1980s, Playboy Clubs have been in decline, but there are suggestions that this might not be the case forever. In 2025, Playboy announced it was moving its worldwide headquarters from Los Angeles to Miami, Florida, and would be looking to set up a brand new Club.  

Could this be a resurgence of the swinging spirit that made the London Club great? Only time will tell.