Damian Aspinall Allegedly Surrenders Ownership of London's Mayfair Casino Club Named After Him
Damian Aspinall, aged 63 and son of John Aspinall who played a significant role in legalizing commercial gambling in the UK, is said to have relinquished his 35% share in Aspinalls Private Gambling Club, a casino set up in London's ritzy Mayfair area in the 1960s. According to Richard Eden's "Eden Confidential" column in the Daily Mail, Damian has failed to reimburse a £6 million (US$7.65 million) mortgage taken out for an unspecified property. As a result, his stake in the casino club has been confiscated by Investec, the issuer of the debt.
The friend about Damian commented, "It's the end of an era." The cause for the mortgage default is unclear.
Aspinalls is valued at roughly £200 million. The worth of Damian's stake in the club is uncertain, although Richard Eden cites it being valued at £50 million at some point.
Controversial Matters
Aspinalls in London is one of the most luxurious gaming establishments, with clientele drawn from high society. In recent years, it has faced multiple controversies.
In 2020, Aspinalls faced accusations of racial discrimination in the workplace. Semhar Tesfagiorgi, a former dealer, used the tribunal to allege that staff was frequently abused by both managers and patrons. A tribunal comprising three judges found the club guilty of racial discrimination in 2021.
Tesfagiorgi, a Black woman, claimed that the club would only assign "fair-skinned, female dealers" to guests who asked for it. According to the court:
In 2021, Han Joeh Lim, a Malaysian businessman, filed a lawsuit against Aspinalls. He claims that he lost £4 million playing baccarat and that the casino was obligated to halt his high-stakes session yet failed to do so. His lawsuit refers to the UK Gambling Act, asserting that "vulnerable people should be protected from harm or exploitation by gambling." The case is ongoing.
In 2022, Aspinalls emerged victorious from a lawsuit by Lester Hui, a long-standing Aspinalls member who argued he should not be held accountable for almost £600,000 in losses. Hui claimed he had been overserved 54% proof "Chinese firewater" and became "blackout drunk." A court dismissed his claim, stating that he was liable for his debts and had exaggerated his level of alcohol consumption.
The Aspinall Legacy
John Aspinall played a vital role in the evolution of the UK's extensive gambling industry by arguing that Chemin de Fer, or baccarat, a comparing card game that pits a player against a banker (a.k.a. a dealer), fell outside Parliament's gambling ban. Chemin de Fer, along with other illegal gambling operations, allowed him to circumvent the law by bribing the police.
After his mother, Mary Osborne, who'd typically pay off authorities, forgot to make payments, police raided one of Aspinall's gambling establishments. The subsequent lawsuit went in Aspinall's favor, as the ruling stated that the prohibition on gambling did not specifically apply to private card clubs. This judgment eventually led to the Betting and Gaming Act of 1960, which established regulations for private gambling clubs. The act's 1968 progeny, the Gaming Act, permitted commercial casinos.
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Source: www.casino.org
