Hard Rock International acquires London casino license from The Ritz Club - IAG

Thursday 14th January 2021

Hard Rock International has spread its reach to London after announcing it has acquired the casino premise license from The Ritz Club.

In revealing the latest addition to its global gaming portfolio, Hard Rock said it will now seek out and establish a new casino premises in London with The Ritz Club having revealed in June that it would not re-open following its March 2020 closure due to COVID-19 restrictions.

"We look forward to expanding our brand offerings within London and bringing our award-winning hospitality, gaming and entertainment to the birthplace of Hard Rock," said Jim Allen, Chairman of Hard Rock International.

Hard Rock is one of a small number of US casino operators pursuing an IR license in Japan, where it had previously focused its energies on Hokkaido. It is believed the company has not ruled out also pursuing other locations after Hokkaido announced its withdrawal from Japan's IR race in November 2019.