Wynn Mayfair
A private members' casino and hospitality venue in London's Mayfair, formerly known as Aspinall's and Crown London.
Last updated August 24, 2026
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Overview
Wynn Mayfair is a private members' casino and hospitality venue at 27–28 Curzon Street in Mayfair, London. The property is historically associated with John Aspinall, the British conservationist and casino entrepreneur who established the venue's predecessor, the White Elephant Club, during the 1960s. It later became one of London's best-known private gaming clubs and operated for many years under the name Aspinall's before being rebranded as Crown London and, subsequently, Wynn Mayfair. The property's origins lie in the White Elephant Club, a dining and social venue that attracted prominent members, including Charlie Chaplin. John Aspinall was known among friends as “Aspers” and combined his interest in private gaming, hospitality and wildlife conservation. The winnings from his gaming operations helped support his zoos and animal-breeding activities. The building retained visible reminders of its earlier identity, including an elephant feature at the entrance. It also contains a bust of Lord Lucan, a friend of Aspinall who disappeared in 1974 after the killing of Sandra Rivett, the nanny of Lucan's children. In 1992, Aspinall converted the property into a casino under the Aspinall's name. The venue developed around an exclusive private-membership model, offering table games and hospitality in a central London setting rather than operating as a mass-market gaming hall. Its gaming offer includes roulette, blackjack, baccarat, three-card poker and poker tournaments. The property also includes a bar, restaurant and terrace, with the restaurant led by executive chef Nicola Ducceschi. Before 2025, the casino was associated with Crown Resorts, an Australian entertainment group. Its operation during that period became the subject of an employment-discrimination case. A Black female croupier alleged that the casino accommodated a customer's request to be served only by female dealers with fair skin and Western-looking female staff, and that she was consequently prevented from approving a shift swap. In November 2021, an employment tribunal found in her favour, holding that Crown Resorts had engaged in racial discrimination and that its training systems were inadequate. Wynn Resorts acquired the property in early 2025. On June 5, 2025, it was renamed Wynn Mayfair, making it Wynn Resorts' first European property and its first property without an associated hotel. The acquisition was linked to Wynn's broader effort to build relationships with British and other international gamblers ahead of the planned Wynn Al Marjan Island integrated resort in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. The Mayfair venue therefore represents both a continuation of London's private-club casino tradition and Wynn's initial operating presence in Europe.
History
Wynn Mayfair occupies a historic private-club and casino site at 27–28 Curzon Street in London's Mayfair district. Its institutional history reaches back to the 1960s, when the building operated as the White Elephant Club. The club was a dining and social destination for members and was associated with notable visitors, including Charlie Chaplin. The White Elephant identity also survives in the form of an elephant feature at the property's main entrance. The venue's later history is closely connected with John Aspinall. Known to friends as “Aspers,” Aspinall was a conservationist, breeder of wild animals and operator of private gaming businesses. His casino activities helped finance his zoos and animal-breeding work, giving the club an unusual connection between gaming and wildlife conservation. Aspinall also maintained close relationships with members of London's social and political elite. A bust of Lord Lucan, one of Aspinall's friends, remains prominently associated with the property. Lucan disappeared in November 1974 after the murder of Sandra Rivett, the nanny of his children. In 1992, Aspinall transformed the property into a casino and gave it the name Aspinall's. The venue became known for private-membership gaming in an upscale Mayfair environment. Its offer centred on table games rather than a broad mass-market casino format. Roulette, blackjack, baccarat, three-card poker and poker tournaments formed the core of the gaming proposition, supported by a bar, restaurant and terrace. This combination allowed the property to function as both a gaming venue and a private hospitality club. The property subsequently operated under the Crown London identity and was owned by Crown Resorts, an Australian entertainment group. During Crown's operation, the casino became involved in an employment dispute that raised wider questions about discrimination and workplace controls. In July 2020, a Black female croupier filed a claim with an employment tribunal. She alleged that a customer had requested service only from female dealers with fair skin and Western-looking staff, and that the casino acted on that request by refusing to approve a shift swap involving her. In November 2021, the tribunal ruled for the claimant. It found that Crown Resorts had engaged in racial discrimination and that its training arrangements were insufficient. The case is the principal documented controversy associated with the property's modern operation. Wynn Resorts acquired the casino in early 2025. The transaction extended Wynn's operating footprint into Europe and was connected with the company's effort to attract British gamblers to its planned Wynn Al Marjan Island integrated resort in Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. That resort was expected to open in 2027 according to the referenced material. On June 5, 2025, the London property was renamed Wynn Mayfair. The rebranding ended the property's use of the Aspinall's and Crown London names while preserving its role as a private-members' casino. Under Wynn, the property is described as the company's first European venue and its first property without a hotel. Its current identity therefore combines a long-standing Mayfair private-club tradition with Wynn Resorts' international casino strategy. The venue remains focused on table gaming, membership-based hospitality, dining and a high-end central London setting.
- 2025
Wynn Resorts acquires the property
[1]Wynn Resorts acquires the Mayfair casino from its previous Crown-associated ownership.
- 2025
The property is renamed Wynn Mayfair
[1]On June 5, 2025, the casino adopts the Wynn Mayfair name.
- 2021
Tribunal rules against Crown Resorts
[1]An employment tribunal finds in favour of the claimant, determining that Crown Resorts engaged in racial discrimination and had inadequate training systems.
- 2020
Employment-discrimination claim is filed
[1]A Black female croupier files a claim alleging that a customer's discriminatory staffing preference was accommodated and affected her work arrangements.
- 1992
The property becomes Aspinall's casino
[1]John Aspinall converts the property into a casino operating under the Aspinall's name.
- 1960
White Elephant Club operates in Mayfair
[1]The building is associated with the White Elephant Club, a private dining and social venue that attracted members including Charlie Chaplin. The exact founding year is not specified in the reference material.
Products and positioning
An exclusive private-members' casino and hospitality venue in Mayfair, combining traditional London gaming-club heritage with premium table games, dining and social facilities.
Casino services · 1992
Private members' casino
The venue's principal offering is private-members' casino access in Mayfair. Its format is centred on an exclusive club environment, with table gaming and hospitality facilities rather than a broad mass-market gaming floor.
Gaming
Table games
The casino operates 20 gaming tables offering traditional games including roulette, blackjack and baccarat. Three-card poker is also available, giving members a selection of European casino staples and poker-derived table play.
Gaming
Poker tournaments
Poker tournaments form part of the property's gaming programme. The referenced material identifies tournaments as an offering but does not provide a schedule, format, buy-in structure or tournament series name.
Hospitality
Dining and hospitality
Alongside gaming, Wynn Mayfair provides a bar, restaurant and terrace for members and guests. The restaurant is led by executive chef Nicola Ducceschi, supporting the property's positioning as a private social and dining club as well as a casino.
Controversies
2021
Employment tribunal racial-discrimination ruling
A Black female croupier alleged that the casino granted a customer's request to be served only by female dealers with fair skin and Western-looking female staff, and that this affected a shift-swap request. In November 2021, an employment tribunal found in favour of the claimant, ruled that Crown Resorts had engaged in racial discrimination and criticised the adequacy of its training systems.
Brand decisions
2025
Wynn Resorts acquires the Mayfair casinoM&ABackground
Wynn Resorts sought a European operating presence and a platform for relationships with British gamblers ahead of its planned Wynn Al Marjan Island resort in Ras Al Khaimah.
Action taken
Wynn Resorts acquired the property from its previous Crown-associated ownership.
Aftermath
The venue became Wynn Resorts' first European property and its first property without a hotel.
2025
Rebranding as Wynn MayfairStrategyBackground
Following Wynn Resorts' acquisition, the property was integrated into the Wynn brand portfolio.
Action taken
The casino was renamed Wynn Mayfair on June 5, 2025.
Aftermath
The Aspinall's and Crown London identities were replaced by a Wynn-branded European casino identity.
1992
Conversion of the private club into a casinoStrategyBackground
The property had operated as the White Elephant Club, a private dining and social venue, before John Aspinall reshaped it as a gaming business.
Action taken
Aspinall converted the venue into a casino and introduced the Aspinall's name.
Aftermath
The property became identified with private-members' casino gaming in Mayfair.
Recent events
- 2025
Wynn Resorts acquires the Mayfair casino[1]
M&A
Wynn Resorts acquired the London casino previously associated with Crown Resorts, bringing the property into Wynn's portfolio.
- 2025
Aspinall's is renamed Wynn Mayfair[1]
Product generation · Leadership change
The property adopted the Wynn Mayfair name on June 5, 2025. The change marked Wynn Resorts' first European property and its first property without a hotel.
Sources1 sources
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