When choosing a local casino, the most important thing to think about is you. What are your preferences? What do you like? If you are exclusively a slots player, the number of slots available at the venue is something to look at. If you're a table game fanatic you'll want to be certain that the casino has your preferred games and availability. Take your time looking over your nearest casinos' layouts, the various times associated with table games, the dining options, and in many cases the entertainment they put on.

Yes. No matter what your preference is, staying at the casino hotel is sublime. There is nothing like playing for a while, winning big, and retreating to your own luxury room to rejuvenate for some additional action. Many casinos also boast superb spa indulgences. In addition to having a place to rest your head in between exciting slot or table games, food, and entertainment, you will get to choose the hours you play. Maybe you are a night owl, and so enjoying quiet energy of the wee hours of the morning and sleeping 'til lunch is more your cup of tea.

Alongside a poker room, casinos most commonly offer slot machines and variations on the regular table games of blackjack, roulette and baccarat. You can expect variants like American and European roulette, dice games like craps, and progressive jackpot slot machines that link up to the biggest win amounts you'd see at UK online casinos.

Local casinos will offer everything from fine dining to fast food. These venues look to give their guests a complete night out, and the restaurant fare is a large part of this. Alongside extensive a la carte menus created by top chefs, it's common to find all-you-can-eat buffets, steaks, seafood like lobster and clams, and easy-going food like burgers, wings and fries.

Yes, many casinos will operate 24/7 (excluding Christmas day). UK casino opening times vary, however, with some smaller venues opening midday and running until the early hours. Other entertainment, like the restaurants, theatres and shows, will also run late into the evening.

Most casinos will have a 'smart casual' dress code, including jeans and trainers, and won't require you to dress formally. Obviously, there are more exclusive venues which may require a collared shirt and suit jacket, but most of the popular venues will be pretty accommodating so long as you're not in scruffy jeans or work gear. To check on a particular venue, visiting the casino's website will give you a clearer idea of what to wear to the casino.

Most UK casinos will have daily or weekly cash tournaments for Hold'em poker. Local casinos are keen to offer players a healthy poker schedule, with games you can join at a range of stakes. Prize pots can run up to tens of thousands of pounds on bigger games, so it pays to look around at the different rooms available at your nearest casino.

Comps, short for complimentary, are exactly that. They are free rewards that can used towards rooms, meals, entertainment, and other casino perks. The number one thing every player needs to have in order to attain the goodies, the reward comps, is to be registered with the casino. Casinos will issue you a player's card that will track how much you bet, how long you play, and the like. In many cases, if you are a high limits player, especially with table games, a casino host/hostess will seek you out and help you, insuring you are getting specialized attention. Comps are awesome tokens of gratitude from the casino. And let's face it, casinos want your business. Let them treat you like the royalty that you are.

Safety is the hallmark of every land-based casino. Casinos are so highly regulated that they make sure that every guest is safe and having a secure time while playing at their establishment. Security is extremely high. You will discover once you walk in and begin to engage with machines, dealers and, yes, even service staff, that your preferences will quickly be discovered and needs will be met. While multiple security cameras, security personnel and staff, irritate some people, most are comforted in knowing that if they are enjoying their getaway alone, their best interests and safety are being tended to. 

One of the best aspects of playing at a "real" casino is that you set your limits. For the most part, there is no maximum or minimum to be played and won. From playing the absolute minimum on a machine or playing the maximum on the roulette wheel, you determine how much you play. It is important when playing at any casino, land-based or online to not spend more than you are willing to lose. If luck is on your side, you will be arriving back home with a spectacular bankroll.

If you are an avid player and traveller, look no further. Maybe consider building all of your great excursions around the many spectacular casinos with hotels around the globe. What better way to enjoy new places than to mix and mingle?