Who is George Alfred James and How Has He Influenced Wales

Wales is the birthplace of some of the most famous people in the world. These include the likes of Catherine Zeta-Jones, Richard Burton, Shirley Bassey and Tom Jones. All of these celebrities and more have played their part in becoming large influences on the entire world, shaping their industries and influencing growth as a whole. One of the most influential people to come out of Wales isn’t mentioned in that list, though. His name is George Alfred James and he is, without a doubt, one of the most successful and influential people to come out of this country

Who is George Alfred James?

George Alfred James is a Welshman who is responsible for the opening of the first-ever land-based casino in Wales. His casino opened up Port Talbot and following its success, it set the scene for the growth of what is now one of the most popular industries in the UK.

The casino was opened up in 1961 and marketed as a Monte Carlo-like establishment. People who went in were promised a night of gambling, dance, fine dining and cabaret. The crowds turned out in the finest clothes, wearing dinner suits, bow-ties and furs. There were strict laws imposed on the casino at the time but George Alfred James still believed in his idea and was confident it would take off.

It was so successful that George didn’t stop there and ended up opening establishments in London (some of which are now the most famous casinos in the country) as well as more venues in his home country of Wales as well.

How Did George Influence the Welsh Economy? 

Nowadays the gambling industry is one of the biggest forms of capital for the country and there is no doubt that George was a large influence on this. The popularity of the casinos combined with the rise of the National Lottery in 1994 brought about a huge new gambling audience and this is something that can still be seen to this day. 

Not only is this popularity that was cemented so early on reflected in the number of people who use land-based casinos and play the national lottery, but it can also be seen in the more modern form of gambling: visiting online casinos. It has gotten to the point that the choice in Wales and throughout the UK is so vast that gamblers will head over to comparison sites such as BonusFinder UK in order to decide where to play. Here, they will be shown the likes of PokerStars, Zodiac and NetBet. Players will be able to consider the amount of deposit and bonus spins available, as well as the cost of games and the variety available so that they can make an informed decision over which they’d like to play the most. 

The Legacy of George Alfred James 

There is no getting away from the fact that a number of innovative thinkers and influencers have come from Wales, but one of the most under-appreciated is George Alfred James. He was responsible for opening up the first land-based casino in the UK, despite there being a big risk in doing so. With this move, he influenced the opening of more casinos in the UK and set the foundation for what is one of the most popular industries in the country.