Large UK Casino Operators Call for Amendments to the Gaming Machine Regulation

Four big names in the casino industry in the United Kingdom were given the chance to speak their minds at the Future of Casinos conference in Westminster. They all expressed their opinions about the Gambling Act, in particular about the gaming machine regulation calling for amendments.

The event was the third in the series hosted by the Parliamentary All Party Betting & Gaming Group. The first speaker was the managing director at Grosvenor Casinos, Mark Jones, who said that the number of attendances went up by 3.6% for the last five years but ¾ of this number happened in London and 80% from it came from two casinos – the Hippodrome and the Aspers.

He also criticized the three tier structure of the Gambling Act of 2005 while according to the terms of the Gambling Act in 1968 casinos could offer up to 20 gaming machines. “Tourists are baffled by our three tier system and don’t know what to expect when they come for a night out. They expect a lot more machines than we have,” he said.

The second speaker was the CEO at Hippodrome Casino Simon Thomas. He pointed out that European casinos earn more from slot machines than UK casinos. In France the slots revenue makes up 80%, in Germany 70%, in Spain 40%, in the Netherlands 55% while in the UK it is only 15%.

Furthermore, Richard Noble the COO of the Aspers Group, called the Gambling Act a marketing failure because only 4 of the 16 new licensees that resulted from the implementation of the Act are still in operation. He also wants chances so that casinos offer more slot machines. This in turn will rise up tax revenue.

The fourth speaker Roger Marris, CEO of The Ritz Club, suggested changing the tax regime and bringing it in line with the other jurisdictions.