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UK trade group, the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), has welcomed “much-needed” machine allocation reforms that were published earlier this week, while Rank Group prepares to increase the number of gambling machines in English and Welsh venues covered by the proposed changes.
The UK government published three draft statutory instruments on Monday (May 12) as part of a package to reform the regulatory framework for land-based casinos. All of the proposals are expected to come into effect on July 22. The government has since reiterated that the instruments are subject to change.
A spokesperson for the BGC said the “modest, mission-critical modernisation reforms” will help its members “better meet customer expectations, and thrive”.
The BGC told Vixio GamblingCompliance that gaming machine allocation reforms are “much-needed”, and that allowing all casinos to offer sports will “strengthen the sector to better meet the needs and expectations of their customers.
“Implementing these policy changes will unlock millions of pounds in investment into city centres and high streets,” the BGC said.
UK casinos employ more than 10,000 people and contribute £300m ($400m) annually in taxes as well as an estimated £800m a year to the economy, according to the BGC.
Rank Group CEO John O'Reilly said the draft statutory instruments are “very good news” for the company, which expects to add 882 gaming machines to its Grosvenor estate in the coming months.
The installation of the new machines is subject to the completion of “variation applications for our casino licences,” Rank said in an update on Wednesday.
“The total opportunity within our current estate is 3,112 machines, requiring investment in our casinos that we would expect to gradually complete over the next two to three years,” the company said.
O'Reilly added: “The modernisations will enable us to improve the Grosvenor customer proposition, helping to grow jobs and generating investment in local communities. We have a detailed roadmap of investments which we will now accelerate as we begin to roll out these reforms over the coming months."
Rank is also engaging with the Scottish government to ensure its casinos there “also benefit from the reforms at the earliest opportunity,” it said in the update.
