Joseph Cullis, chairman of Bacta, the trade association representing Britain’s low-stakes gaming and entertainment sectors, used the sixth anniversary of lockdown to call for essential business reforms which he says are necessary to help the land-based gambling sector recover and return to pre-COVID-19 revenue levels.
Underlining the need for the government to review betting and prizes for the first time since 2014 and change the 80/20 ratio between machines, he said: “March 23 marks the sixth anniversary of the announcement of the first lockdown by then Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who ordered people to stay at home.
“Our sector was one of the first to close and one of the last to reopen. The majority of Bacta member companies are small and medium-sized businesses: I know from first-hand experience how disruptive that period was and how difficult it has been to recover and reach similar levels of activity as before COVID-19.”
He added: “In a highly regulated sector, where gaming machine operators cannot pass on increased costs to consumers, we rely on government intervention to keep our businesses viable. “In some categories of gaming machines, betting and prize limits have remained unchanged since 2014. After more than a decade without changes to many of these limits, the need for action becomes increasingly urgent.”
“Ensuring a more progressive relationship between machines, in line with the needs of players, and an increase in the value of bets and prizes is essential to address inflation.”
“Without regular increases to the maximum allowable limits, the sector’s ability to generate employment and economic benefits for local businesses and coastal communities is seriously compromised.”
