Bacta to give DCMS feedback on UK gambling white paper
The land-based gaming hall association’s CEO will attend Westminster this month.
UK.- Bacta chief executive John White will be setting out the association’s take on the impact of the UK Gambling White Paper on land-based gambling entertainment when he provides evidence to the Culture, Media and Sport Committee in the Palace of Westminster on July 11.
The Committee is chaired by Dame Caroline Dinenage, the Conservative MP for Gosport and features five MPs from the Tory Party, four Labour MPs as well as John Nicolson of the SNP. Bacta says that two members, Simon Jupp, the MP for East Devon, and Giles Watling, Member of Parliament for Clacton, have knowledge of the industry represented by Bacta and the contributions it makes to the hospitality sector having engaged with operators in their coastal constituencies.
White said: “Immediately after the White Paper was introduced by the Secretary of State on April 28, Bacta started the process of consulting with members and subsequently researching the implications/outcomes of the various proposals, specifically the impact of a 50/50 machine ratio, the introduction of modern payment methods and planning on the projected impact of a mandatory levy covering scenarios from 0.1 per cent to 1 per cent of GGY.
“The initial research programme has been completed with Bacta members and I will be able to share with the committee both the empirical findings and our analysis of how the White Paper recommendations will impact inward investment, employment levels, the industry’s support for high street economies and the sustainability of businesses both inland and at the coast.”
He added: “The Secretary of State has highlighted the important community contributions made by on-land amusements and low stake gaming entertainment operators and it’s essential that the consultation process enables us to navigate the dangers of getting the implementation of the White Paper recommendations wrong.
“The industry continues to demonstrate its ability to deliver value for money, safe, gambling entertainment and in all of our post-White Paper consultations we have stressed the necessity of enabling the industry to be the very best that it can be. Regulation that’s fit for the digital age must, for example, permit operators to offer the payment methods that everyone else does on the high street and which customers expect to have in 2023.”
Bacta summer ball raises funds for charity
The land-based gaming halls and amusement arcades converged on the Forest of Arden Marriott Hotel & Country Club for the Bacta summer ball at the weekend. Companies attending the event included Merkur, UDC, Reflex, Blueprint and Suzohapp.
The event is used to raise money for charity. Funds were raised for the Bacta Charitable Trust, which is supporting the charity Rays of Sunshine, through a charity auction. Prizes donated by attendees included tickets for Premier League matches, a meal at the Hippodrome Casino in Leicester Square and a week in a villa in the south of France. The event featured appearances from comedian Kev Orkian and live music from the band Sway.
Steve Hawkins, chairman of the Bacta Charitable Trust and CEO of SX Leisure, said: “A huge thank you to all our sponsors and those who donated auction and raffle prizes – your support is massively appreciated.”
Other recent Bacta fundraising events have included a Park Avenue Open Day and a Bacta Golf Day, which raised closed to £180,000.
See also: Safer Gambling Week 2023 to see expanded European presence
