UK casinos set to face first major reform in the last two decades

The UK parliament will soon be reviewing the Casinos (Gaming Machines and Mandatory Conditions) Regulations, the first major casino reform since 2005.

The Department for Culture, Media, and Sport (DCMS) has presented the Casinos (Gaming Machines and Mandatory Conditions) Regulations to parliament, becoming the first major overhaul of Britain’s land-based casino rules since the 2005 Gambling Act. This comes after policies were also drafted that would impact other areas of the UK’s gambling industry.

Some of the key measures featured in the reforms stem from promises made in the government’s April 2023 gambling reform white paper. That includes raising the cap on Category B machines to 80 per venue, allowing sports betting in all casinos, reducing the minimum gaming-table area for ‘small’ 2005-Act casinos, and setting a 5:1 machine-to-table ratio for both 1968 and 2005-Act properties.

Speaking to Next.io, Hippodrome – the largest casino in the UK – executive chairman Simon Thomas applauded the update to laws he described as ‘archaic’.

“The casino industry has been disadvantaged for years, with restrictions on numbers of gaming machines and sports betting that were widely agreed to be archaic,” he said.  “The changes, whilst modest compared to any international competitors, will allow casinos to better meet the demands of their customers and also help the growth agenda.”

In the UK, casinos already attract 13 million visits per year, employ more than 10,000 people, contribute £800 million to the UK economy, and £300 million in taxes, according to the casino boss.

“Implementing these policy changes will unlock millions of pounds in investment into city centres and high streets, allowing businesses to modernise, innovate and grow,” Thomas continued. “This was as discussed in the consultations and made clear in the white paper, so there is nothing to be unhappy about.

“DCMS has managed this process well and delivered what are quite complicated regulatory changes in a clear and concise way, and should be applauded for their efforts.

“Casinos are a vital pillar of the UK’s leisure, hospitality and tourism sector. The industry is delighted to welcome these modest modernisation reforms. They’re not revolutionary, but they’re the green light we’ve been waiting for.”

Featured image: Flickr, licensed under CC BY 2.0

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