Ahead of the British government’s Triennial Review of the gambling industry, trade association, the National Casino Forum (NCF) made a case for modernised regulation for UK’s casino sector at a meeting with government officials this September.
The National Casino Forum is calling for a reform of the regulations governing the UK’s 148 casinos.
The group says that reforms will allow the industry to offer its customers greater choice and to compete with the innovative products and games found overseas.
With the Triennial Review of the gambling industry due to be published by the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) within weeks, the NCF’s CEO Tracy Damestani outlined plans to modernise the casino sector at a meeting with government officials this September.
“We were happy to have the opportunity to state our case for positive change in the casino sector,” Damestani said in a statement.
“We believe our proposed reforms would enable operators to meet customers’ expectations while ensuring casinos remain safe environments for responsible gambling.”
Presented in response to a Call for Evidence by the DCMS, a principal point of the NCF’s proposals include harmonising the regulatory position so that casinos operating under converted 1968 Act licences enjoy the same entitlements as casinos licensed under the 2005 Act.
This would mean increasing the ratio of gaming machines to tables from 2:1 to 3:1 for small casinos, increasing the number from 20 to a maximum 80.
Another key proposal calls for a change in the law which currently limits the gambling products available in casinos.
Such a change would allow operators to take advantage of technological advances, offer access to their online business and ensure they are internationally competitive.
Also present during Damestani’s presentation at the prime minister’s office were Simon Thomas, CEO and chairman of the Hippodrome Casino, and Richard Noble, COO of Aspers Group, both leading members of the NCF.
The NCF delegation also discussed the current state of the gambling industry and re-affirmed the casino’s industry long-standing commitment to responsible gambling.
They updated officials on the work of Playing Safe, the sector’s pioneering programme which was launched in 2013 and subjects all casinos to independent scrutiny.
