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UNITEDKINGDOM
company of such UK industry giants in the machine world as manufacturers Bell Fruit and
suppliers Gamestec, said: "It was a great shame that the opportunity for a real growth in this
B
etting and Gaming have been fundamentals to life in Britain at least since huge sector of the UK leisure industry, which would have brought much-needed regenera-
Roman times, if not longer – at every Roman site in Britain there is evidence of tion benefits, was missed for no good reason – after years of preparatory work and a good
gaming. Among the wealthy and fashionable gaming was perhaps most domi- deal of consensus – due to a completely unnecessary last-minute panic in the face of a media
nant in the 18th and 19th centuries, associated with such leading lights as the storm whipped up by just one newspaper; the Government should have ridden it out and
Prince Regent, later King George IV, Georgiana Duchess of Devonshire, and had the courage of its convictions. However, the good news is that the new expanded-powers
the Prince of Wales, later King Edward VII and their 'sets'. Betting on horses, cards, prize- regulatory body, the Gambling Commission, which replaced the old and successful Gaming
fights and cricket was very substantial. Board for Great Britain, seems to have settled down well and is developing good relation-
In the 20th century, gambling of all kinds, especially in clubs and casinos, was massively ships with the industry whilst cracking down on rogues."
reformed in the 1960s – the 1968 Act of Parliament became the major legislation for nearly 40 "Horse racing and thus bookmaking seem to be doing pretty well – a new racecourse at
years after the Government of that time promised a 'clean up' of gaming. Large and successful Great Leighs in Essex, which looks exciting, has recently opened – and there are new or
conglomerates grew, as well as casinos flourishing, through the latter part of the century. upgraded casinos in cities like Manchester and Leeds, separate from the 16 new locations.
By the late 1990s the Tony Blair-led Labour Government said it would make further There is much innovation in design and product in the machine sector. Bingo is under
reforms to take account of the invention and development of internet gaming, and said it pressure as it is unfairly taxed twice, but bingo halls may soon be allowed to have more
wished to use new casino revenue to regenerate run-down seaside resorts and other towns gaming machines; the Government is expected to agree it, but is consulting on this. It is
requiring investment. There were years of independent reports and prior consultation, then also doing so on the possibility of allowing increases in stakes and prizes on certain cate-
a Bill – but in a febrile pre-2005 General Election atmosphere, the Blair Labour Government gories of machine, which should go up in 2009. The Government is selling the Tote book-
suddenly got cold feet, after the legislation had already passed its major hurdle, in the face of making operation; it should have accepted an MBO/employee share/commercial bid in
a hysterical anti-gambling media frenzy led by a middle-market tabloid newspaper, tore up 2007 – by delaying, it will now get far less value for the taxpayer than it would have then
most of its legislation on casinos (which had envisaged a free market) and imposed very due to changed market conditions."
stringent numbers limits and further consultation. Further pre-Election haggling between Overall, for most parts of the market, there's reasonable optimism but AGCs and seaside
the two major parties reduced numbers further and reduced the resort destination casino arcades, and bingo, still have tough times in a difficult climate, looking from the perspective
numbers from eight to one – and even that plan was scrapped when the centrist Blair hand- of the second half of 2008 and forward to 2009 – but for the missed opportunities, it
ed over to the anti-gambling Brown in 2007. All that was left of the original plan was the could have been so much better.
opportunity for up to 16 smaller casinos to be developed in specified towns; many of these
may open by 2010 but their limited size will preclude any sensible regeneration dividend,
and in current market conditions some may not be doing anything more than replacing
other older casinos which may close. Following the Act, Gordon Brown in his last Budget as
Chancellor before becoming PM, also scuppered previously-announced plans by Blair to
make the UK a 'safe world-leader for properly-regulated internet gambling' – by imposing
big tax rises so that pretty much all offshore internet gaming – even when owned and operat-
ed by UK companies – stayed offshore. Nick Hawkins, who in the past was twice the Shadow
Minister for Gambling 2000-01 and 2003-04 (Conservative MP and a keen free market
advocate), now back in the business and legal world as Legal Director of Danoptra, parent
OctaSystems Octavian develops, installs and supports
the systems that link playing terminals, jackpots, data and other assets at single
or multiple venues into efficient, customer-focused gaming operations
OctaSystems
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