Bacta, the trade association representing the UK’s gaming machine and amusement arcade sector, is actively opposing the UK Gambling Commission’s proposed technical standards for land-based gambling establishments.
With the consultation period extended from May 20th to June 3rd, Bacta is urging its members to join the resistance.
Joseph Cullis, Bacta’s Vice President, has labelled the proposals as an “existential threat” to the industry, highlighting the potential financial burden on operators due to mandatory updates for all Category B gaming machines, regardless of their age or software compatibility.
He says: “The research that we have undertaken confirms that the huge spike in costs would put some operators out of business with disastrous consequences for employees as well as for local economies based at both the seaside and on the high street.”
Bacta has enlisted external expertise, including the Centre for Economics & Business Research (CEBR), to assess the economic impact and Chrysalis to gauge consumer sentiment.
Cullis is optimistic, adding: “The Commission has confirmed that it will look seriously at the evidence that we are presenting and that it is prepared to consider alternative proposals.”
Bacta is the UK’s leading trade association representing the amusement and land-based low-stake gambling entertainment industry. The income generated by Bacta members helps support Britain’s pubs, sustain the country’s seaside piers, bolster UK tourism and contribute to the regeneration of high street economies.
