A breakfast gathering at this year’s ARE Expo will bring the UK’s retail betting sector into sharper focus, ahead of a key midday workshop examining the future of the high street.
Hosted by the Gambling Business Group and Swan Events, the session will take place at 10:30am on Wednesday 29 April at the GBG’s High Street Hub stand. Open to all, the event aims to address concerns that retail betting has “for too long been neglected in terms of external support, especially in areas such as new product development, consumer proposition and innovation awareness.”
The breakfast will also be used to outline early plans for ARE 2027 and gather industry feedback.
“We would therefore like to share our vision for ARE 2027 and the inclusion of Retail Betting and canvas your views on what should be included, and what you would like to see in what will be the next important stage of the Retail Entertainment Event that we’ve been developing together,” read the open invite.
Focus will then shift to the midday workshop, Winning hearts and minds – what high street gaming can learn from the experience of the hospitality sector, featuring Sylvia Oates, CEO of Six Till Six; Andrew Green, policy manager – pub operations at the BBPA; Jim Cathcart, policy director at UKHospitality; and David Lucas, Vice Chair, Institute of Licensing
Chaired by Chris Jones, owner of GB Media and Coinslot, the Panel will explore how the pub and wider hospitality sector has changed public perception over the past 20 years through partnership working and communication campaigns.
The Panel will give their views on how the high street gambling sector can learn from that journey and start to change hearts and minds.
GBG sessions at ARE Expo 2026
Tuesday 28th April
12:00 – 12:45
Training, Education & Apprenticeships: Building a Stronger, More Respected Gambling Industry
Dave Richardson, Director Strategic Partnerships Better Change
Better Change will explore how structured, meaningful education can strengthen compliance capability, improve customer protection, and ultimately enhance the reputation of the gambling sector.
13.30 – 14.00
How facial analysis can enhance player protection
Andrew O’Brien | Head of Biometric Technology Innovative Technology
How facial analysis technology can protect minors and support self-exclusion schemes; Enhance player protection with on-machine age verification; Restrict access to 18+ zone; Instant alerts and compliance logs; Ensure consent, protect licences & build trust
16:00 – 16:30
Facial Recognition & Self Exclusion – the FRACT Standard
Richard Dutton, Director ELIAS Partnership & Peter Hannibal, CEO, The Gambling Business Group
Facial recognition is already operating in regulated gambling venues across the UK. The question is no longer whether to deploy it – it is how to deploy it lawfully, consistently, and in a way that withstands regulatory scrutiny.
16:30 – 17:00
The role of facial recognition technology in protecting gambling venues from crime, subjects of Interest’ and preparing for Martyn’s Law
Richard Dutton, Managing Director, ELIAS Partnership | Peter Hannibal, CEO, Gambling Business Group | Jim Leitch, CEO, Link Integrated Security Systems
This session cuts through the noise. Three experts who operate at the sharp end of compliance, regulation and security integration will tell you what FR technology can actually do, what the law requires you to do about it, and what happens to operators who get it wrong.
Wednesday 29 April
10.30 – 12.00
Betting sector Breakfast
12:00 – 12:45
Winning hearts and minds – what high street gaming can learn from the experience of the hospitality sector
Sylvia Oates, CEO , Six Till Six
Andrew Green, Policy Manager – Pub Operations, BBPA
Jim Cathcart , Policy Director, UKHospitality, David Lucas, Vice Chair, Institute of Licensing
Originally published on Coinslot on April 19, 2026. Republished with permission.