Investor confidence in the UK is at its lowest level, warns BPG chairman Luke Johnson

Brighton Pier Group chairman Luke Johnson has warned that confidence among UK employers and investors has reached a historic low.

Brighton Pier courting buyers from Gulf states as BPG “spreads net a bit wider” 

Brighton Pier Group is reportedly pursuing interest in the Palace Pier from members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, with CEO Anne Ackord telling Arabian Gulf Business Insight that the company is looking to spread its net “a bit wider” to achi...

Blueprint Operations celebrates consistent growth hitting 45k install base

Having a clearly defined development strategy, a commitment to work in partnership with its customers and a deep connection with the industry is paying dividends across all sectors of the gambling entertainment business.

The authorities must cover the costs to tackle the black market – not the industry, argues Peter Hannibal

Tighter regulations and rising taxes continue to play a crucial part in fuelling the black market, driving players away from the regulated sector to seek bigger returns and less obstructions elsewhere. So why should the legitimate industry pay...

Paul Williams completes the 44 mile Pier to Pier walk in aid of St David’s Hospice

Llandudno Pier manager Paul Williams has completed a 44 mile walk along the north Wales coast in aid of St David’s Hospice, part of a series of activities intended to raise £4,000 for the palliative care charity.

Investment, independence and inspiration are driving Rudd Group growth

The Rudd Group is pioneering the adoption of competitive socialising with its Target Darts Zone, which was officially launched at EAG, the most compelling example of this genre of immersive entertainment. However, there’s far more to the story...

Bacta stands up for coastal operators and opposes the introduction of controversial Overnight Visitor Levy

Bacta has opposed the introduction of an Overnight Visitor Levy in England, arguing that it risks unintended economic harm, particularly in coastal communities where tourism remains the primary economic driver and where businesses are already ...

UK Statistics Authority says Reeves at risk of misleading public over hospitality taxes

The UK Statistics Authority has responded to claims that Rachel Reeves misled the public over tax increases on hospitality, stating there were “opportunities for improvements” in the Chancellor’s comments regarding business rates.

Britain’s small businesses under “pandemic-style pressures” warn MPs

MPs have warned that UK small businesses are currently under “pandemic-style pressures,” with rising costs and tax bills pushing many to the brink.

Government warned tourist tax will see “billions wiped from the UK economy”

It could cost the country around £14 billion as tourists divert their travel away from the UK if a tourist tax is approved. Worse still, a tenner per night per person could destroy the already fragile seaside economy.

No end in sight: hospitality insolvencies surge in January as cost pressures intensify

Business administrations jumped 41 percent in January, signalling mounting financial strain across retail and hospitality as rising costs continue to reshape the sector. It was a worrying turnaround as 2025 seemed to indicate a levelling out o...

“A slap in the face”: the real impact of fake notes on small business operators

The latest crime wave of fake notes is taking its toll on many businesses, at a time when the legalised criminals (!) – the councils, energy companies et al – are also baron robbing small operators on the UK’s high streets. We jest of course, ...

Show results speak volumes as almost half of EAG ’27 is booked in a fortnight

Nearly half of EAG Expo 2027 is already booked as industry professionals save 12th/13th/14th January as three business-critical days not to be missed.

EAG Expo continues to grow international attendance with 17 percent of show visitors travelling from outside the UK 

As the dust settles on the largest ever edition of EAG Expo organisers have confirmed that 2,043 businesses were represented by 4,282 unique visitors, that 86 percent of visitors were decision-makers and that the show’s international credentia...

Gaming Centres have been and remain an important part of the high street so don’t let prejudice cloud the regeneration debate, urges MERKUR UK’s Sascha Blodau

Sascha Blodau, General Manager of MERKUR UK, which operates 227 venues in 111 towns and cities, is urging policy makers at national, regional and local levels to recognise the contributions made by the sector and to include gambling entertainm...

Questions raised over the “cosy relationship” between OHID and anti-gambling campaign groups

Concerns are growing over the “often cosy relationship” that appears to exist between OHID and anti-gambling campaigners at the cost to many established gambling harm charities. Next.io is among a number of industry journals currently scrutini...

Decline in domestic tourism hitting UK seaside the hardest

A study by the New Economics Foundation has found a national decline in domestic tourism is affecting the UK seaside economies the hardest, with spending at coastal resorts during summer 2025 down by more than a quarter on the same period in 2...

Kashing: QR payments is an industry ‘Game Changer’ states James Luck 

Exhibitions provide an ideal opportunity to identify trends, understand the power of new technologies and plan accordingly. January’s EAG fulfilled that function with Kashing’s James Luck shining a spotlight on how operators are embracing the ...

Game Nation invests in the player experience with launch of feature-rich Rewards App

Game Nation recently launched a Rewards app and the impact has been felt immediately. According to CEO Mark Jepp customers are able to see the benefits and are enjoying the new app enabled smooth customer journey. The ultimate outcome is to en...

New look Bacta Ball sells-out in weeks as members embrace the return to London

The Bacta Charitable Trust Ball is returning to its London roots in some style. The world famous, multi award winning Claridge’s Hotel will host the great and the good of the industry on June 12th – and tables, as they say, are have gone like ...

Luxury Leisure wins appeal to open new Whitby AGC after inspector finds ‘no compelling evidence’ regarding noise and disturbance objections

Luxury Leisure has been granted permission to open a new 24-hour Admiral AGC in Whitby after Government planning inspectors approved the proposal on appeal.

Is now the time for a root and branch review of the Gambling Commission?

Are the wheels falling off the Gambling Commission tricycle? No chairman, no chief executive, just a lot of mid-level bureaucrats running the most powerful regulator with impunity. So, is the government really going to allow this farce to cont...

One-in-eight UK pubs are in “severe financial distress”

Accountancy firm Price Bailey has revealed that one-in-eight UK pubs are in “severe financial distress” and teetering on insolvency, with more than 8,600 venues reporting negative net assets, equivalent to 23 percent of the country’s 38,126 to...

Rays of Sunshine accepts “generous” £40,000 cheque from Whitehouse Leisure at EAG 2026

Rays of Sunshine was delighted to receive a generous donation of more than £43,000 from its friends at Whitehouse Leisure, following on from their year-long capybara plush fundraiser.

Slot fraudsters given community service after using counterfeit coins to steal £3,000

Two men from Essex convicted of using counterfeit £2 coins to defraud several service station slot machines of £3,000 have been given a community service order by Colchester Magistrates’ Court.