Thoughts from a small island

Richard NobleChief Operating OfficerAspers Casino Group

Aspers Casino Newcastle upon Tyne

Aspers Casino Northampton

Aspers Casino London Stratford

Aspers Milton Keynes

Aspers Casino Southampton

• Set up in 2004• 4 operating casinos, 3 dormant licences, 1 to open in 2021• Developed the low spend high footfall model of casinos in the UK• Set up and funds Community Action Responsible Gambling, a group operating in

all the locations where we have a casino. CARG meets with all local community stakeholders to discuss problem gambling issues.

• Gives all 1,200 staff career pathways and as part of their personal development plans pays for college training so they can get internationally recognised qualifications

• Total gambling related taxes paid in 2014 = €35m• Holland Casinos has 6,000 slots - Aspers have 300

The Aspers Casino Group

• 1854 - Suppression of Gaming Houses Act• 1958 - John Aspinall arrested and acquitted for breaking the 1854 Act• 1960 - Betting & Gaming Act passed inadvertently making commercial gaming

legal• 1968 - Gaming Act brings in regulator and licensing• 1971 - Permitted Areas agreed and demand test in operation• 1994 - National Lottery starts• 2001 - Budd report on new gambling law published• 2004 - 1st November, Gambling Bill enters Parliament• 2005 - 14th April, Gambling Bill becomes law - to come into force 1/09/07

A very quick history of British Casinos

• Allowed for 17 new casino licences• 1 regional casino - allowed 1,250 unlimited stakes slots (25 per table)• 8 large licences - allowed a maximum of 150 slots (5 per table)• 8 small licences - allowed a maximum of 80 slots (2 per table)• Locations of the casinos decided by a committee doing a test – so locations

would be a variety of geographical types• Competition held for local authorities who wanted a casino• Operators would then be decided by a competition held by the chosen local

authority

The Gambling Act 2005 - Provided

• 1 Regional casino licence - not activated• 8 Large Casino licences:

– All 8 licences awarded– 3 Large Casinos operating – 3 still looking for an operator– 1 due to open later this year– 1 due to open in 2021

• 8 Small Casino licences:– 4 licences awarded– 1 operating– 3 due to open– 4 unlikely to be awarded

Gambling Act 2005 - Current Situation

1. Speak to the operators2. Let us know the locations of the licences3. Let us know what we can do 4. What will it cost us?5. Remember it won’t be Las Vegas6. Have a media strategy ready for those who think it is7. How will you decide who gets a licence?8. Don’t kill the golden goose9. Trust the operators10.Speak to the operators

Thoughts from a small island