Casino group slams Gambling Bill proposals in national campaign

The British Casino Association (BCA) has raised the stakes in the row over the Government’s Gambling Bill by running a series of full-page advertisements in the national press.

The BCA, which represents 90 per cent of UK casino owners, is furious that existing casinos will not be permitted to increase the number of slot machines or offer different gambling options in order to compete with new operators under the proposed legislation.

The first ads coincided with the debate in the House of Lords this week, and another push is expected when the bill goes to the committee stage in March.

Casino operators including Gala, Rank and Stanley Leisure feel that the new laws will prevent their existing operations from competing with the new casinos.

DJH Associates, which handles the BCA’s media and public affairs work, says that it “will raise the volume and temperature” of the campaign as the bill progresses through parliament.

The campaign, put together by M:Communications and creative agency Alphabet, will run for at least six weeks.

DJH hired M:Communications in January after a three-way pitch, for the specific purpose of preparing the campaign. Alphabet was brought on board by M:Communications after it won the contract.