makes sense for us to be in a location where we can best serve our customers and remain competitive. “The irony is that we tried to warn our clients but we discovered that people’s minds in this industry are often closed to realistic information. They frequently only accept upbeat or even hyped forecasts as though they are looking for an affirmation of their investment policy. I sometimes feel that the corporate priority is to maintain stock values for that month or even week at all costs rather than manage the fundamentals of the business. A lot of Chief Executive Officer’s are paying the price for that now. “The gambling industry is reliant on the discretionary spend of its customers so the pathway of the economy is important. The Chinese economy has overtaken Japan to fill the number two slot and western governments are carrying debts similar to Japanese levels. So, western governments are managing a steady decline. The gambling industry needs to manage itself within those constraints, look to new markets and be innovative.”


It should come as no surprise that Bartlett has such a good handle on the industry when you consider that he began his professional life in 1965 as a trainee bookmaker for Birmingham- based Wilf Gilbert And Company.


“At that time the gambling scene in the UK was so vibrant as we had just passed the 1963 Betting


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Gaming And Lotteries Act and in no time at all there were over 1,000 casinos in the country,” says Bartlett. “It was really great and you could go out to a small club, have subsidised food and watch a floor show for a few pounds. Birmingham was a really rich city in those days as it was the home of the automobile industry, Dunlop Tyres, Cadbury’s, the jewellery quarter, Bird’s Eye and Goodyear Tyres. Everything that could be made was manufactured in Birmingham so the nightlife, greyhound tracks, horseracing and casinos were packed out. To be a part of that was terrific.


“Wilf Gilbert had a huge credit betting business with 40 telephone lines and I always remember the phones ringing from start to finish on Saturdays. We used to be there until nine at night settling bets. In those days I earned more than any of my mates outside of the industry and I used to get a taxi to work, eat out afterwards, buy any clothes I wanted and go on holiday to Majorca, which was quite exotic in those days, while still managing to save when I was 17 years old.


I sometimes feel that the corporate priority is to maintain stock values for that month or even week at all costs rather than manage the fundamentals of the business


“Then the government decided to tax the industry and wages began to suffer. The industry went from being the best payer to the worst from 1970 through to 1990.”


Despite the protracted downturn in the UK market, Bartlett has managed to stay ahead of the game and


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