Insight CAESARS EMEA Viv Ross
*Playing Safe is the casino industry’s flagship responsible gambling programme, led by The National Casino Forum (NCF), and all members are required to sign up to it. It was launched in 2013 and its code of best practice has been shared across the sector. All the major operators have been found compliant with the scheme by the Accreditation, Certification and Evaluation Panel (ACE), an independent group of experts which monitors the programme.
A key element of Playing Safe is the SENSE, the pioneering national self- exclusion scheme which allows anyone who believes they have a problem with their gambling to exclude themselves from all land- based casinos in the UK. The NCF is also involved in an on-going international research project using player data to develop algorithms to identify high-risk gambling patterns.
The seven core principles of Playing Safe are embedded into the responsible gambling policies of all NCF member companies. They involve all facets of the casino business: responsible gaming culture and governance; protecting children and young people; protecting the vulnerable; advice and information for customers; customer interactions; marketing and advertising; training and development.
The smoking ban had a dramatic effect. It was part of the enjoyment of going to a casino, and the last thing senior management wanted was to see players leave the table to have a cigarette. On the dealers’ side though, if you were a non-smoker, then not dealing with your eyes streaming was a positive move - it just wasn’t great for the casino.
P48 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE /
247.COM
sections of the media, faith groups and some sections of the gambling industry. Was that the right decision?
I think a lot of the problems the government faced at the time was to do with the 2005 general election. Tey knew that they couldn’t push through the liberalisation policy and had to make amendments that then became a bit of a mishmash. Te government rejected most of the recommendations of the Budd Report and instead concentrated on what they could pass into law before the general election.
In October 2004 the Daily Mail launched its ‘Kill the Casino Bill’ campaign, warning its readers that the country was on the brink of being infested with hundreds of mega-casinos and slot machines offering £1million jackpots, roulette on tap and blackjack on every street corner.
Nothing that the Daily Mail writes shocks me - it is a bizarre paper. However, I also don’t think we sat about in staff rooms debating the new laws. We did think it might open up the industry to greater competition and we were excitedly talking about the possibility of accepting tips over the tables. Any service industry gives tips, so why not in casinos?
How much of a loss to the UK was the failure to bring resort gaming to these shores?
I don’t think resort casinos would have made a huge difference to the UK industry. I know that Blackpool had been in the frame, and then the decision was made to award the lone resort licence to Manchester. I’m sure it would have made a difference to an ailing seaside resort, but I don’t think the effect on the industry would have been pronounced. Especially as the 2007-08 credit crunch was just around the corner.
Of the relaxations that did occur as part of the Gaming Act 2005, the removal of the 24hr rule, the ability to advertise, to serve alcohol on the gaming floor, etc., what were the most significant in terms of
bringing about real positive change?
I think advertising was the biggest single positive change. When Mecca opened the Ritz you couldn’t even put a sign that said casino outside the building. I worked at Te Ritz for 10 years and if you drive past the Ritz today, you still see signage for the Ritz Hotel, Restaurant and ‘Club.’ You had to use the word ‘club.’ You couldn’t advertise casino on your own front windows. I look at our marketing department today, and it’s a big department, but before 2007 we didn’t even have one.
The Gambling Act came into full force on September 1, 2007 - though instead of celebrations, the casino sector was immediately faced with an increase in the top rate of tax from 40 per cent to 50 per cent and a starting rate of 2.5 per cent was raised to 15 per cent. We then saw smoking bans too - what was the effect on the industry at that time?
Te smoking ban had a dramatic effect. It was part of the enjoyment of going to a casino, and the last thing senior management wanted was to see players leave the table to have a cigarette. On the dealers’ side though, if you were a non-smoker, then not dealing with your eyes streaming was a positive move - it just wasn’t great for the casino.
The 2005 Act placed new restrictions on the number of gambling machines that could be hosted in casinos and limited the types of games and prizes available at a time when online gaming and then mobile gaming offers more games at often much higher stakes. Did they get that right?
Te machines to tables ratio doesn’t make sense (Te 8:1 machine-to-table ratio suggested for small casinos in the Budd Report was reduced to 3:1 in 2004 and then dropped again to just 2:1 when the final Bill was voted on.) Why couldn’t it have been 12 tables to 60 machines, or 12 to 48 machines for example, which would be logical? (Large casinos, however, are permitted a ratio of 5:1 (with a maximum of 150) and
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94
