Overhaul Proposed for UK Casino Regulations Praised by Simon Thomas of Hippodrome Casino
UK Announces New Casino Regulations for Modernization and Tightened Control
The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) in the UK has proposed significant changes to the land-based casino sector, aiming to modernize and regulate the industry more effectively. The Casinos (Gaming Machines and Mandatory Conditions) Regulations 2025 will introduce stricter spatial and operational controls on casinos, potentially impacting their layout and capacity.
The new regulations will primarily affect converted casinos, focusing on the size of gambling areas, the number of betting positions, and the ratio of gaming machines to tables.
For larger converted casinos with a gambling area of 200m² or more, the regulations set a limit of 1,500m² for the gambling area, except for those already over that limit as of 12 May 2025. The number of separate betting positions will also be determined according to the gambling floor size. Precise methods for calculating gambling and non-gambling areas are also provided.
Extended converted casinos, those taking the increased gaming machine allowance, will have to ensure that the table gaming area and non-gambling area each account for at least half the size of the gambling area or 250m², whichever is smaller. The gambling area limit of 1,500m² still applies, with the same historic exemption.
Smaller converted casinos with a gambling area less than 280m² will be limited to a maximum of 16 separate betting positions.
For Small 2005 Act casinos, the machine-to-table ratio will change from 2:1 to 5:1, allowing more gaming machines relative to tables. The minimum table gaming area will also reduce from 500m² to 250m² to provide more flexible spatial arrangements.
These changes aim to balance gaming machine availability with table gaming and non-gambling areas, thereby influencing the layout and capacity of land-based casinos. They also standardize how betting positions and areas are measured and allocated, potentially affecting how casinos manage floor space and machine deployment.
The proposed changes are welcomed by the casino industry, which sees them as a vital step towards modernization. Simon Thomas, the executive chair and majority shareholder of The Hippodrome Casino, expressed his optimism about the upcoming changes, stating they would make brick-and-mortar properties more competitive.
The changes also open up new revenue streams for casinos, with sports betting allowed across all land-based properties. Thomas believes these policy amendments would serve as an economic stimulus to city centers and high streets by allowing businesses to modernize and innovate.
The DCMS's proposal aims to make Britain's casino sector competitive with the country's growing iGaming space, helping to bridge the gap between traditional and online gambling. A recent survey by the National Centre for Social Research suggests a decline in gambling participation in Great Britain, with 46% of adults engaging in gambling in the three months covering September 2024 and January 2025, representing a decline of 3%. The new regulations could potentially attract more people to land-based casinos, providing a boost to the leisure, hospitality, and tourism sector.
References: [1] [Link to the official DCMS proposal] [3] [Link to the detailed breakdown of the regulations]
- The new regulations, such as The Casinos (Gaming Machines and Mandatory Conditions) Regulations 2025, will impact the business of land-based casinos in the UK, including sports betting, by introducing stricter controls on casino layout and capacity, impacting their finance and potential revenue.
- In an effort to modernize the UK's casino industry, the new regulations will allow sports betting in all land-based casinos, potentially serving as an economic stimulus for city centers and high streets by attracting more customers and enabling casinos to innovate and adapt to the growing iGaming space.
- As a result of the new regulations, casinos will need to reconsider their spatial arrangements, particularly the balance between gambling areas, betting positions, sports betting, and non-gambling areas, to remain competitive in the updated casino-and-gambling landscape.
