COINSLOT
Industry news |
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Seaside amusements |
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Second hand machines 12 |
B2B Listings |
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For sale , wanted + opps |
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Comment and opinion |
30 |
Newsweek |
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INDUSTRY
Park Avenue - where business and social converge
Machine tie removal - a
While the removal of the machine tie could mean significant job losses , the emergence of illegal operators and an adverse effect on Exchequer revenue , not all BACTA members hold the same opinion , as Leslie Macleod-Miller of the trade association explains .
Other members of BACTA
“ have a contrary view for the following reasons and believe that reform is badly needed . These members ’ arguments include :
• The machine tie allows large pub companies to abuse their position to the detriment of tenants . Those in favour of change argue that reform would increase fair competition to the benefit of tenants .
• All legal machine suppliers are required to be registered with the Gambling Commission and are listed for inspection on their central database via the Gambling Commission website . A pub tenant can therefore easily check that whoever supplies their machines is compliant with the
Gambling Act 2005 .
• They cite the views of The Liberal Democrat MP Greg Mulholland , who leads the all-party Save the Pub group , and has campaigned for legislation to stop what he calls wholly unacceptable rents . Mr Mulholland believes that ‘ the problem here is the large pub companies in this country are based on a business model of taking more than is fair and reasonable in pub profits ’.
“ Some members believe that reforms of the existing arrangements are urgently needed to help
Park Avenue ticks
TRADE EVENTS
Despite not wanting to market itself as a “ trade show ” - due to its organisers ’ modesty in wishing to manage overseas delegates ’ expectations - the Park Avenue Open Day was a means of seeing a number of coin-op luminaries under one roof , two canopies and a marquee .
By attending last week ’ s event , Coinslot was able to speak to BACTA ’ s president Steve Hawkins , its CEO Leslie Macleod-Miller , the Gambling Commission ’ s John Travers and Stuart McPhee , Electro-