Richard Noble, COO Aspers. Presentation at Gaming in Holland 2016. #GIH16

1. Thoughts from a small island
Richard Noble
Chief Operating Officer
Aspers Casino Group

2. Aspers Casino Newcastle upon Tyne

3. Aspers Casino Northampton

4. Aspers Casino London Stratford

5. Aspers Milton Keynes

6. Aspers Casino Southampton

7. • Set up in 2004
• 4 operating casinos, 3 dormant licences, 1 to open in 2021
• Developed the low spend high footfall model of casinos in the UK
• Set up and funds Community Action Responsible Gambling, a group operating in all the
locations where we have a casino. CARG meets with all local community stakeholders to
discuss problem gambling issues.
• Gives all 1,200 staff career pathways and as part of their personal development plans pays
for college training so they can get internationally recognised qualifications
• Total gambling related taxes paid in 2014 = €35m
• Holland Casinos has 6,000 slots - Aspers have 300
The Aspers Casino Group

8. • 1854 - Suppression of Gaming Houses Act
• 1958 - John Aspinall arrested and acquitted for breaking the 1854 Act
• 1960 - Betting & Gaming Act passed inadvertently making commercial gaming legal
• 1968 - Gaming Act brings in regulator and licensing
• 1971 - Permitted Areas agreed and demand test in operation
• 1994 - National Lottery starts
• 2001 - Budd report on new gambling law published
• 2004 - 1st November, Gambling Bill enters Parliament
• 2005 - 14th April, Gambling Bill becomes law - to come into force 1/09/07
A very quick history of British Casinos

9. • Allowed for 17 new casino licences
• 1 regional casino - allowed 1,250 unlimited stakes slots (25 per table)
• 8 large licences - allowed a maximum of 150 slots (5 per table)
• 8 small licences - allowed a maximum of 80 slots (2 per table)
• Locations of the casinos decided by a committee doing a test – so locations would be a
variety of geographical types
• Competition held for local authorities who wanted a casino
• Operators would then be decided by a competition held by the chosen local authority
The Gambling Act 2005 - Provided

10. • 1 Regional casino licence - not activated
• 8 Large Casino licences:
– All 8 licences awarded
– 3 Large Casinos operating
– 3 still looking for an operator
– 1 due to open later this year
– 1 due to open in 2021
• 8 Small Casino licences:
– 4 licences awarded
– 1 operating
– 3 due to open
– 4 unlikely to be awarded
Gambling Act 2005 - Current Situation

11. 1. Speak to the operators
2. Let us know the locations of the licences
3. Let us know what we can do
4. What will it cost us?
5. Remember it won’t be Las Vegas
6. Have a media strategy ready for those who think it is
7. How will you decide who gets a licence?
8. Don’t kill the golden goose
9. Trust the operators
10. Speak to the operators
Thoughts from a small island