SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
UK bingo hall operator, Gala Leisure has turned to an old hand in John Kelly to serve as non-Executive Chairman
Kelly the founder of Gala Coral’s bingo and betting enterprise has most recently served as Chairman of Ladbrokes Coral Plc, prior to its 2018 takeover by GVC Holdings.
A UK leisure and gambling figurehead, Kelly will be a key stakeholder in driving the upcoming re-launch and restructure of Gala Bingo.
According to the Daily Telegraph, Gala Leisure is set to implement a £40 million overhaul across its + 120 UK bingo estates.
Furthermore, the legacy UK bingo operator is set to undertake a full rebrand to ‘Buzz Bingo’, across both its land-based and digital properties.
Implementing Buzz Bingo’s new corporate vision, Kelly will be further supported by Chris Matthews new CEO of Gala Leisure, who joined the operator in September 2017 from UK sports retailer Go Outdoors Ltd.
It is believed that Gala Leisure’s principal investors have pushed for a corporate rebrand, with a view of disassociating the firm’s Gala Bingo estates with Ladbrokes Coral properties.
Updating investors, Chris Matthews commented on the upcoming changes: “Our unique relationship with customers will always be considered at the core of our offer. There is a sense of nostalgia for a game of bingo and a sense of fun and community spirit that goes hand in hand.
“It’s that feeling we want to bring to a wider audience through the launch of Buzz Bingo.
