Tag Archives: bacta

BGC lauds industry for ‘driving higher standards’ with new safer gaming code

SBC News BGC lauds industry for ‘driving higher standards’ with new safer gaming code

The UK’s three gaming sector trade associations have announced a new ‘Safer Game Design Code’ for land-based gaming machines.  Members of the Betting and Gaming Council (BGC), amusements representative Bacta and the Bingo Association have collaborated during the COVID-19 pandemic to design the code that will address risks in game design features. The cross sector initiative will ensure machines no …

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Merkur UK increases community donations to £1.25m

SBC News Merkur UK increases community donations to £1.25m

British arcade operator Merkur UK has underlined its ‘local community credentials’ by making a further £5,000 donation to the Bacta Charitable Trust. The donation was presented by Merkur UK General Manager, Sascha Blodau, to Industry figurehead and Chairman of the Trust, Jimmy Thomas, alongside Bacta CEO John White, at the recent Entertainment Attractions & Gaming International Expo (EAG Expo 10-12 …

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Bacta calls for amusements’ consideration in Spring Statement

SBC News Bacta calls for amusements’ consideration in Spring Statement

Chancellor of the Exchequer Rishi Sunak announced the government’s Spring Statement on the UK budget today, outlining a number of areas for investment as the country’s recovery from COVID-19 continues.  Ahead of the statement, the UK’s betting and gaming trade associations have called on the government to take the industry into consideration, with amusement arcade body Bacta today focusing on …

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YGAM and Betknowmore training made available on bactaPortal

SBC News YGAM and Betknowmore training made available on bactaPortal

YGAM and Betknowmore UK’s safer gambling training programmes will now be incorporated into Bacta’s bactaPortal responsible gaming platform.  Bacta, the UK’s trade association for the amusements and arcade sector, confirmed yesterday that its bactaPortal – first launched in September 2021 – was being updated as ‘Version Two’, to include access to training materials.  The training will combine ‘specialist knowledge, insight …

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Bacta updates bactaPortal to boost functionality and value

SBC News Bacta updates bactaPortal to boost functionality and value

Bacta has made updates to its bactaPortal, launching version two of the safer gambling platform, as it aims to strengthen the functionality and value of its offering.  The new version of the portal has been developed to include a customer interaction recording solution, self-exclusion options, a compliance handbook and ‘seamless compatibility’ across mobile, desktop and tablet verticals. Additionally, the amusement …

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Bacta: Gambling Review must carry interest of a recovering arcade sector

SBC News Bacta: Gambling Review must carry interest of a recovering arcade sector

Greg Wood, President of Bacta, has declared that the interests of British arcade operators will be heard by the government ahead of the critical outcome of the generational review 2005 Gambling Act.  For a third year running, British arcade operators will have to mitigate COVID-19 impacts on their businesses, as patrons stay at home and entertainment venue restrictions are imposed …

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Sarah Gardner: Refreshed UKGC committed to improving all levels of gambling protection

Sarah Garnder: UKGC consultation conclusions due this summer

Sarah Gardner, Deputy Chief Executive of the UK Gambling Commission (UKGC), has stated that the regulator and industry must share an ‘understanding of the task at hand’ to improve UK gambling for the benefit of society.    Delivering the keynote address at the Annual Convention for BACTA members, Gardner underlined that 2021 has been a year of wholesale changes for the …

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Dugher reiterates importance of Safer Gambling Week as problem rates fall

Michael Dugher BGC

Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) Chief Executive Michael Dugher has described responsible gambling as the industry’s ‘top priority all year round’ as the sector enters Safer Gambling Week. Commencing this week and running to 7 November, the annual campaign has the support of the BGC, amusement machine trade association Bacta and the Bingo Association. Having been organised since 2017, this …

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BACTA forms working group to improve understanding of gaming machines

SBC News BACTA forms working group to improve understanding of gaming machines

BACTA, the trade association that represents British arcades and gaming machine suppliers, has established a new ‘technical standards working group’. The group, BACTA says, has been designed to inform, recommend and update regulatory stakeholders on industry developments and best practices related to machine gaming standards and developments.  Led by Alan Claypole, the current Head of Product Development at Blueprint Gaming, …

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BGC announces 2021 Safer Gambling Week

BGC pledges to maintain safer gambling momentum. Michael Dugher.

The Betting and Gaming Council (BGC) has announced the date for 2021 Safer Gambling Week, due to take place between 1 November and 7 November, in cooperation with the Bingo Association and Bacta. Since its inception in 2017, the annual campaign has seen the betting and gaming industry collaborate on several safer gambling messages via online and land-based venues, to …

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