Rank Group plans 882 new gaming machines as UK casino reforms take shape

Rank Group, the operator of Grosvenor Casinos and Mecca Bingo, has confirmed plans to expand its land-based gaming machine offering in response to upcoming changes in UK gambling regulations.

The company said it intends to add 882 gaming machines to its Grosvenor estate, which currently operates 1,367 machines across the UK. Pending regulatory approvals, the expansion would bring its total capacity to over 3,100 machines, a move Rank aims to implement gradually over the next two to three years.

The announcement comes following the UK government’s publication of draft secondary legislation designed to modernize the regulatory framework for land-based casinos.

The legislation, part of a review of the 2005 Gambling Act, was introduced by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport earlier this week and is seen as a key component of the Labour government’s wider deregulation agenda.

Reacting to the news, Rank Group’s shares jumped nearly eight percent on Wednesday morning, as investors welcomed the potential for regulatory easing and growth opportunities in the casino sector. The reforms are expected to enable more flexibility for venues like Grosvenor to expand their machine offerings and customer experiences.

This is "very good news," said Rank Group CEO John O’Reilly. “The modernizations will enable us to improve the Grosvenor customer proposition, helping to grow jobs and generating investment in local communities.”

O’Reilly added that the company has a clear roadmap for the upcoming changes and that Rank would "now accelerate" its investment plans in line with the rollout of reforms over the coming months. He stated that the expansion is to upgrade the customer experience and create additional economic value.

The company also noted that implementation would depend on the completion of variation applications for casino licenses. Additionally, Rank confirmed it would be engaging with Scottish authorities to seek similar deregulatory benefits north of the border.

The regulatory changes fall within the wider remit of Labour’s pro-growth strategy. Chancellor Rachel Reeves is expected to unveil her first Financial Services Growth Strategy at Mansion House on July 15, following consultations with industry leaders across finance, technology, and investment.