Rank's David Williams outlines opportunity and challenges in 2024

In one of its end-of-year remarks, the Betting Gaming and Council published an outlook for 2024 penned by David Williams, Rank Group’s Director of Public Affairs, who took stock of what to expect and what is coming next for his own company as well as the industry. Although somewhat self-absorbed, the column made several interesting points.

First, some inevitabilities are surrounding the changing dynamic of the gambling industry in the United Kingdom, and those inescapable developments are precisely what matters to Rank Group, and competitors. First, there will be an increase in the National Living Wage, which will be calibrated by another 9.8%, something that the Group is fully prepared for. However, there will be costs that need to be addressed.

Williams cautions that some of the traditional pain-relief instruments that work in other industries are hollow succour to the gambling industry. The example Williams uses is to sell a £10 chip for £11.20, a virtual impossibility. The executive means that while other industries can pull at the purse strings of their consumers and exact higher prices for their goods and services, casinos are not in a similar position.

Yet, Williams welcomes the opportunity to raise wages, as the Group is fully committed to its team members. Not all is bad either, though, as some things will improve. Casinos will be able to offer sports gambling options and there will be broader implementation of electronic payment methods adding to the ease of use and overall comfort consumers enjoy.

However, Williams’ remarks when it comes to the current state of affairs in the industry are sobering. "We are playing catch-up with casinos elsewhere in the world, and much of the wider gambling ecosystem here in the UK. Only when the legislation is delivered can we set about making our casinos more modern and appealing," the executive notes. The executive predicts a busy roadmap ahead that will see several changes enacted.

The year will be marked by fierce debates surrounding the White Paper which is set to upend the gambling industry and introduce major changes. Among those is a much-discussed and almost certain mandatory levy that will obligate companies to contribute and pay part of their revenue to various good causes and research initiatives dedicated to tackling problem gambling and providing treatment to those who need it.

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