There is an "orchestrated campaign against adult gaming centres" said outgoing UK trade association Bacta president John Bollom, addressing its annual general meeting in London.
Bollom told the assembled members - and many more following on a webcast - that the previous week’s revelations in an undercover investigation into flaws in the self-exclusion technology in Portsmouth venues were part of a wider campaign against AGCs.
“It was part of a campaign that it is well funded and well organised. They have been very careful about how they place news stories and build up to serious accusations in the media on self-exclusion schemes,” he said.
The investigation in Portsmouth found only one venue that recognised the reporter’s registration for self-exclusion and asked him to leave.
It was made clear at the AGM that Bacta was taking its own measures to protect AGCs. A committee chaired by Bacta’s new president Joseph Cullis (pictured) is leading the campaign against and actively countering the narrative.
But it was accepted that in the case of the Portsmouth investigation there had been shortcomings on the part of AGC venues.
“Some of the problem is our own fault,” conceded Bollom. “We know that there are some issues with the implementation of current self-exclusion schemes and these need to be fixed. We need to pull our socks up in terms of how we implement our controls.”
Joseph Cullis, taking over as president from the completion of the meeting, told members that his committee on the subject had been meeting regularly. “We have been robust in analysing what is happening and to get on the front foot.”
Speaking frankly of the negative campaign, Cullis said: “Their goal is the abolition of AGCs.”
It was pointed out from the floor that the machines used in AGCs were the same as those used in bookmakers and bingo clubs, but the platform view was that the aim was to reduce what was erroneously thought to be a proliferation of AGCs in high streets, perhaps through increased powers for local councils to control the numbers.
