Bacta Leads Industry Discussion on Technical Standards at Member Webinar

Bacta hosted a highly informative webinar on Wednesday 21 May 2025, giving members an essential update on the Gambling Commission’s consultation on proposed changes to Gaming Machine Technical Standards (GMTS) and outlining the trade association’s formal response.

The session was introduced by Bacta President John Bollom, with contributions from Vice President Joseph Cullis, National Council Member Tony Boulton, Gaming Council Member Alan Claypole, and Executive Director George McGregor.

The Gambling Commission’s proposals, originally published on 29 January 2025, are open for feedback until 3 June 2025, with Bacta members asked to submit key data by 27 May to inform the association’s final response. The Commission has been actively engaging with the sector, holding meetings with Bacta in Nottingham and Grantham and conducting site visits in Southport.

Any legislative changes arising from the consultation are not expected before mid-2026, and potentially later.

Bacta’s Response: Evidence-Based, Member-Led

Bacta is currently finalising a comprehensive, evidence-based submission, shaped by both the Operators’ Group (led by Tony Boulton) and the Manufacturers’ Group (led by Alan Claypole). The response is also being supported by third-party insights from CEBR (economic impact), Chrysalis (consumer research), and Lee Willows (behavioural research), alongside a number of member case studies demonstrating the scale of potential impact.

Key concerns raised include:

• Disproportionate costs: Estimated in the tens of millions, with thousands of machines unable to be upgraded.

• Weak benefits case: Unclear evidence on whether the proposed changes will deliver the intended player protection benefits.

• Customer behaviour changes: Concerns that intrusive measures may alter how people engage with gaming products.

Specific Areas of Concern

1. Coverage of GMTS

Bacta is recommending that only new machines and games should be subject to the updated standards, in line with past practice. If this is not accepted, a 10-year transition period is being proposed for legacy equipment.

2. Club Machines

Bacta strongly opposes the inclusion of B3A and B4 machines in clubs, many of which are older and not capable of software upgrades. The association highlighted the potential loss of vital revenue streams for clubs.

3. Breaks in Play

While Bacta supports the principle of play breaks, it advocates for a graduated approach, with field testing and default intervals of 30 minutes, rather than a fixed 30-second pause.

4. Display of Player Data

Significant concerns were raised about privacy, sensitivity, and security, including risks of staff or other customers accessing sensitive player data such as time played or money spent.

5. Staff Alerts

The proposed staff alert system was flagged as costly and unproven, particularly for venues without existing data capture infrastructure. Bacta is calling for concurrent implementation across all sectors, including AGCs, Bingo, Casinos, and LBOs.

Call to Action

Bacta is urging all members—both operators and manufacturers—to submit their own responses to the consultation before the 3 June 2025 deadline.

To participate in the Gambling Commission’s consultation, members can follow this link:

Respond to the Gambling Commission Consultation

The session closed with a Q&A led by Bacta’s leadership team, reinforcing the association’s commitment to ensuring industry voices are heard and that the future of machine standards is shaped with fairness and practicality in mind.

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22 May 2025

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