High-street slot machines are reaping record takings as operators expand apace on Britain’s high streets, reigniting calls for the government to give councils more power to curb their spread.
Overall, betting and gaming revenues – excluding the National Lottery – reached £11.5bn [$15.5bn] in the year to March 2024, a 3.5% annual increase and the highest figure on record, according to statistics from the Gambling Commission that corrected previous figures.
Of these, so-called adult gaming centres (AGCs) – high street slot machine arcades grew takings by 11% to £623m [$837m] thanks to a flurry of new openings by the sector’s major players, Merkur and Admiral.
AGCs are disproportionately located in the poorest areas and offer some of the most addictive machines, according to several studies.
