Joseph Cullis, reviews his first 100-days as President of Bacta, and underlines his commitment to protecting the industry’s heritage, helping to safeguard members’ players, and ensuring Bacta member venues remain at the heart of Britain’s social and economic life for decades to come.
Three months ago, I took on an enormous privilege, stepping into the role of Bacta President. After my appointment, I wrote in Coinslot to set out my vision for the future of Bacta, our members and the wider land-based gambling industry.
Since then, I remain strong in my conviction that we have a real opportunity to make our industry safer, more responsible, and more enjoyable for everyone who walks through our members’ doors.
When I stepped into this role, there were many headwinds I knew we would face. The cost of doing business has continued to rise, and I know that many of our members have been feeling the pressure. But it’s the unforeseen challenges that really test an industry – and those in positions of leadership like myself – the most.
On the eve of the Labour Party’s Conference, our industry finds itself under mounting political pressure, with calls for the government to impose damaging tax increases. What our critics overlook is that apart from weathering an extremely difficult operating environment and having always paid our fair share to the exchequer, we also contribute so much more across the country by creating good jobs, providing safe entertainment and, what sadly nowadays feels increasingly rare across the private sector, remaining longstanding members of our communities.
Too often, some seek to lump our venues in with vape shops or barbers. That is a lazy and misleading comparison. Our members shoulder a significant and unique tax burden, generating hundreds of millions of pounds annually for HM Treasury, and our venues provide regulated, safe entertainment. In truth, we are far closer to pubs – places where people come to unwind, meet friends, and be part of their local community.
We’ve always had people who criticise what we stand for, fundamentally disagreeing with the concept of gambling. But now, more than ever, our industry is facing unfounded and unsubstantiated criticisms. This is something I will not stand for.
Despite the challenges we have faced, I am going to Labour Conference this weekend knowing it’s not all doom and gloom. I will be meeting with political stakeholders to demonstrate, and celebrate, our members’ contributions, as Bacta continues to advocate for an industry that is the silent and underappreciated backbone of so many of our high streets and seaside towns. And I know, many customers up and down the UK are behind us.
Just last month, we commissioned research that demonstrated young Brits were rallying to protect seaside arcades as the cornerstones of British heritage, with 86 percdent of 25-34s believing the Government should do more to protect them. With over 60 Labour MPs constituencies located in coastal towns, we hope this is something Labour is willing to help us champion.
But just as heritage must be protected, so too must our customers. From day one, I made clear that player safety would be my number one priority as President. In the last three months, I have met with operators large and small, listened to their experiences on the ground, and started the process to raise standards even further. Whether through enhanced staff training, greater use of technology, or more consistent best practice across our venues, I want us to continue to be known as the most welcoming places to play, and the safest.
I’ve also seen the resilience and creativity of our members first-hand. From family-run arcades investing in new attractions, to larger operators working tirelessly to modernise venues, the determination to continue serving local communities shines through. These businesses are employers, community hubs, and places where people find joy and connection.
That is why I have been engaging closely with policymakers and industry organisations to ensure our voice is heard. We cannot allow outdated perceptions or political point-scoring to undermine the enormous value we deliver to towns and cities across the UK. Our message is simple: we are committed to responsibility, committed to our communities, and committed to building a sustainable and resilient future.
I acknowledge that the first 100 days have been testing, but they have also reinforced why this industry matters so much. We are custodians of something both deeply traditional and constantly evolving. My promise is that Bacta will continue to lead with integrity, collaboration and determination. We will protect our heritage, help to safeguard members’ players, and ensure our venues remain at the heart of Britain’s social and economic life for decades to come.
