Managing director of CLMS Simon Barff said the latest machines data proves gaming’s continued pertinence to the UK’s pub scene, with cashbox driving revenues up wherever contactless payment or App-based play was permitted.

EAG played host once again to Bacta’s Pub Summit this year, with the event enjoying an opening presentation from Simon Barff of leisure machine data specialist CLMS. 

And what a revelation it proved to be.

In his address to delegates, Barff drew upon data from over 30,000 machines nationwide to underline the “vital role” of AWPs within the pub setting: with 70 per cent of British pubs still offering some kind of fruity to erstwhile punters. This statistic stands in stark contrast to a decline seen in pubs offering jukeboxes (now representing just 6 per cent of total machine estate), a trend Barff attributed in part to fears of upcoming changes in the UK’s music licensing laws. 

That trend, however, may reverse in future analysis with NSM’s revolutionary Atom jukebox selling in the thousands to pubs over the last 18 months – and is now fitted with Ask Global’s contactless system.

The continued relevancy of Cat C gaming to publicans has been underlined, so Barff claimed, by the growth of app-based gameplay: which has boosted weekly takings by as much as £605 in certain high-grossing locations. Barff said this trend was potentially indicative of how “digital engagement strategies could become a key driver of profitability” in the years ahead. 

Meanwhile, CLMS figures have also highlighted how table games like pool continue to thrive in the modern pub: with coindrop surging as much as 35 per cent on tables where both cash and contactless were offered as available payment options.

While tenanted pubs have been slower to adopt digital payments compared to managed estates, momentum, Barff said, is building. 

“Operators embracing cashless transactions have reported longer dwell times and revenue growth, aligning with wider shifts in consumer payment preferences,” he told the audience. 

There was a warning about regulatory changes and market challenges as Barff noted: ““Upcoming changes to jukebox licensing in June are prompting operators to reassess their music offerings, potentially altering the pub entertainment landscape. Age verification requirements also remain a key focus for gaming operators, who are striving to balance compliance with a seamless customer experience.” 

In terms of hard numbers, the UK machine market is worth around a hefty £5.3bn, a figure which may seem redoubtable even in the face of trade headwinds. Indeed, Barff noted that the sector has traditionally “seen a rebound after economic downturns,” but nevertheless conceded that “energy prices and wage increases” were likely to “challenge margins” in the short to medium term. 

Finally, while Barff echoed the widespread call for a “long-overdue increase in stakes and prizes,” he added that any “sustained growth” for the second was also contingent in a revision of technical standards: a proviso he said was “crucially important.” 

Reflecting on the summit, Barff remained optimistic. “The insights shared at the Pub Summit clearly demonstrate that while challenges exist, the sector is adapting and innovating at an impressive rate,” he said. “Gaming machines continue to play a crucial role in pub revenues, and the adoption of digital payment solutions and interactive entertainment products is creating new opportunities for operators.”

Barff is due to take the stage once again at the ARE EXpo in Manchester this April, where he’s slated to host a workshop on the future role of technology within the evolving pub sector.