Not satisfied with being a leader in the UK bingo ticket market, Cowells-Arrow is now ploughing a successful new furrow in manufacturing and supplying machines to the pub and club sector. Fresh from bringing the company into the Gambling Business Group in order to help push for regulatory and tech reform, MD Tony Lister told Coinslot what he sees as the key issues facing the industry, and how they can be addressed.

Coinslot: You’ve recently joined the GBG, entering the trade body arena once again. What brought you to the group?

Tony Lister: Cowells-Arrow Bingo, as the name suggests is embedded with the Bingo industry and has been a strong supporter, advocate and member of the Bingo Association for many years and remains so. 

However, as we have expanded our portfolio, additionally becoming a gaming machines manufacturer and supplier, we felt that GBG membership is an avenue we should also progress. Added to this, I have personally known Peter Hannibal for many years, and he made a compelling argument for our membership. Currently we are concentrating, as a machines manufacturer and supplier, on the proposed Gaming Machines Technical Standards (GMTS) and feel that GBG is particularly focused on UK gambling regulation and the machines manufacture and supply element of the industry.

Coinslot: Looking at the regulatory landscape, what are your concerns currently with the direction of travel with regard to effective modernisation for the industry?

Tony Lister: The UK gambling regulatory landscape is undergoing significant reform, largely driven by the Gambling Act Review and the current push for modernisation and enhanced player protection. 

While change is necessary, I have concerns about whether the current direction of travel strikes the right balance between consumer protection, industry sustainability, and innovation.

• The industry needs proportionate, risk-based affordability measures rather than one-size-fits-all thresholds.

• Regulators must balance player protection with competitive, sustainable regulation to keep gambling within the regulated UK market.

• The government should introduce modernised land-based regulations alongside online reforms to ensure fair competition across all sectors.

• The government and UK Gambling Commission should provide a clear roadmap with realistic transition periods for new regulations.

In summary, while consumer protection is essential, we must avoid a prohibition-style approach that harms the legal industry and benefits unregulated markets. A balanced, data-driven, and innovation-friendly regulatory framework will ensure a modern, competitive, and responsible UK gambling sector.

Coinslot: Now, the GBG has a sharpened focus on the UK high street, as indeed do you through your extensive supply network to the bingo sector. How’s the lay of the land for the bingo industry at the moment?

Tony Lister: The UK land-based bingo industry is facing a tough landscape, shaped by a mix of regulatory challenges, economic pressures, and shifting consumer habits. While bingo remains a culturally significant and much-loved activity, the industry has struggled with declining footfall, rising costs, and regulatory barriers.

• Rising energy costs and business rates – Bingo halls are high-energy venues, and soaring bills have put pressure on
profitability.

• Cost of living crisis – Players, particularly the traditional older audience, have less disposable income to spend on entertainment.

• Club closures – Operators have had to close in recent years due to financial
struggles.

• Outdated regulations holding back growth

• Cashless payment

Having listed, above, just some of the challenges the industry has and is suffering to cope with there are lots of positives and I have a genuine belief that the industry will not only survive but will ‘come back stronger!’

• Bingo has traditionally been seen as a game for older audiences, but this is changing. Concepts like Bongo’s Bingo, Hijingo, Rebel Bingo have awakened and attracted a millennial and Gen Z crowd to the game.

• Social experience is still a selling point – Bingo offers community and social interaction, which remains a key strength.

• Venues are modernising – Operators are revamping bingo halls to include better food and drink options, ‘Shush-free’ lounges and live entertainment to appeal to a wider audience.

To survive, traditional bingo halls must evolve beyond just ‘numbers on a board’ and offer more immersive, entertainment-driven experiences, and they are. 

The GBG can and is helping with the challenges the industry faces through their work on Regulatory reform and Tech integration.

Coinslot: Talk us through some of the highlights of the last year or so and innovations we should keep an eye out for in the coming months?

Tony Lister: Cowells-Arrow Bingo has changed significantly over the last three-years, moving from perhaps being seen as a ‘one trick pony’ – the UK’s Number One bingo ticket and Popp Open ticket manufacturer and supplier to entering the machines market, as a manufacturer and supplier to pubs and clubs.

As a manufacturer we are concentrating on the B3A market in private members clubs. The Jumbotron is a high-spec machine with innovative features and industry leading hardware. We have leveraged the Cowells-Arrow footprint in this market, through our Popp Opens, for placement in venue and have also been on the acquisition trail. 

Since February 2022 we have completed the acquisition of four supply companies that has opened their customers to our Jumbotron B3A and the wider Cowells-Arrow product portfolio.

In the coming months, and years, we will continue to drive placement of the Jumbotron B3A and pursue additional strategic acquisitions of gaming machine and amusement equipment suppliers.

Coinslot: Finally, get your shopping list out. If you were talking directly to the Gambling Minister and the Gambling Commission, how would you outline your vision for gambling reform and what they should be looking at implementing?

Tony Lister: As a bingo ticket manufacturer and a gaming machine manufacturer and supplier we would be looking for regulatory clarity, fair industry growth, and responsible gambling measures that support both businesses and players.

1 Proportionate and evidence-based
regulation

• Regulations should be data-driven and based on actual harm risks rather than a one-size-fits-all approach.

2 Responsible gambling measures that protect players without stifling entertainment

• Introduce harm reduction measures tailored to specific gaming formats.

3 Game design and machine innovation that aligns with responsible gaming

• Maintain fair stake and prize limits for gaming machines, ensuring that they remain attractive to players while reducing excessive losses.

4 Economic growth and industry
sustainability

• Recognise that bingo halls and gaming venues contribute to local economies, providing jobs and community entertainment.

• Ensure that reforms do not disproportionately impact small and medium-sized businesses in the supply chain.