Belle Rock Entertainment recognizes top three U.K. casinos
10 Aug 2012
Rank Group
The Rank Group Plc is one of Europe's leading casino groups, and now the largest casino operator in the U.K. Employing more than 3,500 people, Rank recently acquired 23 Gala casinos in a £205 million deal this May, bringing the total number of its U.K. Grosvenor casinos to 58. All but four of the Grosvenor casinos are located outside the U.K. capital, and the company targets a younger, less formal clientele thanks to its G-Casino format.
Rank also operates 103 Mecca Bingo clubs in the U.K. The company operates throughout Europe, with a total of 173 licensed gaming outlets distributed in the U.K., Spain and Belgium. Its 2011 revenue, prior to the takeover of 23 further casinos this year, stood at £589.9 million, with a net income of £153.7 million.
Genting
The Genting Group is the largest casino operator in the world, with leading casino resorts in the Americas, Australia, Malaysia, the Philippines and Singapore, and they are also the second-largest operator in the U.K. The recent Gala/Rank deal means that the Rank Group has overtaken them in U.K. casino ownership for the first time.
They currently operate 46 casinos in the U.K., among them Maxims Casinos, 12 Circus Casinos, 20 Mint Casinos, as well as Crockfords, The Colony Club and the Palm Beach Casino. Their distinct casino brands each appeal to a different clientele, with Mint Casinos aimed at regular, professional players, Circus Casinos being less formal and open to all, and Maxims being their high-end brand.
Genting employs over 58,000 people globally across its 11,000 acres of prime resort land. With assets of $16.6 billion as of 2010, their latest revenue figures reached 15.2 billion MYR in 2010 too.
Gala Coral
Prior to the Rank Group buyout deal, the Gala Coral Group Ltd. owned 32 casinos in the U.K., accounting for 20 percent of the U.K. casino market. After selling off 23 of these casinos to Rank, Gala still retains 9 casinos, alongside its 143 U.K. bingo clubs and more than 1,700 betting shops. Employing 16,000 globally, its turnover reached £1.1 billion in 2011, although the company holds debts of £1.32 million. By selling off the majority of its U.K. casino operations, it helps to rebalance its finances, and concentrate on its Gala Bingo and Coral operations.