Gambing : RankPlc : Revenue up profits down

Marketing investment cuts into operating profits

Despite a 10 percent rise in half-year 2010 revenues to GBP27.4 million, UK land and gambling group Rank plc reported a 23 percent decline in operating profit to GBP2.3 million this week.

Management attributed the decline to marketing investment and product development, together with Italian and Spanish market start-up costs of GBP300 000.

Strong performers in the half year to end June were Mecca Bingo and the relaunched Gcasino brand, which continued to show encouraging growth.

Mecca Bingo recorded revenues up 20.7 percent to GBP19.8 million, thanks to bigger marketing investment that included a deal with Britain's Got Talent, a GBP700 000 television advertising campaign and improved cross-selling to customers from Mecca Bingo clubs.

Casino revenue rose 25 percent to GBP3 million, albeit from a low base, mainly as a result of cross-selling the online offering to customers of Rank’s land-based G Casino and Grosvenor Casinos.

Blue Square sportsbook revenues declined 18 percent to GBP3.6 million despite the football World Cup during the latter half of June, reflecting a diversion of marketing spend to MeccaBingo and GCasino.com.

Poker operations again produced a lacklustre performance, with revenues down 41 percent to GBP1 million, again a consequence of marketing being diverted, although sector-wide declines in the genre were also a factor.

Poker Maximus comes to Lock Poker - 2.9.2012 : Kicking off on Sunday March 4th there will be a minimum of 3 events every single day finally wrapping up on the March 25th with a $200,000 Guaranteed Main event.

New game a football betting first claims company - 02/09/2012 : The UK Football League's exclusive data distributor, SIS, has in collaboration with Contagious Sports launched a new pool-based game which will for the first time allow bettors to bet into an in-running pool on live football matches to win jackpots.

VERNONS LAUNCHES UK MEDIA CAMPAIGN - 02/09/2012 : Vernon's recently launched British-facing online casino and poker room Vernons is launching an extensive television and social media campaign to capture a bigger slice of the market by creating brand awareness.

SECOND HEARING FOR UK ONLINE GAMBLING REFORM BILL - 02/09/2012 : A bill covering the taxation of offshore bookmakers introduced by Conservative MP Matthew Hancock was heard in the House of Commons earlier this week and has been given a second reading scheduled for March 30, 2012.

BETCLIC FILES COMPETITION COMPLAINT AGAINST PMU - 02/09/2012 : Online gaming company Betclic has filed a claim of unfair competition against Pari Mutuel Urbaine with the French Competition Authority, according to French journal Les Echos.