Operator News
UK – Gauselmann buys into Sceptre Leisure
By Phil - 4 November 2013
The Gauselmann Group has made a further crucial step in its investment in and commitment to the UK gaming and amusement market, becoming a substantial minority shareholder in Sceptre Leisure – Britain’s second largest AWP operator and indeed largest independent AWP operator.
The measured, step-by-step process began back in 2008 with the purchase of a controlling interest in Blueprint Gaming – one the most successful developers of multi-platform digital games. The next major step was made in October last year with the group’s largest investment ever made with the purchase of the Praesepe Group for approximately €100m. With over 170 entertainment centres and bingo clubs in the UK, the Gauselmann Group is now perfectly placed in the Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) and bingo club market through the Praesepe Group.
“The next logical step has been to invest in the Category C market – the traditional and very popular pub market”, explained Jürgen Stühmeyer, Member of the Board for Sales at the Gauselmann Group. “Sceptre Leisure plays a major role in this British pub market sector which remains a very important segment for AWPs. We are very proud to be a part of Sceptre Leisure and very excited about future prospects”, he continues.
The speed at which the Gauselmann Group gaming products have been welcomed to the UK gaming and amusement market has been met by this further major investment. It was only last year in 2012 that the Genie gaming machine was developed specifically for the UK market. It was first premiered at this year’s ICE. The management at Sceptre Leisure was so impressed by both the machine design and game content that a purchase order for 1,000 machines was placed there and then. The first deliveries were made already in April of this year and now several hundred are in operation with the rest to follow very soon.
Ken Turner, Managing Director of Sceptre Leisure, added: “The synergies of this investment made clear sense to both Sceptre Leisure and the Gauselmann Group. The feedback from our customers of the installed Genie gaming machines is excellent. The Gauselmann Group has the experience, innovative prowess and naturally the financial strength to develop just what we need. Furthermore, the ‘made in Germany’ quality brings a new breath of life into the product offering in the market place. Our communication will now be even closer, thus creating an even greater chance of success for us. We are extremely happy and proud to welcome the Gauselmann Group. Players in the UK will benefit in pubs and clubs from this deal with yet better products available from the Gauselmann Group.”
