The British subsidiary of German gaming company Gauselmann Group announced its new push to develop closer relationships within the communities it has presence, the Constituency Campaign, to highlight the benefits of its business to the political representatives of those communities.
Get to Know Your Constituency Representatives
The aim of the campaign is to get to know as many as possible of the representatives of these constituencies and to start it, Gauselmann invited Mark Pawsy, a Conservative MP for Rugby, to the Merkur Cashino Adult Gaming Centre (AGC) in Warwickshire, July 24.
Mr Pawsey met at the AGC with Mark Schertle, COO of Praesepe, Gauselmann UK’s newly appointed Director of Public and Political Relations, Tony Boulton, as well as the Head of Compliance, Amanda Kiernan.
“It was great to visit the Merkur Cashino in Rugby, meet the team and to see the measures that they’ve put in place to make the AGC a Covid-secure environment for visitors. Now more than ever, it’s absolutely vital to support local businesses on our high streets as we look to rebuild and recover after lockdown.”
Mark Pawsy, Conservative MP, Rugby
The MP outlined the months ahead would pose difficulties for businesses and retailers, reiterating the government’s commitment to ensure enough support. The feedback Mr Pawsy received from the executives of the high-street gaming arcade Cashino brand was useful for him in painting the overall picture.
Cashino is one of the brands operated by Praesepe, a company acquired by Gauselmann Group in 2012, to expand the group’s presence into Spain, Serbia, Czech Republic, The Netherlands, as well as in the UK, where the operator runs a number of venues, including 165 AGCs, 7 Family Entertainment Centres and 5 Beacon Bingo clubs.
Gauselmann UK’s Director of Public and Political Relations, Tony Boulton, commented the visit and the overall objective of the campaign, stressing out the importance to get to know the MPs representing the constituencies in which Gauselmann has venues and employs local people.
Mr Boulton outlined the keen interest shown by the MP in witnessing the distancing, track and trace undertakings and the hygiene protocols implemented in a typical high street Cashino venue by the arcade operator.
“From our perspective, it’s absolutely vital that MPs understand exactly what the AGC sector is all about. A lack of understanding has often been the root cause of many of the policy/political miss-steps that have held back the industry, something which we simply cannot afford as we approach the review of the Gambling Act.”
Tony Boulton, Director, Public & Political Relations, Gauselmann UK
Mr Boulton pointed out offering a first-hand experience is much more effective in building a relationship and creating a dialogue, than sending a letter explaining why some of the proposed legislative changes to the gaming environment may be detrimental to the business.