Bacta chief executive John White has heralded the approval by members to restructure bacta as a momentous stage in the near 50-year history of the trade association and is urging members to ensure they are correctly allocated to the new Amusements or Gaming sectors or if applicable to both. The links to register for the sector(s) are included at the end of the Member Communication which was emailed 5th May.

John White explained: “Following the restructure approval we now need to hold elections to the Board of Directors of the new Company Limited by Guarantee (President, Vice-President and three Past-Presidents), the 20 members of the Amusement Sector Council and the 20 members of the Gaming Sector Council that will also elect three Directors each to the Board.

“This will allow us to ensure the votes to which members are entitled under the current rules are correctly allocated when it comes to voting for the Amusement and Gaming Councils.”

The Amusements Sector is the home for companies or individuals operating FECs, amusement parks and amusement piers, for companies or individuals manufacturing, distributing or operating all types of Amusement Equipment including Category D gaming machines and jukeboxes or similar and for companies or individuals manufacturing, distributing or supplying components for Amusement Machines including Category D gaming machines and jukeboxes or similar.

The Gaming Sector applies to companies or individuals operating AGCs (including AGCs operated within an FEC, amusement park or amusement pier) and/or High Street bingo premises. In addition, it’s the home for companies or individuals manufacturing, distributing or operating all types of Gaming Equipment (Category B3, B3A, B4 and C) and companies or individuals manufacturing, distributing or supplying components for Gaming Machines (Category B3, B3A, B4 and C).

Explaining the importance of completing what is a straightforward two click, 20-second email process, the bacta CEO added: “Getting this information correct from the outset will make the transition from the old bacta to the new bacta as effective and frictionless as possible. At this stage we simply want to allocate members to the correct sectors and ensure that the elections accurately reflect the make-up of the industry.”

Outlining the next steps John White began by emphasising that members have until May 19th to respond to the request. Confirming that a significant number of members had already replied to the email, he said: “If we don’t hear from members by 19th May we will have to allocate them based on the knowledge held by bacta and its officers.

“Thereafter elections will take place in person and on-line at a meeting on 5th July. We will then hold a meeting of the two Councils two weeks later on 19th July. Members will then be contacted before the meeting calling for nominations to the positions of President, Vice-President, three Past-Presidents, the 20 members of the Amusement Council, and the 20 members of the Gaming Council.”

“The task has been to modernise bacta and to do so with a governance structure that ensures true representation and that we remain a broad-based, effective and essential part of the amusements and low-stake gaming industry.” Recognising the history of the trade association White added: “The new bacta will husband that legacy into the future with pride and ambition. We will not only get better, we will get stronger, with more members and energies focused on delivering tangible benefits for members.”