Rank Group appointed Jenny Blogg as chief commercial officer, with her role due to begin on 16 March. She will oversee the cross-channel customer experience across Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casinos, join the Executive Committee and report to interim chief executive Richard Harris.
Blogg will oversee the cross-channel customer experience across Mecca Bingo and Grosvenor Casinos.
The day’s most important stories, free. One email a day.
BetConstruct AI announced on 10 June that Lena Yasir had become its chief executive, with immediate effect. The company said she will focus on global revenue, technical development and partnerships in regulated gaming markets. Yasir takes over operational responsibilities from SoftConstruct chief executive Leonid Kirakosyan and co-founders Vigen and Vahe Badalyan; Kirakosyan remains head of the parent company.
Rank Group chief executive John O’Reilly will retire on 29 January, and chief financial officer Richard Harris will take over as interim CEO from 30 January, the company said. O’Reilly will support Rank until the end of its 2025-26 financial year while it searches for a permanent successor.
Genting UK and Rank executives warned that uncertainty over Machine Games Duty is holding back investment in UK casinos. Genting UK chief executive Paul Willcock said he might have reached a different conclusion on the £40m Trocadero conversion had he decided today rather than two years ago. Rank chief executive Richard Harris said that without confidence things grind to a halt quickly.
Rank Group reported like-for-like net gaming revenue of £216.1 million for the first quarter of its 2026/27 financial year, up 5%, and said digital revenue increased 6%. The company said full-year like-for-like operating profit should meet market expectations if the UK tax regime remains unchanged. Chief executive Richard Harris warned a potential Machine Games Duty increase could make venues less viable and lead to closures and job losses.
Rank Group chief executive Richard Harris said the company is seeking to bring its UK venues and online operations closer together as higher taxes weigh on digital gambling profitability. He cited the MyMecca app as an early step and said it had led to a strong increase in digital sign-ups; Rank is also applying a more disciplined approach to investment.