The Gauselmann Group is a German gambling and gaming giant; they have taken a huge leap of faith to get into the British gambling market. Their target is the UK amusements market with the purchase of Praesepe from private equity firm – Marwyn Management Partners. Gauselmann is best known for their Merkur brand, and it is this division that will take control of Praesepe’s 159 adult gaming centres, nine bingo clubs, five family entertainment centres, and Beacon Bingo online. The new company vehicle for this is Merkur Casino UK.

The current Merkur Casino compliment includes 240 arcades throughout Germany, and also has venues in Central and Eastern Europe, the Netherlands and Spain. There is also Merkur Win outlets in Italy. They are best known for their supply of slots, AWPs, Server-based gambling systems and VTLs. The vvast majority of employees is based in Germany; this is a staff compliment of somewhere around 6300.

The Chief Financial Officer of Gauselmann – Ulrich Wuseke – now becomes chairman of Merkur Casino UK. Nick Harding who is the founder of Praesepe, remains in the CEO role of the new company – at least for the time being. Wuseke commented that Praesepe has a good reputation in Britain across the markets it serves. They own the largest land bingo club in Europe and the UK, as well as the Crystal Rooms in London’s Leicester Square; this venue is world-famous.

At the moment the merge is examining a progressive philosophy which is where their investment efforts will take place; they believe they have a unique approach to gambling entertainment in the UK. They also have Blueprint Gaming on-board – another UK subsidiary – these people develop both games and devices. This means that Gauselmann now has a complete range of products to cover the UK market.

Gauselmann is one of the most inspiring business stories in the gambling/gaming industry; the company was launched in 1957, and fast grew into a €1.7bn internationally recognised enterprise. It is a business with back-bone which has survived the double-dip recession, and the Praesepe/Gauselman merge is set to cement this company into UK gaming history.

We mentioned the fact that the largest bingo club in Britain is also part of the Praesepe/Gauselman deal, so, feel that now might be an appropriate time to mention a little bingo aside. The future of UK bingo is also about to change, with the resignation of Paul Talboys from the Bingo Association. Miles Baron is the new appointee, and hopefully with this new blood will come some radical changes in what we believe we have seen become a stagnating representative body for bingo.

Bingo has been enjoying a new breath of fresh air online for the past ten or more years, and we would like to see the same happening in the land version of this game. Miles Baron takes up the post today – Monday 8th October – he has a wealth of industry experience, after leading as Sales and Marketing Director of Mecca Bingo since November 2006, and is no stranger to the Association.

Things are changing rapidly in Asia, in particular in the economic sector. This is no longer one of the poor Global territories, and there is a rising middle class, which means various economic sectors are operating in over-drive. For example – the manufacturing industry in China – is there anything new you have purchased recently that has not been manufactured in China. In response to this, the new middle class Asian resident also demands their fair share of recreation. One of the most popular forms of recreation is gambling.

Therefore, not only the online gambling industry is experiencing a boom. The live gambling industry, in particular in Asia, is booming. Macau offers us a dynamically clear picture of just how rapid economic growth has been. This part of the world has benefitted hugely from the gambling industry, but they are also now taking a closer look at the social impact of gambling as an industry. While there is no gambling per se on Mainland China. Millions of Chinese tourist, save up every penny they can to spend in Macau taking a gamble.

After Macau was monopolised by the Chinese for a period of time (four decades), it has now been opened up to the rest of the world to develop this booming business, although there are moratoriums on certain pieces of property. Manila Bay, Macau, is the home to reclaimed land. Yes, they have re-claimed land from the sea to create a home for a $4 billion casino-resort. This will soon rise like the lost land of Atlantis, funded by foreign investors. US companies such as Las Vegas Sands, MGM, and Wynn Resorts have also flocked to this former Portuguese colony.

Foreign investors in the gambling business, are also currently breaking ground in South Korea. There are plans afoot here to hatch a whole clutch of casino-type resorts. Then on the Eastern edge of Russia, a casino resort area has also been planned to provide a catchment for Chinese gambling high-rollers. And when we talk about Chinese high-rollers, we refer to nose-bleed spenders.
Up-scale, glitzy, Las Vegas styled resorts are the name of the game for casino developments catering to the needs of Asian tourists. As they increasingly become more affluent, so to, do their needs change. Gambling is the order of the day, but then so too is a stay in an up-market resort.

Most areas are working on emulating the Macau business principle; understandably so. For every $1 spent in Las Vegas today, $4 is spent in Macau. This makes it the largest casino game marketplace in the world. However, Singapore is catching up rapidly, and a year after the first casinos had opened, they had already raked in about $6 billion.

We all know there is massive amounts of money to be made in the gambling business if it is done in the right way. The Asian market it seems, is doing it in the right way, and Beijing seems to be happy to allow its wealthy togamble their fortunes away.

The brand new restaurant at the Genting Club on Portland Street Manchester is now open, following the completion of the first phase of the major refurbishment which is currently underway at the venue.

The restaurant, which is called the Fahrenheit Grill and has space for 80 diners, offers a new, premium dining experience in the heart of the city. The restaurant name is inspired by the unique Josper Grills used in the preparation of some of the dishes, which can reach temperatures of up to 1,000 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dishes which feature on the new menu include; 35 day matured "Mathers Black Gold" fillet of Scotch beef; seared sea bass fillet; and Josper roasted lobster and monkfish loin.

Fahrenheit Grill also boasts an impressive wine list available by both the glass and bottle.

Head chef at Fahrenheit Grill at Genting Club Manchester, James Manham, says; "It’s really exciting to have the Fahrenheit Grill open and ready for business. The Josper Grill we have in the kitchen is a delight to cook with. It combines the features of an enclosed oven with the traditional characteristics of a barbecue to maintain the high cooking temperature. It is this unique cooking method which really helps to enhance the flavours, particularly when preparing the high quality steaks we source.

"You won’t find a better steak in Manchester." He added.

The food and drink offering at the Genting Club Manchester, and across Genting’s provincial estate, has been masterminded by ex Head Chef at Claridge’s, Paul Farr. Paul joined Genting earlier this year after nine years at the famous London restaurant. He said of the new restaurant at the Genting Club; "People don’t generally tend to associate casinos with a quality dining experience, however that is exactly what you will get at the new Fahrenheit Grill in Manchester. We have invested a lot of time and effort in to developing the very best cooking techniques and sourcing the highest quality ingredients for the menu, and have worked equally hard to create a stylish, premium, but relaxed ambience in the restaurant.

"The atmosphere is only heightened by the nearby gaming floor and casino surroundings. If you haven’t dined in a casino before I think you will be very pleasantly surprised."

Paul added; "Diners at the Fahrenheit Grill do not have to be members of the Genting Club and there is no requirement for diners to game, although they are of course very welcome to do so if they wish."

Work on phase two of the refurbishment at the Genting Club continues, with a new bar and work to update and modernise the gaming floor and reception area, still to be completed. The whole project will be completed later this year.

To find out more, to see a menu or to make a booking please visit www.gentingcasinos.co.uk/club/manchester/restaurant/

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