Andy Tipple: “Our focus remains on supporting customers and delivering the products and content they need for their businesses”
“It’s business as usual” for Blueprint Operations, says MD Andy Tipple, and for that read top quality content, as the business rolls out the leading games currently on the market.
It’s been a rollercoaster year for the industry, both economically and on the regulatory front. What are you hoping to get from the two days in London, and what will the main topics of debate be?
Andy Tipple: It’s a cliché, but it really is a case of ‘business as usual’ for Blueprint Operations at ACOS, regardless of the political situation we are facing. Our focus remains on supporting customers and delivering the products and content they need for their businesses.
However, I am sure that many of our customers will want to discuss the current position on Machine Games Duty (MGD), as well as the Gaming Machine Technical Standards (GMTS). Alan Claypole, who has made a significant contribution to Bacta’s engagement with the Gambling Commission, will be on the stand and happy to discuss these issues and their implications for products and operations.
Our purpose in attending ACOS is to demonstrate how firmly the Blueprint Operations team has remained focused on delivering our content roadmaps. The sales team will be ready to guide both existing and prospective customers through the games, demonstrate what is available and explain what is coming next.
In terms of product, what innovations, new launches and top performers will visitors be seeing on your stand next week?
Andy Tipple: Alongside the Unity titles already highlighted, visitors will be able to see our dedicated Christmas game, Santa Sled, for both B3 and Category C.
We will also be showing Monsters Fortune and Ghost Train in Category C, with dedicated profiles for the AGC and single-site markets, as well as the new Cash Strike Hot Stepper Category C.
The stand will give customers the opportunity to explore these titles in detail and discuss the profiles and content best suited to their particular operating environments.
The season’s over and attention is now turning to 2027. But we have some time to reflect: what have been the highlights of the year in terms of business development and product launches?
Andy Tipple: A real stand-out for . Blueprint Operations was the Manchester show. It was the first time we exhibited Monster Fortune, the first of our core Unity titles, and the feedback was nothing short of incredible.
That response was a real catalyst for the roadmap we will be bringing to ACOS and gave the team tremendous encouragement as development progressed.
Our work with Future Anthem on the smart menu has been another constant throughout 2026. By ACOS, the menu will be live across AGCs, motorway service areas and single sites. We will continue to drive that programme forward into 2027, with the aim of achieving full-estate coverage.
From a content perspective, we cannot praise the Bullseye brand enough. We have enjoyed a fantastic year, with the Category C version and, more recently, the B3 version performing exceptionally well. Building on that success, operators should certainly watch this space at ACOS!
What would you say if Andy Burnham walked into your office and asked, ‘How can I help you build and grow your business?’
Andy Tipple: We do not have the space here to cover every issue, but my message would be clear: visit the venues, understand the customers and take the time to look at the high streets, retail parks and coastal towns in which our industry operates.
Understand the financial investment the sector already makes alongside the scale of future investment it can contribute to the regeneration of our town centres.
I would ask what the average town would look like without the industry’s support, investment and presence. These are practical considerations that should be central to any discussion about the sector’s future.
Increasing MGD will not increase the tax yield. It also raises a fundamental question for government: how would it manage the black market that could emerge almost overnight as a consequence?
As an industry, we are constantly asked to provide evidence-based arguments, and we have done so. Government needs to follow its own advice and give that evidence proper consideration. Decisions affecting businesses, their employees and their customers should be grounded in facts, rather than emotional arguments or personal views that are subjective and prejudicial.
