Andy Tipple: ‘The Blueprint team will be at ARE with an unswerving commitment to support our growing customer base with cabinet and content to grow their machine income’
It’s been a tough start to the year both economically and on the regulatory front. What are you hoping to get from the two days in Manchester and what will the main topics of debate be about?
The forecasts we prepared for 2026 weren’t hugely positive based on what was an unstable political environment, on-going concerns regarding the regulatory landscape, the debate and uncertainty surrounding Gaming Machine Technical Standards, the rising business costs impacting our customers and so on. To be honest, we entered the year with a degree of trepidation, however, a positive showing at EAG London and then ICE Barcelona changed the mind-set and outlook. Despite the market turbulence it became clear that operators were looking to move forward and providing the product was strong they were prepared to invest in their venues. That positivity has continued through Q1 and I think will be manifest over the two days in Manchester. Exhibitions provide a focal point for the industry to take stock of trends, assess market developments and of course explore opportunities to grow. I think the fact that operators remain so focussed on the future is a testament to the fortitude and dynamism of this industry. The Blueprint team will be at ARE with the same unswerving commitment to support our growing customer base with cabinet and content to grow their machine income.
In terms of product, what innovations and new launches will visitors be seeing on your stand next week?
We have made a strategic decision to adopt a pure back-to-basics approach at ARE and will be showing our core products. This comprises the BPO B3 cabinets the Revolution and Revolution 49” as well as the Velocity Cat C and our Poker 23 cabinet with the four-game poker compendium. In terms of launches ARE visitors will have access to new B3 and Cat C titles across our cabinet range including Dragons Eggs, Son of Horus (B3) as well as Luck o the Irish Pots of Cash (Cat C).
We’re now into the second quarter of 2026, what have been the highlights of the year so far in terms of business development and product launches?
A very encouraging Q1, two strong exhibitions in the form of EAG and ICE and the platform that provides for the rest of 2026 is obviously a highlight. We used the two January shows to launch the Bullseye and Monopoly licensed games which were acclaimed to great acclaim. At ICE Barcelona we introduced customers to what will be our new Unity content with demonstrations of Son of Horus. Unity games add a new dimension to the Blueprint range delivering a greater depth of graphics and enhanced player engagement. We continue to build market share across all sectors through a combination of outstanding product aligned with a business growth strategy that prioritises the development of long-term partnerships over simply short-term sales.
Looking at the market forces and the somewhat erratic signs regarding movement on the Gambling Review, how do you feel about the proposed changes in legislation and what the industry needs to realise the growth we need moving forward?
I think Bacta is doing a very good job in terms of the way it represents the industry with government and regulators. The Bacta Pulse survey of members has identified the concern the industry has regarding the perceived knowledge gaps that exist with politicians and local authorities who they believe simply don’t understand the business. Ignorance or lack of knowledge will inevitably result in ill-considered, badly constructed regulation to the detriment of the sector. MERKUR UK has been very active in terms of engaging with MPs hosting them in the high street gaming centres based in their constituencies. In every visit the MPs have left impressed by the player protection measures that are in place, the training programmes that consumer-facing colleagues complete and the contribution venues make to the local economy. Winning the hearts and minds of politicians and maintaining the highest levels of player protection are prerequisites to having a more progressive regulatory framework including the reforms recommended in the White Paper. From a BPO perspective we ensure the team is up to speed on the latest regulations and debates and are able to contribute to any conversation with customers. Whilst the industry has every right to feel let down by the lack of progress implementing the reforms contained within the White Paper the conversations that the team is having with operators are positive and progressive, something which augurs extremely well for ARE.
