Stanley Leisure has welcomed the government’s paper on minimum sizes for casinos published in August, but has shown disappointment and restrictions to be placed on gaming machines.

At the company’s AGM this month, Leonard Steinberg, chair, said: “The DCMS paper on casinos detailing new minimum sizes for casinos is, in our opinion, good for the industry.

“It will prevent proliferation, and size recommendations fit in well with the Circus Casino in Manchester and our forthcoming Star City Casino near Birmingham. We are also pleased that our existing smaller casinos will have ‘Grandfather rights’.”

However, Steinberg added: “We note the comment regarding non-linkage of gaming machines between casino premises, but take comfort that this proposal is tempered by the words ‘at least in the first place’.

“We are also disappointed by the suggestion that only three gaming machines will be permitted per gaming table, but note the possibility for review of this ratio at a later stage.”

Also at the AGM, the company revealed that changes made across the estate, including longer opening hours, consistency of catering and the introduction of new games were bearing fruit and profitability growth is above the same period last year.