Rolling Crap

Stanley Leisure Not Much Affected by Smoking Ban

Britain's biggest casino operator Stanley Leisure, said recently that its business in Scotland has been spared of perceived negative effects brought about by the smoking ban.

The company has posted an annual profit that is nearly double that it made last year. The company said that the ban on smoking in enclosed public spaces, as introduced in March, "has not had a material effect on our four casinos in Scotland".

Stanley Leisure has three of its 41 casinos in Edinburgh, including Cascades in Leith. They said it saw a pre-profit on continuing operations of 31.9 million UK Pounds in the year to April 30, a rise of a whopping 97 per cent compared to the previous year, and turnover revenues were two per cent higher at 224.8 million UK Pounds.

But the company said it hasn't been smooth sailing for them all year round, as it had been hit by a number of big wins at its casinos based in London, as well as the success of Italy in the World Cup, as it had affected its international betting unit.

Chief executive Bob Wiper hailed the performance as "satisfactory" in what he said had been "a strategically important year".

"We have made significant progress in our five year development programme and this, combined with Stanley Leisure's strong pipeline of new licences, positions the Group well to capture further benefits arising from deregulation [of the gaming industry]," he added.