AWP pub prizes double from Friday
AWP suppliers say they're working hard to ensure pubs can offer higher stakes and prizes when they get the green light to do so this Friday.
From Friday, maximum stakes and prizes allowed by law at pub gaming machines will double to £1 and £70 respectively.
Gamestec, which provides around 80,000 machines across the UK, plans to deliver new units to pubs over the next three months - with 8,000 changes set to take place in the first month alone.
Gamestec plans to train 9,000 licensees on the importance of maintaining adequate float levels to support new prize levels.
Operations director Peter Collinge said: "Our vans will be travelling over 600,000 miles over the next three months. Our business managers will be helping over 9,000 licensees and we have produced eye-catching POS material for players as well which we will be fitting to machines.
"We are confident we have got it right and we look forward to being amongst the first to switch on the new £70 gaming machines on Friday morning."
Games Media said stakes and prizes will increase automatically at its units because they are all operated digitally.
The company said it's developing "a range of content specifically with £1/£70 levels in mind".
"It is imperative that venues market the new offer and we will ensure our customers get the supporting materials they need to do so," said managing director Andrew Ludlow.
SE Leisure boss John Powell said: "We've been working closely with manufacturers and distributors to make sure we have a range of fresh products. The roll out of those starts this Friday."
He said the focus would be a mixture of upgrades and new machines.
"We hope in over the next two to three months to have made significant progress in upgrading machines from £35 to £70.
"We will have people working Thursday, Friday and all the next week changing and upgrading equipment. It's a massive logistical exercise."
Powell added: "It's a great opportunity for pubs to give them an extra bit of revenue they need in these difficult times."
