MERKUR UK has completed phase 1 of its new political engagement programme extending bespoke invitations to a total of 253 MPs with constituencies where the company has gaming entertainment venues.

The 253 who were elected as part of the 2024 parliamentary intake comprise 214 Labour MPs, 25 Conservative, 8 Liberal Democrat, 3 from the Scottish Nationalist Party and a further 3 from Reform UK.

Tony Boulton, MERKUR UK’s Director of Public and Political Relations believes the need to engage with new MPs is paramount. He explained: “Many of the re-elected MPs who have MERKUR venues in their constituencies are well aware of the brand and of the issues impacting the industry at large.

“Those who have visited our venues and spent time talking with our staff and our customers have left armed with a much better understanding of the business including the safer gambling undertakings that we have put in place, the professionalism of our highly trained consumer-facing teams and what we mean by  low-stake gambling entertainment.

“The dialogue and relationships have been built over a five-year period and the challenge we now face is to replicate that with the MPs who are new to the House of Commons.”

He added: “Whilst our primary objective is to discuss the earliest possible introduction of the essential land-based gambling reforms recommended in the White Paper, our overarching strategy is to build relationships and open dialogues with all of the new MPs many of whom may hold prejudicial views of the sector.

“The best way to address this is to show the business in action and to place the MPs in a modern and professional environment engaging, with our customers many of whom will be their constituents.”