Bingo firm Rank Group's first-half profit jumps 29 pct (updated)

Guoco

29/01/2015 08:02

(Adds details on results, new contract) 
    Jan 29 (Reuters) - British gambling company Rank Group Plc 
 RNK.L  reported a 29 percent rise in half-year profit, helped 
by its Grosvenor casinos business and online operations. 
    Rank said adjusted pretax profit rose to 35.8 million pounds 
($54.2 million) in the first half ended Dec. 31, from 27.7 
million pounds a year earlier. 
    Revenue from continuing operations rose 3 percent to 361.7 
million pounds.  ID:nHKSbf4D4m  
    Spend per customer visit rose about 5 percent at Rank's 
London casinos, helping revenue grow 9 percent during the six 
months. 
    Across the group, spend per customer rose 2.2 percent to 
47.19 pounds. 
    Revenue at Grosvenor casinos, which offers roulette, 
blackjack, baccarat and poker, rose 6 percent to 205.6 million 
pounds during the period. 
    Grosvenor casinos is UK's largest multi-channel casino brand 
and accounts for about 52 percent of group revenue, according to 
the company's 2014 annual report. 
    Rank said on Thursday it signed an agreement with Bede 
Gaming to supply a new core digital platform after reporting a 
16 percent jump in first-half digital revenue. 
    Rank, which is majority owned by Malaysia's Guoco Group 
 0053.HK , had 94 Mecca bingo halls and 57 Grosvenor casinos in 
Britain by the end of October 2014. 
    The company also raised its interim dividend to 1.60 pence 
from 1.35 pence a year earlier.    
 
 ($1 = 0.6604 pounds) 
 
 (Reporting by Aastha Agnihotri in Bengaluru; Editing by 
Gopakumar Warrier) 
 ((aastha.agnihotri@thomsonreuters.com; within UK +44 20 7542 
1810, outside UK +91 806 749 7920; Reuters Messaging: 
aastha.agnihotri.thomsonreuters.com@reuters.net)) 
 
Keywords: RANK GROUP GB RESULTS/