Mincoffs assist in Bede Gaming contract with Rank

The Gosforth firm believes it will be handling six million transactions per day within 18 months, up from around three million a day currently.

Software business Bede Gaming has launched a recruitment drive for up to 75 staff on the back of a multi-million pound deal with the largest UK-based casino and bingo hall operator. The Newcastle –headquartered firm, which currently employs around 120 staff, has set out plans for expansion following its recent contract win with UK gaming giant Rank Group Plc.

Bede’s gaming platform will be used by Rank’s Grosvenor Casinos and Mecca Bingo brands, handling all online transactions, including player registrations, deposits, withdrawals and the reporting game play. The deal will also see Bede supply some of its own in-house and third party games to Rank, as well as adding some of the games Rank has at its casinos and bingo halls to their sites.

Bede, currently based in Gosforth but planning a move to bigger offices at Great Park, Newcastle, will create at least 25 software and creative jobs this year following the Rank deal. It expects to start recruiting for a further 50 team members – mostly software developers – for next year, as the company continues to increase revenues.

Annual turnover is forecast to be around £8m this year, up from £3.5m in 2014, while next year it is likely to be significantly higher again. At current growth projections, the company expects within 18 months it will be handling six million transactions per day, up from the current three million a day.

The company, which also has offices in London and Bulgaria, also believes its work with tier one firm Rank will act as a springboard towards new relationships with other major gambling and gaming industry operators.

Managing director Dan Smyth said: “Since we signed the deal with Rank we’ve had a lot of queries from leading European operators. In fact I believe we have more opportunities available than we could possibly deliver – but clearly Rank requires our full focus for the time being. We have always had a reputation for delivery of the projects we take on and we don’t want to ruin that by taking on more than we can handle.  “For a company that is less than three years old to have won a deal of this size is a testament to the enormous hard work of everyone who works for Bede and their skill in creating one of the best gaming platforms in the world.”

Bede’s contract with Rank was agreed with the assistance from Newcastle-based law firm Mincoffs.  Partner and head of commercial Antony Hall, who led the Mincoffs team, said: “Bede Gaming is a dynamic business which has developed a software platform at the cutting edge of online gaming. This was an exciting transaction for Mincoffs to be part of, involving expertise from across the firm’s departments “We have acted for Bede Gaming since its inception and it has been a pleasure to continue to support the team through the latest exciting chapter of its growth.”

As well as major gambling operators, Bede’s customer base also includes publishing houses, marketing companies and publicly-listed TV franchise.

Last year it won the 2014 EGR (eGaming Review) award for Bingo Supplier of the Year, while Bingo Godz – the site it developed for the founder of Foxy Bingo – won the title for Innovation in Bingo.  It also recently won High Growth category at the Dynamite Growth Explosion Awards, which celebrated the North East’s thriving digital industry.  Managing director Dan Smyth was also shortlisted in the Outstanding Achievement category.