After more than thirteen years at the helm of the UK’s bingo sector, Miles Baron has officially stepped down as Chief Executive of the Bingo Association, the National Bingo Game Association (NBGA), and Meeron Ltd. His departure marks the end of one of the most significant leadership tenures in modern British bingo, spanning a period of enormous regulatory, commercial and technological change.
While his successor, Nicole Garrett, now takes on the responsibility of guiding the industry through its next chapter, Baron leaves behind a sector that looks remarkably different from the one he inherited in 2012.
A Farewell Marking the End of an Era
Announcing his departure, Baron reflected warmly on his time leading the industry.
He said in a LinkedIn post:
“Friday 28th June saw my last formal day as CEO of The Bingo Association, The National Bingo Game Association, and Meeron Ltd, after thirteen and a half years. I am immensely proud of the many achievements made by the BA/NBGA team during my time there.”
He also thanked operators, suppliers, regulators and players, adding:
“I wish everyone a prosperous and successful future and I know my successor Nicole will take the sector forward to a whole new level.”
The tone was characteristic of Miles Baron throughout his tenure—measured, collaborative and focused on the collective success of licensed bingo rather than personal recognition.
Steering Bingo Through a Decade of Change
When Miles Baron became CEO in October 2012, the challenges facing UK bingo were already substantial.
The aftermath of the smoking ban continued to affect club attendance, online bingo was rapidly growing, and consumer habits were beginning to shift away from traditional high street leisure.
Over the following thirteen years, the industry faced even greater disruption.
The COVID-19 pandemic forced clubs across Britain to close for extended periods. Many closed permanently, threatening the very existence of bingo operators both large and small. Throughout that period, Baron became one of the industry’s most recognisable voices, lobbying government for support while highlighting the social value of bingo clubs in communities across the UK.
His leadership also coincided with an increasingly complex regulatory environment. Successive governments increased gambling reform, affordability measures, and advertising standards, requiring the Bingo Association to balance consumer protection with the commercial realities of running licensed clubs.
Throughout these debates, Baron has consistently argued that bingo deserved to be viewed differently from higher-risk gambling products, emphasising its comparatively low rates of problem gambling and its important community role.
A More Digital Industry
One of the more visible transformations during Baron’s tenure has been the convergence of retail and online bingo.
Rather than resisting this shift to a digital world, the bingo industry embraced it, and online channels became an important way to introduce new audiences to the game.
Meanwhile, UK bingo clubs have faced the challenge of adopting new technologies ‘in club’ whilst maintaining the traditional ‘pen and paper’ bingo audience.
UK Bingo CEO
The Challenges That Remain
Any assessment of a Miles Baron legacy should also acknowledge that some of the UK bingo’s biggest problems remain unresolved.
Land-based participation has stabilised in many areas but is still below historic highs, with numerous clubs – we estimate to be about 40-50% of bingo clubs – having disappeared over the past two decades.
The loss of established, once-popular bingo clubs is felt in most towns and cities across the UK. Just last month, in June 2026, Mecca Bingo closed eight of its clubs. This, despite a return to better financial results for the Rank Group.
Rising operating costs, especially in energy and wages, inflation and changing town centres have placed huge additional pressure on venues.
The online market has become intensely competitive, with bingo increasingly competing against casinos, slots, and sports betting for customer attention. Although bingo retains a distinctive community appeal, attracting younger generations without losing its traditional audience remains one of the industry’s challenges.
These challenges were not created during Baron’s leadership. Instead, they reflect broader shifts across leisure, retail and digital entertainment.
As Nicole Garrett leads the industry into its next phase, she inherits a sector that has weathered extraordinary change but still faces significant challenges and opportunities.
A Legacy of Stability, Resilience and Credibility
Perhaps one of Miles Baron’s greatest contributions has been providing stability during a period when the industry rarely enjoyed any calm whatsoever.
He became a respected figure among operators, regulators and policymakers alike, helping ensure that bingo maintained a seat at the table during important discussions around gambling reform.
There have been considerable successes, including the reintroduction of National Bingo Week, now in its sixth year. The National Bingo Game has become a beloved staple of the UK bingo world. With jackpots raised to a staggering £250,000 earlier this year, its popularity and participation can only grow further.
A Landmark Win on Bingo Tax Reform
If there is one achievement likely to define the closing chapter of Miles Baron’s tenure, it is the successful campaign for reform of bingo taxation.
For many years, the Bingo Association has argued that bingo should not be treated in the same way as higher-risk gambling products. Baron consistently maintained that licensed bingo clubs deliver significant social value, support local high streets and communities, and present far lower levels of gambling-related harm than many other sectors of the industry.
Those arguments ultimately gained traction with the government. This, despite strong speculation that Rachel Reeves was about to kill the UK bingo industry.
Helping to secure the abolition of Bingo Duty ensures that Miles Baron’s tenure will be remembered not only for steady leadership, but also for delivering one of the most significant policy victories the modern retail bingo industry has achieved, laying a solid enough foundation upon which the next generation of leadership can build.
Thank you, Miles Baron. Over to you, Nicole Garrett.
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