Rank sees high-rollers beat the house

Grosvenor Casinos' owner Rank has warned annual results will dip below last year due to freezing weather and the roll of the dice.

A day after its purchase of Gala Coral casinos made it the UK's largest casino operator, Rank said the success of "high-roller" customers in London contributed to a 5 per cent fall in like-for-like revenues in the last 18 weeks.

Its Mecca Bingo division, operating nearly 100 bingo halls across the UK, saw customer visits fall 7 per cent.