According to iGaming Future, MERKUR Casino UK has completed its acquisition of Victoria Gate Casino in Leeds, taking control of a city-centre venue in the Victoria Gate retail and leisure complex. The casino had previously been owned and operated by a subsidiary of VGC Developments Ltd.
The venue closed temporarily on 6 July to facilitate the transfer of ownership. It is now moving through the handover process under new control.
MERKUR said existing jobs will be retained as part of the transition. It also plans to introduce a customer loyalty programme and upgrade the venue in line with its brand standards.
The casino will continue to offer table games including blackjack, poker and roulette alongside slot machines. It also operates around the clock and screens live sport.
Victoria Gate Casino was described as a 50,000 sq ft super casino when it opened in 2017 at Eastgate in Leeds. The acquisition makes it MERKUR’s third casino venue in the UK, after Aberdeen Casino opened in 2023 and Casino MK in Milton Keynes was acquired in 2025.
Leeds City Council’s licensing committee approved the transfer arrangements on 30 June, clearing the way for the large casino premises licence to move from VGC Leeds Ltd to Merkur Casino Entertainment UK Ltd. A licensing report said the existing licence agreement would be updated as part of the handover.
The same report said the Social Inclusion Fund would stay in place for another two years, keeping external community benefits in place. It also noted that the Gambling Act 2005 left only a small number of authorities, including Leeds, able to grant new large casino licences.
The venue had faced regulatory pressure before the sale. The Gambling Commission suspended VGC Leeds Ltd’s licence on 31 October 2025 over anti-money-laundering concerns, and lifted it on 25 November after 26 days of closure.
Mark Schertle, MERKUR Casino UK’s chief operating officer, said the deal reflected the company’s confidence in land-based casinos in the UK and its ambition to grow the brand in key locations. Richard Noble, chief executive at Victoria Gate Casino, said he was pleased to be working with MERKUR on the transfer.
The casino is due to reopen under the MERKUR brand on 13 July.
