SBC News Voice of the Sports Betting Industry
Martin Burlin, EAG Chairman of 15 years, has confirmed that he will step down from the role in January next year.
This was announced by the UK’s amusement and high-street trade body Bacta, which is also the organiser of annual Entertainment, Attractions and Gaming Expo (EAG) events.
He will deliver his last 2025 EAG Expo as a Chairman between 14 -16 January, after which he is expected to officially retire his lanyard.
Burlin is a former President of Bacta, with this tenure spanning across two years in the 80s – a stint representing just one of his key roles serving the industry for more than four decades.
On his journey so far, he commented: “I have had the privilege of attending ATEI as a young man, subsequently serving as Chairman of ATE Ltd, launching EAG in 2010 and alongside a talented organising team and colleagues on the Board of Directors helping to establish a professional and respected showcase for the UK and broader European industry.
“I am particularly pleased to have helped grow EAG which in 2025 will include two co-located complementary shows in the form of the Social Immersive Entertainment Expo and the London Casino and Gaming Show. Both events will sit alongside EAG as a natural expansion, offering new revenue streams for both operators and manufacturers.”
Burlin will be succeeded by another former Bacta President, Nick Harding, who also boasts an impressive background in the industry.
“This is an appropriate time for me to hand over the reins and I am delighted that Nick Harding who has served the industry both as a respected senior executive and as Bacta President will be taking charge of what is a growing and dynamic event. I have no doubt that he will take EAG Expo to the next level,” Burlin added.
Extending gratitude to the retiring EAG Chairman, Bacta President John Bollom, reflected on the successful milestones that EAG has managed to achieve under his guise.
“On behalf of everyone associated with Bacta and the broader industry I would like to say a huge thanks to Martin for his expert stewardship of the EAG Expo. Not only did Martin launch the show but he also navigated the perfect storm arising from COVID-19 when the industry was among the first to be locked-down and the last to reopen.
“He subsequently oversaw the decision to bring organisation of the show in-house and the strategic additions of the Social Immersive Entertainment Expo and the London Casino and Gaming Show to the EAG experience.
“I have often said that EAG is the jewel in Bacta’s Crown and there is no doubt that Bacta has benefited enormously from Martin’s period as Chairman of the London show,” Bollom concluded.
