Rank upbeat as gamblers start to return

LONDON, England -- Tax changes may not impact as severely on Rank Group as previously feared, according to a report in The Financial Times.

The last three months of 2009 saw customers return to Rank casinos and growth for their online gaming sites, the Financial Times said.

The British government increase in bingo tax to 22 percent will leave Rank with £5m of unbudgeted taxation costs, rather than original estimate of £9 million, The Financial Times report stated.