2018
Shareholder & Consultant
Metropolis Gaming · UK market entry
Held equity in a Romanian TV bingo and casino operator's UK entry and led the regulatory workstream, securing a UK Gambling Commission bingo operating licence.
Regulated gaming · UK & international
Jonathan Truelove
Gaming founder, shareholder & operator
For more than 30 years I have built, owned and run regulated gaming businesses across land-based casino, online and Adult Gaming Centres, taking them from licence and build through to launch, sale and exit. Alongside that I invest in and develop residential property in Yorkshire.
UK Gambling Commission Personal Licence holder30+ yearsin regulated gaming, UK and international
£12mof UK casino builds taken through to launch
7 sitesAGC group built, sold to Ritzio and part bought back
4UK gaming businesses held as a shareholder
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Track record
Most of my career has been spent on the owner's side of the table: founding, building and running gaming businesses, then selling, buying back and exiting them.
2016 – 2024
Owner
Adult Gaming Centre business · Harrogate
Bought part of the former Magenta estate back from Ritzio International and ran it as an independent AGC business for eight years, with full responsibility for licensing, compliance and commercial performance. Planned exit in 2024.
2010 – 2016
Chief Operating Officer
Magenta Gaming · acquired by Ritzio International
- Built and ran a seven-site UK Adult Gaming Centre group.
- Took the business through its sale to Ritzio International and was retained as COO.
- Negotiated the buy-back of part of the estate, forming my own AGC business.
2005 – 2009
Co-Founder, Owner & COO
Casino Red & casinored.com · Huddersfield
- One of three owners of a licensed UK casino with its own online casino, sportsbook, poker and mobile brand.
- Managed the £5m build and fit-out, then ran a 120-strong team with full P&L responsibility.
- Negotiated the Gibraltar-licensed white-label platform deal, ran online operations and drove player acquisition through sports team sponsorship.
Early 2000s
Director & Shareholder
Opera House Casino · Scarborough
Took a £7m licensed UK casino from development through design, construction and fit-out to opening, then led its operational set-up and staffing.
Earlier career
c.2005
UK Market Entry
Storm International / SuperSlots
Fronted the group's proposed entry into the UK street gaming and AGC market.
Late 1990s – 2000s
Casino Executive
Storm International · Tunisia & Russia
Senior operational roles in a major Eastern European casino group.
Late 1990s
Head of Electronic Gaming
Playboy Casinos · Rhodes
Electronic gaming operations and commercial performance.
1990s
Slots Manager
Royal Caribbean & Celebrity Cruises
Onboard slot operations across international vessels.
Early 1990s
Trainee to Site Manager
Rank Group · UK
Joined at 20; one of the youngest AGC site managers in the estate.
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Selected projects
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What I bring
Licensing & regulation
UK Gambling Commission licensing, compliance frameworks and regulator relationships, including market entry for overseas operators.
Build to launch
Venue design, construction and fit-out through to opening, on casino builds of £5m and £7m.
Online & land-based
White-label platform deals, online operations and player acquisition, run alongside land-based casino and AGC estates.
Deals & exits
Co-founding, shareholder structures, trade sale, buy-back and exit, on both sides of the table.
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Property
Property began as a parallel investment and has grown into a residential investment and development business across the Yorkshire coast and York.
Through Truelove Properties, Truelove Developments and Centurion Lettings I handle acquisition, conversion, construction, refinancing and management, the same skills in delivery and regulation that run through my gaming career.
- Portfolio
- c.25 residential units
- Locations
- Filey, Scarborough, Bridlington, York
- Focus
- Conversions, development, lettings
- Established
- 2018
Get in touch
Based on the Yorkshire coast and available across the UK and internationally.