Rank Group sought to draw a line under a torrid 12 months with a return to growth in its bingo and casino businesses in recent weeks and pinning its hopes on positive outcomes in regulatory changes and VAT rulings.

The six weeks to October 12 saw revenues in Grosvenor Casino climb 14 per cent and those in Mecca Bingo rise 2 per cent compared with the equivalent period last year.

That 2007 period saw Rank knocked sideways by the implementation of the smoking ban and the Gambling Act which removed lucrative gaming machines.

Like-for-like revenues were up 5 per cent. But the underlying trend continued to show decline, with group revenues down 8 per cent in the year to October 21 compared with the prior year. The last six weeks showed increased spending per head, offsetting declines in attendances.

Revenues at Blue Square, Rank’s online gaming business, grew a disappointing 1 per cent in the year so far.

Ian Burke, chief executive, said while customers were cutting back on visits and spending, bingo and casino were small-ticket items less vulnerable to economic downturn than other spending.

“There are lots of things they can postpone before they start postponing their trips to bingos and casinos,” he said.

Gambling companies await the government’s review of machine regulations, which could see the number of £500-prize machines allowable in bingo clubs double from four to eight.

Outstanding VAT claims could be worth £83m to Rank while a tribunal ruling in May could net the company a further £6m a year if a HM Revenues & Customs appeal in March is lost.

But Mr Burke said the best the betting sector as a whole could hope for in 2009 was for revenues to hold steady.

The shares rose 4p to close at 60¼p.