High street bingo and adult gaming business Merkur has chosen Aberdeen as the location for its first casino in the UK after acquiring an existing operator in Aberdeen.

The purchase of Rainbow Casino on Summer Street is a major milestone for the group in terms of launching into the growing casino market and will safeguard about 40 jobs.

Mark Schertle, chief operating officer for Merkur Casino UK, said: “We’re really excited to be opening our first casino venue in the UK and what better place to choose than Aberdeen.

“The city has a vibrant night-time economy, provides the perfect location to launch this new arm of our business and will successfully complement our portfolio of over 225 high street bingo and adult gaming centres across the UK.

“It will also be a welcome addition to our existing Merkur Slots venue on Union Street, safeguard jobs and reinforce our continued investment in the local high street.”