Addicts lose £5k on ‘crack cocaine’ betting machines in a single session

Gamblers lose £5m a day on ‘crack cocaine’ bet machines

THE shocking financial losses suffered by gamblers using so- called ‘crack cocaine’ betting machines have been laid bare for the first time.

Punters are losing thousands of pounds in just a few hours playing on fixed- odds betting terminals (FOBTs).

On more than 650 occasions gamblers have blown more than £5,000 – about a fifth of the average wage.

And players lost £1,000 on 233,071 occasions on the highly-addictive machines.

The machines, which allow users to wager up to £100 every 20 seconds on casino games such as roulette and bingo, accounted for 96 per cent of all losses in excess of £1,000 in the betting shop and arcades industry.

Campaigners say the terminals are fuelling addiction, debt, family breakdown and antisocial behaviour on Britain’s high streets.

The figures were revealed after the Gambling Commission confirmed an astonishing £1.8billion was lost on them in the year to September.

Ministers had been carrying out a review of the terminals amid mounting alarm at the social harm they cause but it has been shelved until after the general election.

The Mail has led the way in highlighting the harm caused by the machines – repeatedly demanding action to protect the vulnerable.

The latest statistics were uncovered following an analy- sis of Gambling Commission data from 2015-16 by Bacta, the amusement and arcade gaming industry association.

The total amount lost on FOBTs has soared by 73 per cent since 2009, despite the number of machines rising by only 9 per cent over the same period to 34,388.

It indicates punters are increasing the amount they bet. Critics want the review, led by the Department for Culture, Media and Sport, to reduce the stakes to as little as £2 a spin.

Jason Frost, president of Bacta, which is supporting the proposal, said: ‘Fixed- odds betting terminals are a hardcore form of gambling, entirely unsuitable for everyday highstreet venues.

‘They allow consumers and at-risk gamblers to rack up huge losses. The vast majority of everyday punters who are making major losses are doing so at these addictive betting shop machines at higher stakes.

‘They endanger consumers, foster a culture of violence and aggression, and undermine the whole amusement industry’s work to create a socially responsible environment for gaming that puts player pro- tection first.’ Jim Shannon, who was a member of the allparty parliamentary group on FOBTs, said: ‘ These figures are obscene.

‘They underline the need for the Government to urgently ensure action is taken to reduce the maximum amount people can stake.’

But the Association of British Bookmakers said: ‘Bacta’s hypocrisy is remarkable.

‘ They have urged the Government to introduce contactless payments and increase stakes on the 310,000 slot machines in arcades, pubs and service stations.

‘They should get their own house in order and, like betting shops, enable customers to set limits, ban cash machines on site and employ staff to stop people getting into difficulty.’