The only way to fix this habit — a ban or a £2 limit
As someone who gambled for more than 60 years, I can assure you that if the Government accepts the Gambling Commission’s recommended limit of £30 to try to solve the problems of addiction to fixed-odds betting terminals in bookies, it will not make the slightest difference. The only solution is to withdraw these machines — described as the crack cocaine of gambling — from all betting shops or limit the stake to £2. I have played them in London casinos and local betting shops and, depending on how much money I had, I would gamble on most days of the week. I lost too much in the early years and subsequently, to avoid serious trouble whenever visiting gaming premises, I limited the amount of money I took with me and never took a credit card. However, even though one of the casinos I frequented had a limit that you could draw out only £300 in cash on a debit card, it also allowed you to purchase chips on the same card. so on many occasions, I ended up losing £600 in one night. one of the problems with a £30 limit on fixed-odds betting terminals is that a player can use three machines next to one another (something I have witnessed many times), thereby playing £90 a time. This would not be practical with a £2 limit.
KEN WEST, High Wycombe, Bucks. Funding hospitals from the profits from fixed-odds betting machines has been described as immoral (mail). But these machines are in licensed premises and only those aged 18 and over can play them. A far bigger problem is the national Lottery, whose tickets and scratch cards are sold in every corner shop and supermarket. Forget the ‘good causes’ — it’s a tax on the gullible, and it is even more immoral to fund projects from gambling with a high chance of losing. There is no limit to how much anyone can spend on the Lottery or scratch cards.
PETER HORNSBY, London N20.