Craig Swan
proposed measures that will be announced in the months ahead.
Apparently, it’s a bad influence on children. Name weans – always a safe way to court favour.
No one is trying to play down the fact the UK has issues. It should not be taken lightly.
But using children and tying it into football is twisted.
If it is about the children why is it that fast-foot outlets are allowed to spring up on every street corner when obesity levels among our kids in the UK are at a record high?
Why don’t they agree pricing policies which means a salad box or a punnet of strawberries doesn’t cost £2 while you can buy a cheeseburger for 99p?
Here’s a thing. Betting shops don’t let kids in the door. You have to be over 18 to get entry but you can send your fiveyear-old into McDonald’s for a Big Mac, chips and a giant coke without anyone saying a word.
It’s not about children. It’s hypocritical, political pap.
There were 1780 road deaths for the year ending March 2016.
Another 24,610 killed or seriously injured and 187,050 casualties of all severities.
On that basis we should ban car advertising and have no children travelling in vehicles under the age of 18.
It’s about classes. Politicians and chief executives.
The working-class pursuits of smoking and betting can go.
With about £1.8billion wagered on FOBTs every year contributing more than £400m to the Exchequer nothing has happened. But the 888 debacle has moved the goalposts and is starting to spark some backpedalling. Public pressure is starting to build.
A review, which had been postponed, will take place next month. Scottish football will be watching very closely. Our three major competitions are sponsored by bookmakers. Ladbrokes look after the entire league, William Hill the Scottish Cup and Betfred the League Cup. Big clubs are backed. Celtic by Dafabet, Rangers by 32Red, Hibs by Marathonbet. Remember snooker? The game was destroyed when tobacco advertising was banned. At the time Steve Davis said: “There’s a level of hypocrisy about the whole thing. If a legal product’s not allowed to advertise then why is it legal?” That’s the warning. Tax on fags also brought in millions but the changes and bans came anyway. And a potentially huge problem for Scottish football may be just around the corner sat next to the betting shop.