CAMPAIGNERS ANGRY AT FIXED ODDS ‘CAVE-IN’
CAMPAIGNERS have hit out after the gambling watchdog refused to adopt a maximum stake of £2 on fixed-odds betting terminals.
Responding to a UK Government review, the Gambling Commission yesterday said the stake limit for FOBT non-slot games, including roulette, should be £30 or less.
They advised that a £2 limit should only be imposed on slot machines.
FOBTs currently allow a stake of up £100 every 20 seconds, meaning a player could lose £18,000 an hour.
Shadow Digital, Culture, Media and Sport Secretary Tom Watson said the report was “deeply disappointing” and added that the Gambling Commission “appear to have caved in to industry pressure”.
He said: “These machines are at the heart of the UK’s hidden epidemic of problem gambling. The Government must cut the stake to £2 on all FOBT machines, including the highly addictive roulettestyle games.”
SNP MSP Stuart McMillan said: “This is a missed opportunity for more effective reform. I’ll continue to call for a more responsible maximum stake of £2.”
Culture Secretary Matt Hancock now has to decide whether to implement the recommendations.
Gambling Commission chief executive Neil McArthur said: “We’ve put consumers at the heart of our advice – advice which is based on the best available evidence and is focused on reducing the risk of gambling-related harm.”