FEARS UK GOVERNMENT MAY DITCH REVIEW
same as a weekly football coupon or a lottery ticket – people can lose hundreds of pounds in a matter of minutes – and they are invariably more prevalent in the poorest areas.
“This must not be another issue where the rhetoric of the SNP’s record in government fails to match their rhetoric in an election campaign.”
In the SNP’s general election manifesto this year, they said FOBTs were causing “harm and hardship in communities across Scotland” and called for full powers over them.
A Scottish Government spokeswoman said: “Gambling powers remain largely reserved to the UK Government.
“We are awaiting the outcome of the UK Government review before we consider how we could consult on best using the limited powers on fixed odds betting terminals that have been devolved to Scotland.”
SNP MSP Stuart McMillan said: “The SNP supported this review when it was announced last year – and reports that it is being abandoned because the FOBTs make money for the Treasury are deeply concerning.g Anyy moneyy these terminals
Sunday Mail
earn in no way outweighs the damage they cause in our communities and to families – there’s a reason they are labelled the ‘crack cocaine of gambling’. “Last year, Scottish councils got the power to limit the clustering of betting shops in our communities – and it is imperative the UK Government take similar action. “The rev iew was a welcome development – but the reported decision to scrap the review in a cost- cutting drive is deeply disappointing.” In April, the Sunday Mail revealed how a Scotland international footballer had taken the extraordinary step of banning himself from a chain of bookies because of an addiction to FOBTs. The £ 8million- rated star was understoodun to have lost thousands of poundspo on the machines. AAnd, in May, we highlighted research sugsuggesting Scottish punters lose more thathan £150million a year on them. ThThe study Landman Economics also sugsuggested spending on the machines has cost the Scots economy more than 18,018,000 jobs over the past eight years. In 2015, we revealed how Lee Murphy, 37, ttook his life after losing £ 900 in just 20 minutes on roulette at an AberAberdeen casino.