MACHINES WRECK LIVES

57, of Huyton, Merseyside, slammed the machines for creating a “terrible addiction” and added: “The only real way forward is to get rid of them completely. I know this w will not happe happen, so if they h have to stay the limit needs to be set at £2. These machines attract people because of the speed that you can win (or lose) money. They give an instant buzz – much like the buzz a drug addict gets.

“There always seem to be more of these in poorer areas – a seemingly quick and simple way to entice people OVER two decades I blew £1million on these machines and lost my family and my home. Much of the £5million a day profit from FOBTs is extracted from people with addiction and those with the least disposable income. The FOBTs are literally destroying people – those who are struggling on low wages, those who lose their wages week in, week out, and go home to families with no money from which to pay the rent, bills or even to buy food. Children go hungry and live in poverty.

The Gambling Commission has recommended a stake reduction to £30 or less. That is nowhere near low enough as people will continue to lose their salaries in less than an hour on payday.

Too much is at stake. This is a once in decade review for FOBTs and the Government must act now to stop the harm caused by High Street gambling.

And that means reducing stakes to a maximum £2.