Odds evening up

It is an excellent move for the UK Government to minimise the betting on fixed odds terminals to £ 2 from £ 100.

But it should have been done sooner as the governmen th as known about this for more than five years and are only acting now. There is no timetable at present as to when these changes come into effect. Compulsive gambling is a psychological illness that has blighted the lives of many addicts and their families and been a contributor y factor in marriage breakdowns, financial ruin and suicide.

As a compulsive gambler, I know that these machines are highly addictive and betting shops use this to their full advantage.

The betting shops are trying to stop this change by predicting job losses but they have a social responsibility and the damaged one to communities throughout the country by fixed odds terminals is simply incalculable. GORDON KENNEDY Simpson Square, Perth