‘Crack cocaine’ of gambling blasted
Concerns grow as £75m is spent on machines
More than £75million was gambled on betting machines in Motherwell and Wishaw last year.
Punters in the area lost £3.75million last year after more than £14million was put into the fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs). Now MSP Clare Adamson is demanding action over the ‘crack cocaine of gambling’ with many gamblers addicted to the machines, which raked in £78.2million.
With 88 terminals across 20 stores in Motherwell and Wishaw, the machines offer a range of games from slots to blackjack.
Across the whole of North Lanarkshire since 2008, people using the terminals have lost out on almost £90million and the SNP MSP believes it’s time to tackle the issue.
In Motherwell and Wi s haw alone, t hat figure in eight years is £ 25.3million and Clare Adamson MSP said: “These are incredibly concerning figures – and show that the Tory government cannot continue to ignore this issue that is having such a negative impact on our communities.
“People across North Lanarkshire have lost out to the tune of almost £ 90million since 2008 – and £ 13.2 million in 2015/ 16 alone. This is a huge problem – and the UK government need to get serious about tackling it.
“FOBTs are so addictive they’re known as the ‘crack cocaine of gambling’ – and it is no wonder given how much people have lost out from using these toxic machines.
“The UK government must take action to stop people losing out even more – by reducing the number of machines allowed in bookmakers, limiting the stakes that can be bet, reducing the amount of time that can be spent on the machines, and taking action to ban the machines altogether if people continue to lose out.”
UK government must take action to stop people losing out even more Clare Adamson