Gambling concerns

Shotts MSP Alex Neil has called on the UK Government to introduce a strict £ 2 limit on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs), following the Gambling Commission’s recommendation that that maximum stake should be cut to £30 or less.

The UK’s gambling regulator advice has been published to support the UK Government in its review of gaming machines.

The current £100 maximum stake allows gamblers on the highly-addictive machines to lose up to £18,000 an hour.

The MSP has previously backed the Campaign for Fairer Gambling call for a maximum stake of £2.

Statistics published last year by the group revealed that over £1 billion has been lost on the machines, since 2008 across Scotland with £ 13 million lost in North Lanarkshire in 2015/16 alone.

Mr Neil said: “Anyone who has known a gambling addict will know the damage they do to themselves and their families. It can be even worse than alcohol addiction as it is so easy to gamble away money very quickly.

“These machines are detrimental to fighting gambling addiction and should be much more tightly regulated or outlawed altogether.

“Limiting the maximum unit to £ 30 or less is a welcome move, but I am concerned that the Gambling Commission’s recommendations do not go far enough.

“At the very least we need to see a strict £2 maximum stake introduced, opposed to just £30.”