Mail’s victory in battle over bet machines
Ministers bring forward £2 stake limit
Theresa May performed a major U- turn on addictive gambling machines yesterday to head off an inevitable Commons defeat.
she gave in to growing calls to bring forward a cut in the maximum stake for fixed-odds betting terminals from £100 to just £2.
The curbs – which follow this newspaper’s passionate campaign against the ‘crack cocaine’ betting machines – will now be introduced from april, rather than October 2019, as laid out by the Chancellor in his Budget last month.
and there will be extra financial help to mitigate job losses at bookmakers expected to be caused by the changes to FOBT rules.
The U-turn came two weeks after the resignation of sports minister Tracey Crouch, who warned the delay could lead to further deaths from problem gambling. almost 80 MPs had signed amendments to the Finance Bill, meaning the Government was almost certain to be defeated on the issue in a crunch vote next week.
The two amendments were signed by 23 Tory backbenchers including seven former Cabinet ministers led by Boris Johnson and Iain Duncan smith. The policy change was sneaked out on the day that Westminster was in a frenzy over the attempted completion of the Brexit agreement.
Last night Miss Crouch said in a statement: ‘I am pleased that common sense has prevailed.
‘I am sorry that my views as the minister in charge of the policy were not heard, but I am delighted that the collective voice of parliamentarians, faith leaders, victims of gambling addiction and their families, press and media commentators and many members of the public have been.
‘This is right and sensible on FOBTs and will, without doubt, reduce harm from these machines on our high streets.’
Mrs May was asked at Prime Minister’s Questions about the change by Mr Duncan smith.
she replied: ‘I know he has campaigned on this issue with a passion because, as he said, this question of the maximum stakes for FOBTs is one which does have an impact on vulnerable people as well as their families and loved ones. I recognise the strength of feeling on this issue.
‘I know gambling addiction can devastate lives. Our priority is making sure this change delivers the result we all want to see, we are listening to the concerns being raised by colleagues.
‘If my right honourable friend will have a little patience I can tell him my right honourable friend the Culture secretary will set out further details later today.’
In a written statement, Culture secretary Jeremy Wright said: ‘The Government has listened and will now implement the reduction in april 2019.’
James Mildred, of the Care charity, said: ‘The devastation that these machines have wrought is well- documented and any delay would have put more people at unnecessary risk. FOBTs are predominantly found clustered in economically-deprived areas and it has been a huge concern that their presence there deliberately targets vulnerable people. This reduction in stake will significantly decrease the harm these machines cause as it will no longer be combined with toxic high speed play.’
Labour culture spokesman Tom Watson said: ‘It’s very sad that it took an honourable resignation of a good minister and a cross-party revolt to achieve the blindingly obvious and necessary reforms to FOBTs.
‘While this is a personal humiliation for Jeremy Wright, this is a very good day for the many thousands of people whose families and communities are blighted by gambling addiction. Labour is proud to be part of a cross-party campaign to reform our gambling laws and we will continue to campaign for further improvements to regulation in the sector.’
Dr alan smith, the Bishop of st albans, said: ‘It is good to see common sense and strong moral purpose trumping the financial interests of the gambling industry.
‘These machines have caused untold misery to thousands of people and have been linked with people taking their own lives due to gambling addiction.
‘Philip hammond [the Chancellor} has done the right thing and I look forward to working with him on all the other gambling issues that need to be dealt with in the future.’