Early action on betting reform

A CRACKDOWN on betting machines will start six months earlier than expected.

Earlier this year, ministers announced the maximum stake on highly-addictive fixed odds betting terminals would be slashed from £100 to £2. But in a blow to campaigners, the cut was not expected to come into force until April 2020.

But yesterday Mr Hammond said it would start from next October. At the same time, taxes on online casino games will rise from 15 per cent to 21 per cent. That is expected to raise £250million a year, or an estimated £1.25bn by 2023/24.