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Call for high street betting machine ban | Call for high street betting machine ban |
(about 4 hours later) | |
Holyrood should be given the power to ban fixed odds betting terminals from high street bookmaker shops, a committee of MSPs has concluded. | Holyrood should be given the power to ban fixed odds betting terminals from high street bookmaker shops, a committee of MSPs has concluded. |
The MSPs have been looking into the use of the machines, which allow players to bet on the outcome of games and events with fixed odds returns. | The MSPs have been looking into the use of the machines, which allow players to bet on the outcome of games and events with fixed odds returns. |
The games can include roulette, bingo, simulated horse and greyhound racing and a range of slot machine games. | The games can include roulette, bingo, simulated horse and greyhound racing and a range of slot machine games. |
The committee heard evidence that the machines were highly addictive. | The committee heard evidence that the machines were highly addictive. |
And it was told that players could sometimes lose hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds while playing the fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs). | And it was told that players could sometimes lose hundreds, or even thousands, of pounds while playing the fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs). |
The Scotland Bill which is currently going through Westminster would give the Scottish Parliament the ability to limit the number of machines allowed in new bookmaker shops. | The Scotland Bill which is currently going through Westminster would give the Scottish Parliament the ability to limit the number of machines allowed in new bookmaker shops. |
But Holyrood's local government and regeneration committee concluded that this did not go far enough given the high number of terminals already available. | But Holyrood's local government and regeneration committee concluded that this did not go far enough given the high number of terminals already available. |
Committee convenor Kevin Stewart, an SNP MSP, said he believed the maximum stake of £100 per game and the ability to play three games per minute meant FOBTs were a form of "hard gambling" and should therefore be banned from the high street. | Committee convenor Kevin Stewart, an SNP MSP, said he believed the maximum stake of £100 per game and the ability to play three games per minute meant FOBTs were a form of "hard gambling" and should therefore be banned from the high street. |
Case study: David, recovering gambling addict | |
These machines are highly addictive, especially for someone like myself who was a problem gambler. | These machines are highly addictive, especially for someone like myself who was a problem gambler. |
You put the money in, there is a 15-second spin and your money is gone and you just keep chasing and chasing and chasing. | You put the money in, there is a 15-second spin and your money is gone and you just keep chasing and chasing and chasing. |
Within the space of an hour you can do thousands of pounds. | Within the space of an hour you can do thousands of pounds. |
Before these machines came into the bookmakers I was always a heavy compulsive gambler - I gambled on absolutely anything. | Before these machines came into the bookmakers I was always a heavy compulsive gambler - I gambled on absolutely anything. |
When they came in I thought I would give it a try. I maybe won the first couple of times, then after that I would see myself going into the bookmakers every single day maybe to back a horse or a football coupon but these machines were just so, so attractive and before I knew it I had blown all of my money. | When they came in I thought I would give it a try. I maybe won the first couple of times, then after that I would see myself going into the bookmakers every single day maybe to back a horse or a football coupon but these machines were just so, so attractive and before I knew it I had blown all of my money. |
I was never in trouble or anything and I was married previously. I lost the marriage, ended up losing my flat and then got involved in drugs to quite a high extent. | I was never in trouble or anything and I was married previously. I lost the marriage, ended up losing my flat and then got involved in drugs to quite a high extent. |
Basically, I was making quite a lot of money off that and I was just gambling daily. I was sitting in the bookmakers from eight o'clock in the morning until eight o'clock at night every day. | Basically, I was making quite a lot of money off that and I was just gambling daily. I was sitting in the bookmakers from eight o'clock in the morning until eight o'clock at night every day. |
I had never been in any trouble at all with the law but the gambling had me that much that I would do absolutely anything for a bet, and I ended up in prison. | I had never been in any trouble at all with the law but the gambling had me that much that I would do absolutely anything for a bet, and I ended up in prison. |
Mr Stewart said: "The casino industry told us these machines are a form of hard gambling and unsuitable for the unsupervised environment of a bookmaker's shop. | Mr Stewart said: "The casino industry told us these machines are a form of hard gambling and unsuitable for the unsupervised environment of a bookmaker's shop. |
"We were given evidence about the clustering of bookmakers in some communities - for example, one parade of shops in Glasgow with three bookmakers each offering four FOBT machines - and local authorities have told us they feel powerless to do anything to restrict the number of bookmakers." | "We were given evidence about the clustering of bookmakers in some communities - for example, one parade of shops in Glasgow with three bookmakers each offering four FOBT machines - and local authorities have told us they feel powerless to do anything to restrict the number of bookmakers." |
He said planning rules should be changed to give local authorities more control and the ability to address the clustering of machines. | He said planning rules should be changed to give local authorities more control and the ability to address the clustering of machines. |
And he said the Scotland Bill would not give the Scottish Parliament any "real and effective powers" to tackle FOBTs. | And he said the Scotland Bill would not give the Scottish Parliament any "real and effective powers" to tackle FOBTs. |
'No greater risk' | 'No greater risk' |
In its submission to the committee, the Association of British Bookmakers argued that gaming machines "pose no greater risk than any other gambling product". | In its submission to the committee, the Association of British Bookmakers argued that gaming machines "pose no greater risk than any other gambling product". |
It said: "Since the introduction of gaming machines into shops over 10 years ago levels of problem gambling have remained relatively stable and declined year on year." | It said: "Since the introduction of gaming machines into shops over 10 years ago levels of problem gambling have remained relatively stable and declined year on year." |
It also argued that reducing the number of fixed odds betting terminals would "disproportionately impact the viability of the (bookmaker) sector which has a strong history in Scotland and risks customer displacement to non-regulated environments". | It also argued that reducing the number of fixed odds betting terminals would "disproportionately impact the viability of the (bookmaker) sector which has a strong history in Scotland and risks customer displacement to non-regulated environments". |
On Sunday, the BBC reported that a bid to cut the maximum bet on some high street gambling machines in England had been resubmitted. | On Sunday, the BBC reported that a bid to cut the maximum bet on some high street gambling machines in England had been resubmitted. |
Newham Council said the machines had "sucked the life blood out of local communities" and urged ministers to reduce the highest stake from £100 to £2. | Newham Council said the machines had "sucked the life blood out of local communities" and urged ministers to reduce the highest stake from £100 to £2. |