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Labour to force vote on curbing bookies' fixed-odds machines Fixed-odds betting machines 'concerning', say ministers
(about 5 hours later)
Labour will force a vote in Parliament later on its plans to give councils the power to ban high-stakes roulette machines from bookmakers' shops. Ministers have said the growth of high-stakes roulette machines on the High Street is "concerning" and they do not rule out action to restrict them.
Leader Ed Miliband has said so-called fixed-odds betting terminals - where punters can bet up to £300 a minute - are "spreading like an epidemic". Culture Minister Helen Grant told MPs their future was "unresolved" and bookmakers must take immediate action to increase protection for players.
He has vowed to amend planning laws in England, Scotland and Wales to curb their growth if Labour regains power. People can wager £100 every 20 seconds on fixed-odds betting terminals.
But ministers said the last government had allowed their proliferation. Labour said they were "an example of David Cameron's Britain" and councils should have new powers to curb them.
They dismissed Mr Miliband's demand for a vote as "opportunistic". There are more than 33,000 fixed-odds betting terminals in the UK.
Labour will use an opposition day debate in the Commons to press the coalition government for action over the issue. Labour are using an opposition debate in the Commons to call for local authorities to be given new powers to restrict their growth or ban them outright.
There are more than 33,000 fixed-odds betting terminals making £1.5bn each year for the big bookmakers - about half their annual profits.
'Debt and misery''Debt and misery'
Labour has said some players are addicted to them and they are causing "debt and misery", as well as acting as a magnet for crime and anti-social behaviour. The last Labour government relaxed the gambling laws, allowing bookmakers to start installing them.
The last Labour government relaxed the gambling laws, allowing bookmakers to start installing fixed-odds betting terminals. But the party has accused the gambling industry of exploiting those changes to target poorer parts of the country,
But the party has accused the gambling industry of exploiting those changes to target poorer parts of the country. It says fixed-odds betting terminals are acting as a magnet for crime and anti-social behaviour and local authorities should be given new powers to deal with "clusters" of shops opening together.
Last month Mr Miliband said the current limit of four per betting shop had simply led to "clusters" of shops opening together, with councils powerless to act. They would also review the number of high-speed, high-stakes fixed-odds betting terminals allowed on bookmakers' premises and would take steps to make the machines less addictive by requiring pop-ups and breaks in play.
He said a future Labour government would legislate to put betting shops in a separate use class, so that councils could use planning powers to control the number opening in their area. Shadow culture minister Clive Efford said the last government had always maintained the machines should be kept under review.
At the moment they are in the same class as banks. The "world had changed" since they were first licensed, he said, with the online gambling industry now worth more than £2bn.
'Mini-casinos' "These machines are an example of Cameron's Britain - one rule for constituents and another for big business which operate the betting shops," he said.
Labour said it would also review the number of high-speed, high-stakes fixed-odds betting terminals allowed on bookmakers' premises - including allowing councils to ban them altogether. Another Labour MP, Brian Donohue, said fixed-odds betting terminals had been "likened to cocaine" as they were "absolutely and totally addictive".
And it would take steps to make the machines less addictive by requiring pop-ups and breaks in play. Ministers insist that local authorities can already reject applications for new gambling premises and review existing licences.
Labour MP Clive Efford accused the government of "posturing" over the issue rather than taking action. But Ms Grant acknowledged the growth of the machines was "concerning" and she expected the industry to introduce voluntary player protection measures, such as suspensions in play and automatic alerts when stakes hit a certain level, by March.
"Across the country, traditional bookies are being turned into mini-casinos," he said. She said the government was waiting for the findings of a study into "how [the machines] are used and the real impact on players" before deciding what further action may be needed.
"If the Tories and Lib Dems refuse to back Labour's proposals they'll have to answer why they are standing up for the large betting companies rather than communities across the country." "There is no green light for these machines. Their future is unresolved pending the research we have started," she told MPs.
Labour, she added, had liberalised gambling laws and accused them of "rank hypocrisy, total cynicism and outright opportunism".
"Labour bought these machines into being and they have the audacity to bring forward a motion blaming the government for any harm caused," she said.
'Working class pursuit'
The gambling industry insists it does not target deprived areas and has introduced a code of conduct for player protection and responsible gaming.
"Betting is a pursuit enjoyed by millions of working class people throughout Britain and we seek to reach the widest audience possible by being present on High Streets," the Association of British Bookmakers said.
"We accept there are concerns about these gaming machines and are always open to a constructive dialogue with politicians about the appropriate powers for local authorities."
It added: "The claims of widespread problem gambling on machines is just not supported by evidence. The industry continues to develop its approach to harm mitigation for the small number of gamblers who do experience problems."
MPs have previously rejected calls from Labour to reduce the maximum stake from £100 to £2 and to cut the top prize from the current £500.MPs have previously rejected calls from Labour to reduce the maximum stake from £100 to £2 and to cut the top prize from the current £500.
'Evidence'
The government has not ruled out taking action to cut the stakes and prizes on fixed-odds betting terminal machines.
But they say it is appropriate to wait for the outcome of a study into what harm is being caused to individual players, due later this year.
Culture minister Helen Grant said "This is yet more opportunistic nonsense from Labour."
She added: "Any concerns about fixed-odds betting machines should be laid firmly at Labour's door. In 2000, these machines did not exist - by the time of the last general election there were over 30,000."
Councils already had powers to tackle the proliferation of betting shops and deal with individual premises causing problems, she added.
"This government is undertaking the biggest ever study into the effect of these machines and have made clear that we will not hesitate to take action if the evidence points in that direction."
The gambling industry says there is no hard evidence of claims of addiction and has promised a new code of conduct to allow players to limit their own stakes.