Don Foster MP announces government review of FOBTs

The Coalition’s all powerful quad – Mr Cameron, Mr Clegg, George Osborne and Danny Alexander – has agreed to reject a call from the Commons culture committee for there to be fewer restrictions on B2 gaming machines. (FOBTs)

Instead Don Foster MP has announced that there will be a review of the FOBTs by the Responsible in Gambling Trust (RGT) that will look into stakes, numbers of machines and prize levels.

There is still a concern though in gambling reform circles that unless the gambling industry trustees are made to step down from the Responsible in Gambling Trust (RGT) the review of FOBTs will not be impartial and unbiased. 


Full details can be read in the Daily Mail Tough new curbs high stake gambling machines bid protect problem punters.html

As you might expect William Hill has reacted to the government announcement with its usual story line: Government is gambling with peoples jobs.  

A few low paid minimum wage jobs and one off tax payments* to the treasury does not offset the damage caused by FOBTs to individuals, families, and communities up and down the country as well as to the economy. See also my previous post: Time for Anger: Gov't backs FOBT Human Misery over sustainable economic growth.     
*Gambling profits are typically transferred out of the local economy and offshore and therefore taxation is one off.

The indifference of the betting shop companies to the human cost of addiction caused by FOBTs is frankly vile. William Hill in response to Don Foster's announcement state: -

'Media stories that focus on isolated cases of problem gambling are sad, but again, not a basis for sound gambling policy.' 

The Grasp Group, a charity set-up to raise awareness of problem gambling & reform the industry has many members who have lost thousands of pounds, sometimes tens or hundreds of thousands of pounds to FOBT addiction. These are not isolated cases of problem gambling but a serious problem that will grow to epidemic proportions if not dealt with now. 

The betting shop corporates do not take any responsibility for the serious harm caused by installing electronic roulette every few yards down the high street along with numerous other casino games on their FOBT terminals. They are completely indifferent to lives ruined, or lives lost as a result of gambling addiction. 

Gambling addiction has become known as the 'secret addiction' as the problem gambler often hides their problem from friends and family for many years. Often the existence or extent of the problem only becomes known about when the gambler hits rock bottom.

William Hill's response demonstrates clearly that they are only interested in seeking to protect their financial position with tired arguments that increasingly the public and the press have grown wise to.

The government must act now to correct the errors of the Gambling Act 2005 that allowed roulette, and other casino games to take over our high streets every few yards.