Responding to today’s government announcement that a reduction in
maximum stakes on fixed odds betting terminals (FOBTs) will be
brought forward to April 2019, Cllr Simon Blackburn, Chair of the
Local Government Association’s Safer and Stronger Communities
Board, said:
“This announcement is great news, on something that has become an
issue of growing national concern. A reduction in maximum stakes
is something the LGA has long called for to help tackle the harm
these machines can cause, and the Government should introduce
this change sooner than it originally set out in the Budget.
“Maximum stakes on fixed odds betting terminals are significantly
out of line with other high street gambling machines.
“Bringing the stake down to £2 will help to reduce problem
gambling and its devastating impacts on individuals and
communities. It will help prevent vulnerable players from
losing £100 in seconds in a single play, which many people cannot
afford to lose.
“Research has shown that problem gambling, often linked to FOBTs,
creates huge costs for the NHS, councils and the criminal justice
system.
“It is right that government has listened to these concerns and
we urge it to set in stone this revised date for the new £2 limit
to rule out the chance of any new delay.”
