Labour MP Ed Miliband Promises to Enact FOBT-Related Laws
UK Labour MP Ed Miliband is trying to gain public approval by ramping up his assault against the highly debated high-staked gambling machines frequently seen in betting shops across British high streets.
The Spread of FOBTs is Alarming
Miliband has announced his intention to introduce new regulations to curb the spread of the machines, known as fixed-odds betting terminals or FOBTs, which accounted for almost £1.6 billion ($2,634,876,977) of the gambling industry's £3 billion ($4,940,394,332) in-store earnings this year. He alleges that FOBTs target lower-income communities by offering large cash rewards, particularly appealing to those making the minimum wage.
"I'm seriously worried about the proliferation of these machines," stated Miliband while speaking to the British press about FOBTs, which have now reached a total of 33,000 in the UK. "They're becoming a plague in certain parts of the country."
"These machines are four times more likely to be in impoverished areas compared to wealthy ones," added Miliband, the Labour leader. "I've nothing against a betting shop or two on the high street, but you don't want them to be taken over by these terminals. There's proof that they're magnets for antisocial behavior. There's proof that people are hurting and becoming addicted to gambling through these machines."
Coming Up with New Rules
To help manage the FOBTs "epidemic," Miliband has shared plans for the next Labour government to alter planning and licensing regulations, granting local authorities the ability to better manage the number of betting shops within their area. It is also planned that local authorities will have the authority to determine the number of FOBTs in each location.
"We're going to give communities the power to disconnect fixed-odds machines," Miliband, a regular Grand National horse race bettor, explained. "Councils will be able to declare fixed-odds betting-free zones."
While the specifics of these powers are yet to be clarified, it's believed that local authorities would have the option of revoking licenses, rather than demolishing existing shops or restricting new stores. Furthermore, bookmakers would be expected to add longer breaks between games and include pop-up alerts to reduce the rate of spending on the terminals.
Last year, a staggering £46 billion ($75,752,713,093) was spent on gambling across the UK, with punters able to lose up to £100 ($165) every 20 seconds on the machines, nicknamed the "crack cocaine" of gambling.
However, it's worth noting that the number of FOBTs in Britain increased significantly under the previous Labour government when they relaxed gambling laws in 2005.
Miliband has not met recent demands to decrease the limit on FOBTs from £100 stakes to £2, merely announcing that the matter will continue to be considered.
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