Proposals for regulating gambling machines in the UK
To combat gambling addiction, the UK Gambling Commission has offered the Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) a set of strict standardization suggestions for slot machine gaming at FOBTs.
The primary emphasis is on regulating the maximum bets on fixed-odds betting terminals (FOBTs). The British gambling sector has been uneasy about potential constraints in recent months. Since Matt Hancock, Culture Secretary since January 2018, declared his commitment to crack down on FOBTs, industry representatives worried that income would plummet. A £2-per-spin limit was presumed, as is the case with standard slot machines. Nevertheless, the regulatory proposals proposed by the UK Gambling Commission should mainly ease, if not thrill, the industry's representatives: A maximum stake limit of £30 is suggested for FOBTs.
However, Neil McArthur, Commission Head, feels there's a need for further action to safeguard customers from gambling addiction: "Limiting stakes on FOBTs alone isn't enough, which is why we also advocate for the implementation of a more comprehensive set of measures. Protecting consumers is always our priority."
This means that machines allowing simultaneous betting on several games should be generally outlawed. The gaming habits of individual customers should also be made more open. Additional restrictions are being explored in this regard, such as time and stake-based limits. The intended protective measures should especially help the lower income classes. After all, it's often those who can't afford to gamble in the first place who are targeted by the gambling industry's marketing. The distribution of betting shops and gaming arcades is significantly higher in areas considered social trouble spots.
The FOBT Issue
In the British gambling community, FOBTs are now considered the "crack cocaine" of slot machines. These digital betting terminals are regularly located in betting shops, like those of William Hill or Ladbrokes Coral. Each betting shop can house a maximum of four FOBTs. They're deemed highly hazardous for avid gamblers and addicts because the risk of winning and losing is much greater than with conventional machines. FOBTs hit the market in 2001, unregulated. A billion-dollar market has emerged, and there are now tens of thousands of FOBTs - and each one brings in about £55,000 a year for the industry.
To ensure clear regulation, British gambling law differentiates between traditional casino games and slot machines. Due to the rapid pace of play on standard slot machines, the maximum stake here has already been limited to £2 per spin.
Yet, in addition to typical slot games, FOBTs include classic casino games like virtual blackjack and primarily roulette. The operators are operating in a legal loophole here. Roulette is played with a maximum possible bet of £100 - every 20 seconds. The maximum winnings are £500. Nevertheless, there's also the risk of losing £100 in 20 seconds, particularly in roulette. Thus, what can happen on an FOBT in a few minutes or even hours doesn't require further explanation. FOBTs thus represent an anomaly in British gambling, naturally causing a commotion. However, it's questionable whether a reduction to £30 per game, which still only lasts 20 seconds, will solve the problem.
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Source: www.onlinecasinosdeutschland.com
